Saturday, December 31, 2011

Highlights of the Year In Cheese

Coolea, one of the most delicious cheeses of the year.

It was the year of Goudas.
Every time I turned around, I was nibbling a glorious Dutch treat. My favorites: Coolea, a Gouda from Ireland, and Evalon, a goat Gouda from Wisconsin.

It was the year of Twitter.
Making the Zagat list of foodies to follow was fun, but it was great to discover other cheese geeks like @curdwise, @CheeseboardUK, @cheesechick1, @kasekaiserina, @cheeseandpoetry, @ItsBrieBlog, @Timthecheeseman.

It was the year of the Cheesemonger.
Wherever I looked, the world of the professional cheese handler was getting props. I missed the second annual Cheesemonger Invitational, but I was happy to be at my first American Cheese Society conference, which launched the first ever Cheesemonger Certification Program.

It was the year of babies named after cheese.
Just ask Hunter Fike of Di Bruno Bros. (9th Street) about his son Jamie Montgomery as you nibble a hunk of Montgomery’s Cheddar. Hunter, might I suggest Strathdon Blue for a potential baby #2?

It was the year of cheese apps.
Pairing apps abound, but I am still looking for the perfect iphone app that allows me to snap a photo of cheese and record notes.

It was the year of aspiring young chesemakers.
When will The New Yorker run its "30 Cheesemakers Under 30" story? Katie Hedrich of LaClare Farms in Chilton, WI made big news when she won the U.S.  Championship Cheese title at the green age of 25. I've got my eye on Lindsay Klaunig, too.

What's in store for 2012? Well, a newly designed site for Madame Fromage, plus a big bash that you're invited to on Jan. 14. Keep your eyes posted for the invite to my Cheese Ball! I'm ready to celebrate three years of blogging in the land of Milk and Brotherly Love. 

Dear readers, what are your highlights, cheese or otherwise?

6 comments:

  1. Happy new year! I LOVE your blog -- hopefully I can get my fiance to read it so that his cheese horizons expand beyond colby jack....

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  2. Justputzing, your Festive Cheese Rounds are not to be believed: http://www.justputzing.com/2011/12/festive-cheese-rounds.html

    You should check out the Cheese Ball Invitational at cheeseandchampagne.com -- another great cheese blog.

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  3. Cheesy highlights....interviewing to be a cheesemonger (although it didn't work out), trying my first Keen's and Quicke's, figuring out how awesome fig jam is, and finding a new favorite Spanish goat cheese.

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  4. Yay, Kit. Thanks for sharing. I'm dying to know about that fave Spanish goat cheese. What is it?

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  5. have you tried out Evernote for iPhone? there are similar apps out there. i'm on Android and there's Springpad. not sure of the exact offerings on iPhone

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  6. Ahem...how about local cheese finding a true & proper home at Fair Food?! Have you seen our new cheese tags in the new setup made by artist Malachy Egan?

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