BY DAPHNE R. HOWLAND

Say Cheese, Say Flavor

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WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD

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A growing interest in American artisanal cheeses has new regional varieties showing up on menus in all categories.

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INTENSE FLAVOR IN EVERY CATEGORY Flavor is the hallmark of artisan and specialty cheeses. For the small-batch artisan cheesemaker, long-lived and well-loved microbes, old European hand-production and the approach of “selling no cheese before its time” yield flavors unique to the animal, its environment, and the season. The same variety may vary in flavor from batch to batch, reflecting that production’s moment in time.

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BLUE CHEESES, INCLUDING GORGONZOLA, ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING ARTISAN CHEESES, OFFERING A DISTINCTIVE ROBUST FLAVOR TO MENU ITEMS.

For larger producers, high-quality ingredients and processes are still important, but so is consistency of flavor across all batches. Larger producers are more likely to use automated steps in the cheesemaking process, and nearly always use pasteurized over raw milk. They are also more likely to develop unique products by adding spices or other ingredients like horseradish or peppers. Specialty cheese manufacturer Roth Kase of Monroe, Wis., long known for its Gruyère cheese, has recently won awards for its lobster bisque spread and horseradish havarti. BelGioioso Cheese, founded 20 years ago in Wisconsin by an Italian cheesemaker, has similarly found a niche somewhere between the large-scale Kraft of “American cheese” fame and small-batch artisan operator. Skilled Italian cheesemakers are on hand to manage the process, and to ensure quality and page 2 of 6

merican cheese has arrived. The name no longer simply implies the block of individually wrapped slices in the fridge drawer. Rather, American cheesemakers now offer a wide variety of artisan and specialty varieties that are not only attracting attention and accolades from the world’s food community, but also offering chefs new ways to add flavor and value to their menus. “There’s a lot of innovation in cheesemaking, and a whole new level of quality,” says Dana Tanyeri, director of national product communications at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). “Creating flavor drives everything these days, and that really relates to the artisan and specialty cheeses, which have unique and bolder flavors. A lot of demand has been created by chefs, like so many strong, lasting food trends that start out in foodservice.” Cheese, of course, has long been a menu mainstay. In 2002, according to WMMB, cheese was a feature on menus in 99 percent of non-commercial facilities, 96 percent of full-service restaurants, 97 percent of lodging facilities and 100 percent of airline operations. Total foodservice cheese volume reached 3.6 billion lbs. in 2002, with fast-food restaurants accounting for more than half of that amount. Quick-service operations on average use 5.7 cheese varieties in sandwich menus. And while mozzarella, American, cream cheese, cheddar and Swiss are still the most common selections, cheese blends, ethnic varieties, blue cheeses, and artisan and specialty cheeses are increasing in popularity.

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THIS STORY TAKES A LOOK AT:

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• How the American artisanal and specialty cheese trend is affecting the foodservice market • How operators are featuring artisanal cheeses on the menu as a means of flavor differentiation • Eight areas of opportunity artisanal cheeses offer foodservice operators

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FRESH MOZZARELLA’S DELICATE FLAVOR AND PORCELAINWHITE APPEARANCE ENHANCES A VARIETY OF MENU ITEMS WHILE ADDING AN ITALIAN FLAIR.

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. E, INC CHEES IOSO BELGIO

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flavor. And while the company does produce small-batch varieties of cheese without a very wide distribution, it has worked hard to meet national foodservice needs with large-scale outputs of such varieties as its Parmesan-like American grana, Asiago, fontina, fresh mozzarella, Gorgonzola, mascarpone, Parmesan, Romano, provolone and ricotta salata, among others. “Chefs have come to expect from us consistency of flavors and quality,” says Jamie Wichlacz, marketing manager for BelGioioso. “The people who are successful with these cheeses are people who are paying attention to how it’s made and how it tastes. The American palate is getting more sophisticated and we’re working with that.” Michelle Corry, owner and manager of Five FiftyFive, an upscale restaurant in Portland, Maine, and her chef-owner husband Scott Corry would agree that Americans have sharpened their appreciation of specialty cheeses. The Corrys offer an extensive artisan cheese list featuring New England, Californian and European varieties that has surpassed their expectations in its popularity. The list changes often, though some favorites are featured more regularly. A recent glance at the list revealed a firm sheep’s milk Tomme, an herbed organic sheep’s milk cheese and a multi-textured rich and nutty cow’s milk cheese — all from Vermont; a pasteurized goat’s milk cheddar with natural rind from Maine; a cave-aged Gruyère from Switzerland; a blue from Tipperary, Ireland; an American Cheese Society award-winning raw goat’s milk cheese from northern California; a softer goat’s milk cheese from California ringed with vegetable ash; and a firm cow’s milk Gouda from Holland. Scott Corry also features cheese in such menu items as a starter of carpaccio and shaved Reggiano Parmesan, a dinner of pork loin with a side of cheese grits, a burger topped with Gruyére, and salads

