My trip to Seattle for Cheese-a-Topia, the American Cheese Society‘s annual conference was a blast! The fun started in Las Vegas (not what you think!), where as I waited for my connecting flight, I overheard a couple discussing cows. I figured I’d ask if they might be going to Cheese-a-Topia, and indeed they were! It turned I was on the same flight as Deb and Doug Erb, the owners of Landaff Creamery in NH, makers of Landaff, truly one of my favorite cheeses. They have only been making cheese for only two years, so they were quite surprised to hear me gushing over their cheese. I spent the next hour talking with them about their decision to start making cheese after many years in the dairy business, and the obstacles they’ve faced as well as what the future looks like for Landaff Creamery. They really have a fascinating story!

Last Thursday there was the Meet the Cheesemaker event, where cheesemakers from all over the country had tables set up and were sampling their cheeses. Finally, I was able to meet so many cheesemakers we work with, many of whom, I’ve only known by phone and email exchanges. It was so great to put faces with cheeses! It’s funny, I’ve felt like I know cheesemakers personally because I am so familiar with their unique cheeses, even though I had not met many of them until now. It was such a pleasure to meet Jeremy Little from Sweet Grass Dairy in GA, makers of the luscious Green Hill, and also Andy Hatch and Mike Gingrich from Uplands Cheese Company (whose cheese, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, won Best of Show for the third time – way to go, Mike and Andy!) I also met, Marieke Penterman of Marieke Gouda fame, one of our best sellers this summer! There is a picture of her twins bottle-feeding calves on the farm, positioned on top of the hunk of Gouda at our East Hampton store’s counter. I enjoyed catch up with Jeremy Stephenson from Spring Brook Farm, who I visited last February, and whose cheese, Tarentaise took second place in Best of Show – congratulations!! Adeline Druart and Allison Hooper of Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery, won third place in Best of Show this year for their, creamy ash-ripened Bonne Bouche! Allison visited Lucy’s Whey East Hampton this July and did a great tasting. No surprise her cheese won – everything from the Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery is fabulous!

Another highlight, was meeting owners of cheese shops from all across the country – both large and small retailers. Everyone was incredibly friendly, and offered hints and suggestions to those of us who are relatively new to the industry. I especially enjoyed meeting a couple from Oklahoma, who started Forward Foods, a cheese store in Oklahoma City with earnings from winning Jeopardy!

I tasted so many great cheeses, and met so many inspiring people- cheesemakers, cheesemongers, chefs, farmers, food writers, Cheese-a-topia was a really magical place! Stay tuned for more stories and photos of our adventures in Cheese-a-Topia soon – here and on our Facebook page!