Festival of Cheese and Cheese Sale, July 26-27

Festival of Cheese
Saturday, July 26, 2008
5:30 - 9:00 PM
Hilton Chicago

Join us at the Chicago Hilton for this rare opportunity to experience and taste more than 1,000 artisan and specialty cheeses from producers throughout North America. The Festival presents the cheeses entered in the American Cheese Society's Annual Competition, which coincides with the Society's Annual Conference in Chicago July 23-26. In addition to the award-winning cheeses, there will be wines, beers adn specialty foods that complement the stars of this event.

Cost (for Non-Members and General Public): $85

To order tickets either go to Festival of Cheese

After this conference and event closes, there will be a sale of all the cheeses.

If you have interest in going to the conference:
25th Annual Conference and Cheese Competition, Chicago, Ill. Contact American Cheese Society, 502-583-3783, website: http://www.cheesesociety.org.

Cheese Sale 10 am – 1 pm Sunday, July 27 Open to Public

Kendall College, 900 North Branch Street, Chicago

From their press release wrote:Founded in 1983, the American Cheese Society is an active, not-for-profit organization that encourages the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of America’s farmstead and specialty cheeses. By providing an educational forum for cheesemakers and cheese enthusiasts, the society holds an important place in today’s specialty food world.

The conference, which brings together cheese makers, academicians, enthusiasts, marketing and distribution specialists, food writers and cookbook authors, and specialty food retailers from the US, Canada and Europe, celebrates the widespread enthusiasm for American specialty cheese with educational seminars on subjects from cheese making to the art of maturing cheese, a Chef’s Cheese Cook-off.

The American Cheese Society Conference has grown tremendously in recent years with significant accomplishments between 2005–2007. In those years, conference attendance increased by a remarkable 84%. The 25th Annual Conference, held from July 23-26 at the Hilton Chicago, is expected to be the largest in ACS history with over 1,000 attendees.

In conjunction with the annual conference, the society will also hold the American Cheese Society Competition. In the past three years, this competition has grown by 25% annually and in 2007, it became the largest in the United States. More than 1,200 cheeses were entered and judged by industry experts from all over North America and the world.

American Cheese Society 2007 Annual Conference numbers at-a-glance:
Over 1,400 members
829 Attendees
1,209 Competition Entries
310 Awards Given
86 Sponsors
11 Book Authors
24 Educational Sessions
82 Presenters
30 Judges

Festival of Cheese & Cheese Sale, July 26 & 27

I received the following press release yesterday.

Having ACS in Chicago is a big deal, and the two events described here sound very good. I intend to go to both (the Cheese Sale looks especially promising: it's free and it could be an opportunity to procure some award-winning fromage)

American Cheese Society Conference Comes to Chicago
With Two Exceptional Open-to-the-Public Events on July 26 and 27

CHICAGO–June 25, 2008 - - - Cheese aficionados in Chicago will have an opportunity to savor, sample and purchase some of the best cheeses in the world as more than 1,000 cheese makers convene when the American Cheese Society (ACS) hosts its 25th Annual Conference and Cheese Competition at the Hilton Chicago on July 23-26, 2008.

Two open-to-the-public events include: the Festival of Cheese, which will be held at the Hilton Chicago on the evening of Saturday, July 26, and a Cheese Sale, which will be held at Kendall College the morning of Sunday, July 27.

"The Festival of Cheese and Cheese Sale are rare opportunities for cheese lovers to peruse, sample, and purchase the top cheeses in North America all in one weekend," said Marci Wilson, executive director of the American Cheese Society. "Chicago was chosen as the host city this year because it is a top-tier city that provides a big stage for our anniversary, and chefs and consumers in the area have a huge interest in cheese."

The ultimate event for any cheese lover is the Festival of Cheese, which will be held Saturday, July 26 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Chicago at 720 S. Michigan Ave. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to taste more than 1,200 cow, goat and sheep cheeses, including the award winners of this year’s cheese competition. The cost to the public is $85 per person. Tickets for the Festival of Cheese may be purchased that evening at the door, or call the ACS headquarters at (502) 583-3783 or visit http://www.cheesesociety.org.

The Cheese Sale will be held on Sunday, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public will have the chance to buy specialty cheeses at rock-bottom prices in the dining room of Kendall College at 900 N. North Branch Street in Chicago. There is no admission charge to attend the sale.

I just received this email from Kendall, detailing a Prix Fixe Dinner in honor of the cheese weekend for that Thursday.

In honor of the American Cheese Society’s 25th Anniversary Conference

Being held here in Chicago. . .