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with sheep’s blue cheese, chive goat cheese and soft-ripened goat cheese. The restaurant has also featured dessert items made with mascarpone and goat’s milk cheeses, and a savory blue cheese cake. “I do think the American public is more adventurous and interested in food, and now we’re taking pride in food made in the United States,” Michelle Corry says. “In general, people are not just ordering the cheese but commenting on it. We assumed people would order it as a first course, but they are ordering it for dessert or before dessert, as in Europe.” An artisan cheese board is a regular feature on the dessert menu at San Francisco’s Plumpjack Café. Chef James Ormsby purchases his cheese selections on a weekly basis at Artisan Cheese, a nearby cheese shop that has been a big hit with chefs and consumers alike since it opened in 1998. Ormsby offers such international varieties as an English goat cheese from Devon, and Umbriaco, an Italian cow’s milk cheese with a red wine wash. But he also includes an increasing amount of American cheeses, including Capri Classic Blue goat cheese from Westfield Farms in Massachusetts, Pepato sheep’s milk cheese from Bellweather Farms in California, as well as the popular Mt. Tam mild and creamy cow’s milk cheese, from Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes, Calif.

SPECIALTY CHEESES FOSTER CREATIVE MENU IDEAS Because chefs now have more choices in domestically made cheese, they are increasingly able to use high-quality yet affordable cheese creatively to wow customers. Cheesemakers would like to make it even easier for them, and both the American Cheese Society and the WMMB have designed educational programs for chefs. The WMMB’s Chef Ambassador program features eight chefs from all areas of the country. These chefs attend WMMB-sponsored tastings and programs, and assist in developing new menu applications for Wisconsin cheese. Similarly, the American Cheese Society is for the first time putting together a number of educational events as part of its annual conference this summer.

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The Basics of American Artisan Cheeses

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Chefs, food critics and aficionados like to compare the recent renaissance in quality and popularity of American-produced cheeses to the American wine revolution of the 1970s. Like California vintners a few decades ago, skilled and passionate cheesemakers today are producing new as well as old-fashioned varieties of cheese that rival their European counterparts, at the table and at international competitions. And like American wine drinkers, diners are learning the virtues of well-crafted cheeses. “Five years ago, cheese was where wine was in the 1970s,” agrees Clark Wolf, a restaurant consultant and food writer who is writing a book about the history of American cheeses. “The difference, I think, is that we’ve learned we don’t have to know as much about cheese. It’s easier to develop an appreciation for cheese. The cheeses made in large production are actually very good. Then there are those cheeses that are just amazing that can be made only in small quantities.” Generally speaking, the three main cheesemaking regions of the country are the Midwest (Wisconsin being the largest cheese producer), the West (California being the second-leading producer) and New England. Most of the largest producers are found in California and Wisconsin. Small artisan cheesemakers are found almost everywhere in the United States, and Vermont is cited by many as the emerging epicenter of smaller producers. As the cheese revolution escalates, the term “artisan” cheese is often used to denote a higher quality, more flavorful cheese than better-known milder American varieties of years past. In fact, “artisan” is a specific term, and the American Cheese Society, for one, is working on clarifying definitions of cheeses related to their production. Meanwhile, we’ve compiled a working glossary of a few key cheese terms with input from the American Cheese Society, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, the California Milk Advisory Board and chefs, cheesemakers and food consultants. ARTISAN OR BOUTIQUE CHEESE: Hand-made cheeses produced in small quantities often, though not always, using raw rather than pasteurized milk. The milk may come from cows, sheep or goats raised on the premises (see “farmstead”) or otherwise comes from farms that work closely with cheesemakers. Artisan cheesemakers rarely use machines in any part of their process, but rather stick to traditional European cheesemaking methods, most commonly the old world traditions of France, Italy and England. Artisan cheeses are usually seasonally produced. Flavors can vary according to air, grass, time of year and other subtle variables of milk and cheese production, including the concept of “terroir” – the flavor of the soil or the region – that winemakers speak of. Such small-batch makers sell the cheese when it’s deemed “ready,” according to its desired flavor and texture, rather than simply at the end of production. CHEESE CAVES: Some producers are taking care to age their cheeses in temperature- and humidity-controlled areas meant to reproduce the atmosphere of a cave that might be found in traditional European cheesemaking. Cheese caves can also refer to rooms or cabinets maintained by cheese aficionados, akin to wine cellars.

