Best Bets: The Cheese Fest
A sneak peek at the cheese-tastic celebration coming to ATL this Friday
“People are always impressed by so. much. cheese,” says Natalie Scott, marketing coordinator for the fest’s Atlanta-based producers, Gourmet Foods International. “They are surprised how many different types of cheese there are across the board.”
General admission tickets will give you unlimited samples of cheese-centric dishes from all over the country. VIPs get extra perks including early entry and booze pairings to enhance their cheese-perience.
Highlight of the Cheese Fest are sure to include the Macdown and Meltdown contests. Chefs will showcase their most imaginative recipes for macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese, with plenty of samples for all. Winner of the popular vote is up to attendees, while a panel of cheese experts will select the judge’s choice.
This year, the fest will unveil its Cheese Maker Unplugged series, featuring 15-minute educational seminars with chefs. “Each cheese maker is an iconic producer with a story,” says Scott. “Attendees who want to get a more in-depth look into cheese making will enjoy the ‘meet the maker’ concept.”
Contending for most versatile cheese is Allison Hooper of Vermont Creamery, a pioneer of goat cheese whose Cremont (“cream of Vermont”) artfully blends fresh cow’s milk and goat’s milk into a soft delicacy perfect for slathering onto bread. Cowgirl Creamery’s Peggy Smith will show off her California-made Mt. Tam cheese, an elegant and organic triple cream.
Most ingenious use of dairy will likely go to Atlanta’s own Keith Schroeder of High Road. His chef-direct ice cream, regionally-sourced ingredients and process for pasteurizing his own dairy made him a favorite at a previous Meltdown.
A top educational seminar will come from Zoe Brickley of Jasper Hill Farm, an expert in aging and cheese cellars. The series will conclude with Steven Millard of Murray’s Cheese who will offer a glimpse into NYC’s famous artisanal cheese company. Murray’s will show cheese from all four of their “cheese cave” aging facilities, including a wash rind cave (also known as “The Stink Tank”) for cheeses that require weekly baths and an alpine cave for cheese wheels weighing up to 200 pounds. Don’t know what a cheese cave is? You should probably head here to find out.
Access for each Cheese Maker Unplugged session is limited to the first 30 people to reserve a free ticket during the Cheese Fest. Scott said those interested in attending a session should stop by the Giving Kitchen table early on to secure their spot.
When: Friday, September 30th, 2016. 5:00-10:00pm (VIP entry, 4:00pm).
Where: Freight Depot Building. 65 Martin Luther King Jr Dr. SE. Atlanta.