Fine Cheese & Charcuterie Summer '20

Artisan Food Renaissance in America

Artisan.  It’s a popular word lately, and sometimes used a little too loosely in my opinion.  But, we are experiencing a renaissance in food and beverage creation here in America that is yielding the best the world had to offer.  We have always looked to Europe to find incredible specialty foods that have been created and enjoyed for generations.  We Americans have a lot to learn and enjoy from their experience.

I have a friend that had an interesting conversation with the founder of one of the original craft beer brands at a recent social gathering.  The founder pointed out that many years ago when an American brewing company wanted to learn how to make excellent beer, they would visit England, Germany, or Belgium where you would find some of the best beer in the world.  Now, the European brands are coming to America because we are experiencing a craft beer revolution, and the quality and variety of beer is astounding.  If you want to experience some of the best beer in the world, then America is certainly the place.  Recently when I visited Tree House Brewery here in Massachusetts, which only sells direct to the public, I cued up in line with travelers from all over the world.  Visitors from Brazil, China, and Japan all waited in line with many others and myself that joined the pilgrimage to experience the incredible IPA’s this brewery has become well known for.  

What does this have to do with cheese and Charcuterie?  I find it is a similar story.  Once upon a time, if Americans wanted to experience great cheese, we would have to head to Europe to experience the fantastic variety of artisan cheese that was available to enjoy.  Now we have American companies that have been established to bring cheeses to market that use similar techniques, ingredients, and affinage to create special artisan cheeses that can compare to the best in the world.

In this issue, you will learn about one American cheese producer in Vermont that is creating genuine artisan cheeses that any cheese aficionado can fall in love with.  When you understand the incredible attention to detail and process that is employed to create an excellent product, then it is no surprise that the incredible assortment of cheeses emanating from this producer are receiving international acclaim.