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FARMSTEAD CHEESE: An artisan cheese made from milk that is produced on the same premises as the cheese itself, from the farmer’s own herd of animals.

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RAW MILK: Milk that has not been pasteurized. In the United States, by law, cheese made from raw milk must be aged 60 days, after which any potentially harmful bacteria are gone. (In Europe, raw milk cheeses are more common and are consumed before such aging.) Artisan cheesemakers often use raw milk, which they insist delivers flavor and texture lost to pasteurization. Larger producers almost always use pasteurized milk. SPECIALTY CHEESE: Can refer to artisan cheese, but also applies to high-quality artisan-like cheeses, cheese blends or flavored cheeses made by larger producers. While expert cheesemakers, sometimes European-educated or -apprenticed, are often involved in developing larger-production specialty cheeses, the process is more automated, batches are much larger, and consistency of flavor (rather than seasonal or subtle variations in flavor), is a goal. Although quality of milk is cited by cheesemakers large and small as the most important contributor to the flavor of cheese, larger producers are also more likely to experiment with flavors using added ingredients like horseradish, peppers and the like. FLAVOR

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THE ROGUE CREAMERY

SOME FOODSERVICE OPERATORS ARE SEEKING OUT SMALLER HANDS-ON ARTISANAL CHEESEMAKERS TO CRAFT CHEESES THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR COMPETITION, AS BURGERVILLE HAS DONE WITH A BLUE CHEESE SPREAD FROM THE ROGUE CREAMERY.

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applications, sometimes for a dish that you might not even realize has cheese in it.”

For most of his cheese needs, Burgerville’s Brown uses cheeses from Tillamook, a noted Oregon cheesemaking cooperative, and says he values the quality and flavor of pasteurized, larger-production Tillamook cheese. But for his limited-edition bluecheese burger, Brown turned to The Rogue Creamery, a southern Oregon small-batch artisan operation that at first wouldn’t return his calls. The Rogue Creamery is internationally acclaimed for its small runs of handcrafted blue vein cheeses, made with Roquefort and Gorgonzola microbes brought from Europe decades ago. President David Gremmels wasn’t sure he wanted to work with a fast food operation like Burgerville, or, for that matter, if he would even be able to meet its demands. “George was very much aware of our production capabilities, which are small. But he was honest and passionate about the flavor,” Gremmels says. “He had a vision for what the end product was going to taste like — not only our spread but the fine beef, the onions, the peppered bacon. He was committed to making it work.”

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WHERE SLOW MEETS FAST FOOD

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“You can’t learn about the cheeses unless you’re there with them,” notes Barry King, executive director of the American Cheese Society. “There are 625 cheeses entered at our Festival of Cheese. You’ll never get that many American cheeses at one time.” King described cheese as an “ingredient-added product” and the availability of artisan American cheese as a special opportunity to enliven a menu. “When you add great cheese, for example, eggplant Parmesan goes beyond your everyday eggplant Parmesan,” he says. One emerging cheese trend is the pairing of blue cheese with grilled meats. A blue cheese-crusted steak is a favorite at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ Wildfire restaurants in Illinois, for example, while Burgerville, with 39 quick-service outlets in Oregon and Washington, offers a blue-cheese burger special using a local, hand-made artisan spread. Burgerville’s Executive Chef George Brown, a selfproclaimed “big cheese fan,” sees almost no limit to the potential of cheeses of all varieties, from productions large and small. “Cheese is amazing because it has so much opportunity to be a flavor enhancer, to complement something else, to give depth and flavor,” Brown offers. “It’s salty, it’s sweet, it’s creamy, it’s firm, it’s sliceable, it’s spreadable. There are so many versatile

