The American Cheese Society’s (ACS) annual convention was recently held in Buffalo. A 4-day event, the activities ranged from local tours and tastings to information sessions on food safety, cheese defects, cooperative models, and third-party audits. Attendees were dairy farmers, cheesemakers, affineurs, distributors, and retailers. They all had one thing in common: the love of US-made cheese.
The ACS tries very hard to include and engage cheese professionals across the United States and therefore holds its convention in a different third of the country every year. (Last year’s was in Des Moines, IA; next year, Sacramento, CA.) Being in Buffalo, this was my singular opportunity to meet fellow cheesemakers, taste award-winning cheeses, and fangirl on semi-famous cheesemongers I follow on Instagram. Woo-hoo!
Our farm participated in two rather exciting (for us) events: the ACS cheese competition and “Meet the Cheesemaker.” While we didn’t win any awards at the competition, we did get the equivalent of A’s across the board and received some very nice tasting notes and helpful feedback. Interestingly, we scored the very highest in aesthetics and slightly less so in technical aspects. As self-taught cheesemakers, this didn’t come as a surprise!
For “Meet the Cheesemaker,” we set up a table amongst nearly one hundred other makers from all over the US. We sampled our cheeses and spoke with buyers from Whole Foods, Wegmans, and Kroger, food writers from Culture magazine, and distributors and retailers from South Carolina, Texas, North Dakota, and beyond. It was an exhausting few hours, but eldest daughter Harper did much of the setup and helped me throughout the event. As our new, official feta maker, this was a great opportunity for her, too.
Admittedly, I felt quite out of my depth. Our little farm table was next to Lactalis and across from Cypress Grove. Makers of the first US cheese to win best cheese in the world, Rogue River Blue, was just down the aisle. We were teeny, tiny unknown fish in a very large and prestigious pond.
I needn’t have worried. Attendees’ deep love of cheese—and the relative curiosity in a microscopic “newcomer”—meant a warm and inviting reception. I’m so glad we did it!