Thursday, July 24 6:00 PM

Kendall College
Dining Room

900 N. North Branch St., Chicago, IL 60622



The Dining Room at Kendall College partners with Faribault Dairy to create a unique menu.

For reservations: call 312-752-2328



Prix Fixe $50 (four courses)

Amablu gorgonzola cheese Bavarian, grilled asparagus, heirloom tomato vinaigrette

Grass-fed beef tenderloin and “St. Pete’s Select” blue cheese in phyllo, port wine sauce

Daisy Cheddar “Meadowlark”, black mission figs, Kendall gardens arugula, aged balsamic

Cherry Semifreddo served on a bed of Flourless Chocolate cake and Blue Cheese Cream drizzled with Cherry lambic preserve along with an Orange Lace Tuile


Faribault Dairy

Faribault Dairy is the only U.S. cheese maker to still cure and age its blue cheese exclusively in caves. This traditional process allows Amablu® and St. Pete’s Select™ blue cheeses to distinguish themselves with a complex, complicated yet delightfully intimate flavor.

Kendall College is located at:

Dining Room
900 N. North Branch Street 3rd Floor Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 312.752.2328
Fax: 312.752.2601

I'm quite interested in attending the cheese sale on Sunday. Has anyone been to this in the past? Do people start lining up in the wee hours of the morning to get the best selection?

Suzy

sdritz wrote:I'm quite interested in attending the cheese sale on Sunday. Has anyone been to this in the past? Do people start lining up in the wee hours of the morning to get the best selection?

Suzy

I think it'd be good to get there around 9:30AM. I understand the cheese sells out fast.

I got there this morning at 9:50 to find a lobby chock full of eager chese lovers. Of course David Hammond, his wife (Carolyn?)and Mike Sula were at the very head of the line. We were herded in to the 3rd floor room where tables ringed the perimeter and large cooling racks filled with cheese were stading in bunches. It was like a mini Gold Rush with people swarming the tables. At one point I set a few of my cheeses down to take stock of what I had and 3 people jsut walked up and grabbed them from the rack in front of me and almost did not give them back! For the most part though everyone was happy to be in the presence of so much cheesy goodness.

Due to my unbelievable self control, I only spent $42. For that I got 21 pounds of cheese, including two blue (one soft sweet and nutty on that blew me away), a 10lb wheel of Carr sheeps milk cheese, some nice Widmer 4 year cheddar, a good block of Cabot extra sharp, a small triangle of the sharpest, most pungent cheddar I've ever had (Ruthie, that's for you!), and a few others like a half wheel of what looks like a nice Parmigiano that I just can't bring myself to open yet.

A huge shout out to the fine folks at Taste Food and Wine in Rogers Park who generously let me swing by and use their vaccum sealer machine so the cheese will last a bit longer!


I was so jealous of the folks in line with me who had a 15"x15"x24" block of Tillamook cheddar for only $20 but there was no way I could fit that on the motorcycle! I really wish this was in Chicago every year:(

I need to find someone to share a blanket, picnic basket and a bottle of white wine in the forest preserve now

As for selling out, I went on the room counterclockwise and by the time I made it to the bleu cheese table there were only about 4-5 pieces left out of 30 or so when I entered

The Wife and I got some fine pieces (including a Cabot bandaged cheddar, a 2nd place in Wrapped Cheddars, and a big Gran Queso, a 1st place in Hispanic and Portuguese Cheeses). Pricing seemed to be about 20 cents on the dollar, and it took some self-control to say "Enough" and walk away...even though we were carrying what amounted to several hundred dollars of excellent cheeses.

It would have been great if some of the more popular cheeses were cut into smaller pieces. There was just one hunk of the Best in Show Carr Valley Snow White Goat Cheddar -- I got to the table just as a woman swept up the one and only piece, which looked to be about two pounds.

I ran into the illustrious Joel Smith, Slow Food Governor, and he told me he came at 10:01...a minute too late.

I was there this morning. I got in line at 9:30 a.m. I was surprised at how many people were there prior to opening. It was really fun to see all the different people into cheese who were up early on a Sunday morning [some with suitcases and rolling coolers!] and willing to push and shove to get to the front of the line. Once I got up to the 3rd floor with all the various tables of cheese, I really became infected with the value and quality of the offerings of the various cheese. The ribbon table was particularly crowded. [I thought I saw Hammond across the room fighting his way to some cheese table.] Here is what purchased for a grand total of $25:


The big one is a Carr Valley aged 4 year cheddar that I snagged for $4!. Also pictured are two 2nd place blue-ribbon winners, a semi-soft and a semi-soft goat cheese.

I plan to use the cheddar in mac n' cheese.

Edited to add captions and fix typo.

