Paul reviews the A.C.S. Annual Conference (Part 1)

AMERICAN CHEESE SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE
As an avid cheesehead I was thrilled that the ACS were returning to my home state of Vermont for their conference this year. My wife and I eagerly anticipated the event, which was packed full of seminars, tastings and of course the oppurtunity to meet with some of America’s best cheesemakers. We were not to be disappointed………
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 1ST
We had a wonderful evening of cheese and food at the delightful Essex Inn, courtesy of the Great Cheeses of New England. Here we mingled with the great cheesemakers from Cabot, Grafton and Cato Corner, and sampled delicious appetizers made with their finest cheeses. A French Onion Soup was finished with Grafton maple Smoked Cheddar, whilst one of Vermonts other specialties, smoked bacon, nestled atop a fondue of the powerful Hooligan cheese. Thankfully Harpoon Brewery were at hand to offer a selection of their finest hand-crafted beers to wash it down with.
Then came the main event: a four course extravagnza, each highlighting the undeniable quality of New England cheeses. The dishes had been prepared by the students of the New England Culinary Institute, and were first class! Our first dish was Peppercorn-Crusted Pan Seared Scallops, served over a Great Hill Blue Cheese, Brandy and Pancetta studded Fondue with Frizzled Spring Leek.
The second course arrived as the room was still raving about the starter. Fire Grilled Beef Tenderloin, served with a Cabot Vintage Reserve Cheddar & Wild Mushroom Risotto. The plate was finished with my favorite, white truffle oil.
After that heavy-hitter we were treated to a refreshing salad of Boston Bibb and Asian Pear Carpaccio. This was topped with Smith’s Farmstead Aged Gouda and a drizzle of 25 year old balsamic Vinegar. This lovely course really cleansed our palette just in time for my wife’s favorite course - dessert!
Vermont Butter and Cheese produce consistently high quality products, and their mascarpone was the focus of our final dish. Served with a Key Lime Pie martini, the mascarpone was a perfect pairing, and was a great finish to a wonderful meal.

THURSDAY AUGUST 2ND
The day began with a lovely stroll around charming Burlington. Despite the unusually high temperatures, we really enjoyed our urban hike, and knew that we had to build up an appetite for the deluge of cheese to come. Our first seminar focused on the future and success of American Artisanal Cheeses, and featured a variety of speakers. Whilst my wife and I first discovered the joy of farmstead cheeses during extensive visits to Europe, we do everything we can to support our great cheesemakers here in the US, and were thrilled to hear that this years competition had over 1,200 entries! The only stumbling block I see to American artisanal cheese continuing to grow is the ease of access, although now there are some great websites offering many of the cheeses we tasted here at the show. Great for those of us that don’t live in New York City!
After Lunch we were lucky enough to have the books we’d purchased signed by our favorite cheese authority, Laura Werlin. Her knowledge, passion and enthuiasm are unrivalled, and it was a real pleasure meeting her. We skipped the afternoon seminars, as they were mostly scientific, and instead headed over to the stunning Shelburne Farms a little early ahead of the evening reception. If you are ever in this are you simply must go visit. This is a truly spectacular farm in the most beautiful of settings.(Their cheese is pretty spectacular too!) Here is their website: http://www.shelburnefarms.org
The reception was held in the gigantic breeding barn, and their were over 50 Vermont cheesemakers on hand sampling their carefully created delights. I feel bad about missing anyone out, but the standouts for us at least were Neighbourly Farms organic cheeses, Tarentaise, Great Hill Blue, Orb Weaver Farm, Cambridge Reserve by West River Creamery, Blythedale Camembert, Jasper Hill Dairy, Smith’s Gouda, Bridgid’s Abbey, and of course Shelburne Farm Aged Cheddar.

It was a great evening with live music, drinks a plenty, and Vermonts finest!

More to follow………

- Paul