I came back from Seattle with my brain 'a point' as the French say of their cheese. I was like that bit of brie that, when left out at room temperature, gently oozes itself out of its rind! So much information, it's taken me the better part of the last week and a half trying to sort through it all. Still glowing from the experience though, so I thought I'd share just a bit more before closing the chapter.
We attended some great classes with our own 'industry notables', like Ari Weinzweig from Zingerman's Delicatessan in Ann Arbor Michigan; and Greg O'Neill of Pastoral in Chicago. We listened to moderated panels on logical line extensions - how to best add things that might please our customers. Or, why is customer service so important that everyone speaks the talk, and only a small portion of businesses actually walk the walk and how we can walk it. I know, it sounds very technical - but I look forward to implementing things in small ways at Brick Street Market that will help us stick around over the long term.
After Friday and Saturday's similar routine to our first day (read previous blog of 8/30/10), and beautiful receptions at the Seattle Acquarium and at the Seattle Visitor's Bureau and Convention Center - oh yes, marvelous food and cheese was present for all), my sister Shelly was really anticipating our closing speaker, Michael Pollan, and what he might be able to tell an industry that has been promoting eating 'real' food for all of its 27 years of existence. (The ingredients label on most artisan cheeses has, in many instances only 3-4 ingredients. Email me the top three ingredients, and I will send you a $5 gift certificate!) Polland didn't so much give us new information, (his books are well know in most circles) as he did confirm what the majority of these conference goers have been living day to day.
After taking to the stage and promptly calling cheesemongers "Masters of Rot" - (you'd think we'd all be highly offended, but not this group!) We laughed heartily, and the new moniker made it into the press that very day! Words to remember:
You are what you eat and what you eat eats!
We retreated to our hotel room to prepare for the Award Ceremony, then everyone gathered at the Benaroya Hall (home of the Seattle Symphony), for announcements and Festival of Cheese, the much awaited culmination of a year's hard work for many cheesemakers. Many amazingly good cheeses were recognized that night, but the best was when BEST IN SHOW was announced: Upland Cheese's Pleasant Ridge Reserve!
The Festival of Cheeses was just over the top. Fourteen hundred plus cheese displayed for the adoring public!
And the pronouncement of Pleasant Ridge Reserve as the Winner of the Best in Show title proved that MIke Gingrich has truly passed the torch to the newest "Cheeseman" has arrived! Congratulations to the Patenaude and Gingrich families, and to Andy Hatch!