David Hammond wrote:Pricing seemed to be about 20 cents on the dollar

Wow!!!

I'm envious.

I arrived about about 12:30. There was one table left with huge hunks of cheddar (various kinds) and Monterey Jack and Swiss. By this time it was take what you want for $20. I hoisted six large blocks of various kinds of cheese. I feel like I'm almost from Wisconsin.

Cinny's Mom wrote:The ribbon table was particularly crowded. [I thought I saw Hammond across the room fighting his way to some cheese table.]

I thought that was you! Sorry I was too involved in the feeding frenzy to say Hi.

We sampled most our 18 or so cheeses tonight -- the Cabot bandaged cheddar was a fav; the Gran Queso less so; but the far and away winner was an unmarked cheese that The Wife saw and thought looked good (golden and dense, with lacy sheets forming on the cheese surface). We bought several unmarked cheeses based on appearance, which is kind of a fun way to sample (no pressure to like it based on official judgements).

i thought it'd be easy to find a list of cheeses entered in the ACS competition by googling it, but so far it isnt.... so i'm asking those who were there: i got a large (alas) chunk of a goat cheddar with the name written on it in marker. most of the name has come off but the beginning is Fag.... (no homophobic jokes please). it is horrible cheese. rubbery, no hint of goat. i'd curious, does anyone know what it is? thanks, justjoan

justjoan wrote:i thought it'd be easy to find a list of cheeses entered in the ACS competition by googling it,

I've never seen a list of all 1,100+ entrants, but I do have a list of winners and have not found anything like what you describe.

david, can you share the list of winners? btw, you're essay on the cheese judging on 848 this morning was excellent. jj

A list of winners and entrants can be found on the first page of this website:

http://www.cheesesociety.org/

The entrants start on page 39 of the PDF, after the winners and judges are listed.

justjoan: Fagundes from California?

justjoan wrote:i got a large (alas) chunk of a goat cheddar with the name written on it in marker. most of the name has come off but the beginning is Fag.... (no homophobic jokes please). it is horrible cheese. rubbery, no hint of goat. i'd curious, does anyone know what it is?

Probably Queijo de Cabra Cheddar made by Fagundes of Hanford, California. I don't think I tried this cheese but some of the other goat cheddars were spectacular. Incidentally, Fagundes took second place in the Hispanic & Portuguese Styles category for their St Jorge.

The handwriting on the cheese said' Fag......goat cheddar.' i know cheese is somewhat subjective, but this cheese is inedible, IMO. i'm not familiar with the fagundes cheese co., but if they have good stuff, i can't believe they'd make this cheese, much less enter it in competition.

justjoan wrote:The handwriting on the cheese said' Fag......goat cheddar.' i know cheese is somewhat subjective, but this cheese is inedible, IMO. i'm not familiar with the fagundes cheese co., but if they have good stuff, i can't believe they'd make this cheese, much less enter it in competition.

I believe labeling got a little loose at the end of the show -- so it's possibly a misprint.

At the Kendall cheese sale, The Wife selected several unlabeled cheeses that turned out to be absolutely fantastic; I believe one might have been the Satori that was mentioned in the Tribune yesterday: golden, flakey, bacon-y, but unlabeled.

I think I've eaten a few pounds of cheese in the past few days.

justjoan wrote:The handwriting on the cheese said' Fag......goat cheddar.' i know cheese is somewhat subjective, but this cheese is inedible, IMO. i'm not familiar with the fagundes cheese co., but if they have good stuff, i can't believe they'd make this cheese, much less enter it in competition.

As David suggested, it's possible it was mislabeled. The number of cheeses was staggering, so it would be surprising if there weren't some mistakes. I actually found myself wondering about that at the tasting, if any of the over 1000 cheeses were misrepresented. Looking at the Fagundes website I see the Queijo de Cabra cheddar took gold at the LA County Fair, for whatever that's worth.

In any case, I think you were highly unlucky in selecting a bad cheese. I was astounded at the overall high quality. Of the hundreds of cheeses I sampled, only a handful were unsatisfactory, and those were usually the "oddball" cheeses I couldn't resist trying. Mixing smoked salmon into cheese is probably not a good idea and I wonder if there shouldn't be laws against adulterating cheddar with wasabi. On the other hand, I was shocked at how insanely good a lavender and espresso coated cheddar was.

I wonder if you accidentally got a piece of the cheese skyline, made from low-quality bulk cheese.

the cheese skyline is gorgeous. speaking of mystery cheeses at kendall.... i got a chunk of blue cheese with definite, strong bacon notes. it was kind of a dirty white with thick chunks of mold (rather than ribbons) and very soft. jj