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Serving the interest of cheese-makers and cheese lovers in Maine and beyond.
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We will do this through:
development of a collective voice to: promote Maine cheese and cheese makers; educate cheese makers and consumers; coordinate resources; share the joy and art of regional cheeses.
August 3, 2007
BURLINGTON, VT -- Cheesemakers of the Maine Cheese Guild (www.mainecheeseguild.org) won 17 ribbons including six blue ribbons for first place in their category at the 2007 American Cheese Society (ACS - www.cheesesociety.org) Competition. Ten of the participating Guild cheesemakers won at least one award. The judging took place at the annual ACS Conference, held in Burlington, VT this year, and included a record 1208 cheeses entered from 200 North American cheese producers making this the largest U.S. cheese competition in history.
The winners from Maine competed in a broad range of categories and styles using cow's, goat's , and sheep's milk, several of them organic. Because the competition provides useful feedback to cheesemakers from the judging in addition to the chance to win a nationally recognized award for their efforts. This is the first year that the Guild organized as a group, with help from the Maine Department of Agriculture and other supporters, to generate as many competition entries as possible, which resulted in over 30 entries from Guild members up from 5 entries in 2006.
The ribbons were awarded on August 3rd in the Emerald Ball Room of the Sheraton Burlington in front of hundreds of conference participants including many of the competing cheesemakers. Mid-way through the ceremony, after Maine Cheese Guild members had won several of their awards, the announcer commented to the crowd, "it's nice to see so many new names appearing as winners this year."
2007 American Cheese Society Competition Award Winners from the Maine Cheese Guild are:
key:Maine Cheese Guild Member, Location, Place, Ribbon Description, Cheese Name, Category Description, ACS Category
Appleton Creamery, Appleton, 1, 1st Place, Sheep Yogurt, Cultured Milk Products / Cutlured Products Made from Sheep's Milk, QS
Hahn's End, Phippsburg, 1, 1st Place, City of Ships, American Made / International Style / Open Category Made From Cow's Milk, DC
Oak Leaf Creamery, Kennebunk, 1, 1st Place, Roja, American Originals / Monterey Jack - Cows Milk, CJ
Pinelands Farm, New Gloucester, 1, 1st Place, Onion-Garlic Jack, American Originals / Monterey Jack - Cows Milk, CJ
Silvery Moon Creamery, Westbrook, 1, 1st Place, Tuscan Herbed Curd, Marinated Cheeses / Open Category Made From Cow's Milk, PC
York Hill Farm, New Sharon, 1, 1st Place, Chevre Roll - Green Peppercorn & Nutmeg, Flavored Cheeses / Cheeses Flavored with Crushed or Whole Peppercorns or Savory Spices, KP
Hahn's End, Phippsburg, 2, 2nd Place, Eleanor Buttercup, American Made / International Style / Open Category Made From Cow's Milk, DC
Hahn's End, Phippsburg, 2, 2nd Place, Ragged Island, American Made / International Style / Open Category Made From Cow's Milk, DC
Liberty Field Farm, Saco, 2, 2nd Place, Feta, Feta Cheeses / Feta Made From Goat's Milk, IG
Silvery Moon Creamery, Westbrook, 2, 2nd Place, Creme Fraiche, Cultured Milk Products / Creme Fraiche Products Made From Cow's Milk, QF
Sunset Acres Farm & Dairy, Brooksville, 2, 2nd Place, Boulette (herbed) Fresh, Fresh Goat's Milk Cheeses / Flavor Added: Spices Herbs Seasonings Fruits, NF
York Hill Farm, New Sharon, 2, 2nd Place, Chevre Roll - Black Peppercorn & Garlic, Flavored Cheeses / Open Category Made from Goat's Milk, KG
York Hill Farm, New Sharon, 2, 2nd Place, Chevre Roll - Dill & Garlic, Fresh Goat's Milk Cheeses / Flavor Added: Spices Herbs Seasonings Fruits, NF
Monroe Cheese Studio, Monroe, 3, 3rd place, Blue Thistle, Blue Mold Cheeses / Blue-Veined Made From Cow's Milk, FC
Painted Pepper Farm, Steuben, 3, 3rd Place, Dairy Delights Goat's Milk Yogurt - Plain (certified organic), Cultured Milk Products / Yogurts Made from All Milks, QY
Pinelands Farm, New Gloucester, 3, 3rd Place, Salsa Jack, American Originals / Monterey Jack with Flavors - Cows Milk, CP
Sunset Acres Farm & Dairy, Brooksville, 3, 3rd Place, Fresh Chevre Cranberry/Honey, Fresh Goat's Milk Cheeses / Flavor Added: Spices Herbs Seasonings Fruits, NF
According to the ACS web site, in order to qualify for the competition, cheesemakers and their products must meet the following basic criteria:
* Entering companies must hold current membership and be "in good standing" with the ACS.