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Using unique and more flavorful cheeses, especially those found locally or regionally, can help menu development in several areas, say chefs and foodservice consultants. Artisan and specialty cheeses provide: FLAVOR — Artisan cheeses offer stronger and more sophisticated flavors or distinctive flavor twists in dishes as diverse as appetizers, burgers, grilled meats, pastas, pizza and salads.

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artisan cheese opportunities

VALUE — Fifty cents worth of cheese can yield as much as a $2.00 markup, according to Successfoods Marketing’s Ed Zimmerman, who works with clients such as the California Milk Advisory Board. MERCHANDISING APPEAL — Working with a creamery or cheesemaker can set a menu apart with items that have a story to tell. “More chefs are interested in offering a signature flavor with their burgers, for example,” says Brent Frei of the American Culinary Federation. “It’s an opportunity to set apart your brand or be co-branded with a local food producer.” PROTEIN — Cheese offers more protein in this era of low-carb, high-protein diets. NATURAL FOOD DEMANDS — The use of cheeses, especially local or regional varieties, is an easy way to meet demands for more natural and organic food products. EASE OF USE — Simply melting cheese adds flavor and texture to almost any savory dish, and even upscale cheese courses are easy to pull together by slicing and artfully arranging cheeses with extras like fruit, olives and breads. SMALL-PLATE SOLUTIONS — Cheese plates are a natural fit for the small-plate trend, and can be offered at the bar, as appetizers or as dessert.

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PAIRING OPPORTUNITIES — Specialty cheeses represent an excellent opportunity to suggest a wine or beer pairing.

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In the end, Brown and The Rogue Creamery cheesemakers worked to develop a spread based on one of its signature varieties. To meet Burgerville’s high demand, the cheesemaker asked its other distributors to accept smaller shipments of the cheese they used to make the spread. These long-standing customers made

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do with as much as 20 percent less of their usual order for nearly eight weeks. The custom blue cheese spread helped Burgerville sell a lot of burgers. “We had a phenomenal response,” says Brown. “I got emails when we pulled it from the menu last spring, and another great response when we brought it back in the fall. It was great to work with The Rogue Creamery to produce what we needed.” The Burgerville specialty burger is to be featured regularly in spring and fall. Although he won’t divulge his ideas just yet, Brown says he is developing other menu items using more flavorful cheese varieties from both Tillamook and The Rogue Creamery, because he believes consumers want burgers and other fast food items with a more sophisticated zing, using locally produced ingredients. Gremmels is glad he finally returned Chef Brown’s call and happy to have the Burgerville spread added to its artisan outlay. In fact, this past summer the product captured an American Cheese Society silver medal in the spread category. “We’re so excited, being a ‘slow food’ maker, to be participating in fast food,” he says, “and I think it’s a big step for a fast food operator to use artisan-produced foods.” Gremmels is also excited about the respect American cheesemakers have gained in the eyes of their European peers. The company’s Rogue River Blue made history at the recent World Cheese Awards in London when it beat out entries from all over Europe to take home the overall best blue cheese, a first for an American blue cheese. “Europeans think it’s remarkable what U.S. cheesemakers have done in the last ten years to raise the bar of artisan cheese,” Gremmels says. Clark Wolf, a restaurant consultant and food writer who is currently writing a book, to be published by Simon and Schuster, on the history and evolution of American cheese, says stories like Burgerville’s are being told in casual restaurants nationwide. He calls cheese the “most unperishable perishable.” “Really good cheese gives you the benefits of a very perishable and therefore precious food,” Wolf says. “But you have a lot more time and a lot more room to work with it. You can cut it up and put it on a plate, you can pair it with fruit, or you can make a brilliant macaroni and cheese. Cheese is the ultimate crowd pleaser in that the least experienced person and the most sophisticated person can enjoy the same thing.” &

DAPHNE HOWLAND IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR LIVING IN MAINE. [email protected]

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