* Cheeses entered into the competition must have been available for sale to the general public at least 12 months prior to the competition.
* Cheeses entered into the competition must be characteristic of the accepted guidelines for the category in which the cheeses are entered.
Entries are judged by teams of technical and aesthetic judges, with each team scoring the individual entry based on a cumulative point system. In order to be eligible for a First, Second, or Third place ribbon, scores must meet a minimum number of points for each level. If no entries meet the minimum score for a placement level, such as first or second place, then an award is not given for that level.
Point total ties were recognized for second and third place, but first place ribbons were given only to a single cheese in each category.
at Monroe Cheese Studio
Monday, June 12th
in Monroe
10:00am - 2:00pm
The next meeting of the Maine Cheese Guild is scheduled for Monday, May 12, from 10 to 2, at Monroe Cheese Studio, in Monroe. Eric Rector is our host. He will give us a tour of his cheese room and "cave-let."
Please also bring a bag lunch and cheese to share!
Directions: we live at 554 Dickey Hill Rd in Monroe, on the east side of the road just about one mile north of Route 131 from an intersection called "Nickerson Mills" on the Gazetteer -- it's a yellow house set back from the road surrounded by fields, a big red barn behind the house, a hoophouse along the driveway between the house and the road.
From Belfast, at the east end of the Route 1 bridge turn north onto Route 141 to Swanville. In Swanville center (about 6 miles north), jog left on 141, then jog right before turning onto Rt. 131 heading South/West. Go up a hill, then down a hill (for about two and a half miles from Swanville center), then go straight onto a dirt road when Rt. 131 turns SHARP LEFT. Bear right onto the road (which Swanville sometimes marks "Monroe Rd." but is the same as Dickey Hill Rd.) and our driveway is the first on the right, a mile up the road.
From South/West: Get onto Route 131 -- easiest to do from Route 3 in Belmont at the top of a giant hill -- and head north. Once you cross Route 7, the turn onto Dickey Hill Rd. is a little more than 4.5 miles from that intersection where Route 131 makes a SHARP turn to the right. (You are very close to the turn when you pass a house with a white picket fence on left, pond on the right.) Continue straight onto a road (which Swanville sometimes marks "Monroe Rd." but is the same as Dickey Hill Rd.), and our driveway is the first on the right, a mile up the road.
From Monroe Center: head south on Route 141 about 2 miles to a right turn onto the Back Brooks Road. Go down a short hill then up a short hill and head straight onto the Dickey Hill Rd. which is dirt (Back Brooks Road continues to the left and is is paved). Our driveway is on the left a little less than three miles down that dirt road.
323-2664 if you get lost.
See you there!
For more info:
The Maine Cheese Guild
c/o State of Maine Cheese Co.
461 Commercial Street
Rockport, ME 04846
Phone- (207)775-4818, please leave message
Fax- (207)839-3799
(please send invoice or account statements directly to the Treasurer)
Email
Guild Information -
Maine Cheese Guild Newsletter Editor -
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Correspondence relating to the web site
Officers:
Jennifer Betancourt, President
Silvery Moon Creamery at Smiling Hill Farm, Westbrook
Eric Rector, Vice President
Monroe Cheese Studio, Monroe
Mark Whitney, Treasurer
Pineland Farms, New Gloucester
Debra Hahn, Secretary
Hahn's End, Phippsburg
Board:
Anne Bossi, Sunset Acres, Brookesville
Caitlin Hunter, Appleton Creamery
Heidi Kingelhofer, Five Islands Farm
Marjorie Lupien, Mystique Cheese
Keith Morgan-Davies, Maine Micro-Dairy
Cathe Morril, State of Maine Cheese Co.
David Peterson, Oak Leaf Creamery
Cheese Parings, a hard copy newsletter is a benefit of membership in the Maine Cheese Guild. All members are mailed a copy of the newsletter, published four times a year. This informative newsletter contains information not published on this web site including a small classified section.
Newsletter Editor:
Caitlin Hunter
Appleton Creamery, Appleton
Email the editor
Print out and complete the application and send it along with $25 check payable to The Maine Cheese Guild
Mail to:
The Maine Cheese Guild
c/o Mark Whitney, Treasurer
Pineland Farms
32 Farm View Drive
New Gloucester, Maine 04260
Email membership inquiries:
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