Rush Creek Reserve: limited supply at Brick Street Market!

When I got wind of a new cheese from Uplands Cheese, I couldn't help but be very curious. How could they possibly come up with something that was different enough from the Pleasant Ridge Reserve (which they've had such outstanding success with), and make it a cheese small stores like mine would be able to find a market for? Nevertheless, after all the release date media attention, I decided to try to get a small case of it for my customers added on to my order of Pleasant Ridge wheel. Andy Hatch told me he could maybe squeeze a case of 4 into the shipping schedule and it arrived last week. After looking over the wheels, I told Jennell to keep them tucked away until this week, when I planned to preview them at our monthly "Wine w/Beth!" sampling!

About 40 minutes before the sampling, we took the cheese out to allow it to warm. At table, I introduced it to our guests, explained what a momentous occasion it was when a new wheel of cheese is opened up and that we were adventuring together, since I had not tried this particular cheese yet! As I cut off

the top and we all took small spoons and tasted it all at once, I heard "Wows", "Hmmmms", and "Say this is really good", I felt the cheesemaker (Andy Hatch) was immediately vindicated in my mind! And what a great boon to the industry that is artisan cheesemaking in Wisconsin!

We sampled it with several wines, including a La Playa Chardonnay and Rodolfo Torrontes. The Torrontes came away with the most favorable comments for the way the crispness of the wine on the tongue was immediately smoothed and the twist of citrus-y grapefruit scents in the nose changed to elegant orange blossom. At the end of our tasting, I had Jennell cut the wheel in wedge

s and we sent what we could home with our guests.

My sadness is that I was only able to order a case of 4 wheels, and we did sell one yesterday to a gentlemen from Beloit who called specifically looking for the cheese. After using one last night, I now only have 2 wheels left, and am told I will have to wait until some time in February before I can get more. Color me blue for me and red and green all over for the folks at Uplands Cheese! What a great Christmas present!

* If you don't happen to get in soon enough to pick up on the new cheese, we just cut into a new wheel of 6 month Pleasant Ridge Reserve yesterday, and again I was amazed! Jennell and I nearly fell on the floor at the smell - redolent of pineapple, and the texture full of crunchiness! I love these cheeses! I think it has replaced my love of the Grand Cru Gruyere from Roth Kase!

Ah, cheese!

Laura

(My son Anthony with our first wheel of Pleasant Ridge Reserve the week of our grand opening in July 2008. He's 12 in the picture, and the wheel came with the date stamp of July 13, 2007 (nearly a year earlier on his birthday!) We consider our relationship with the Uplands Cheese to be a special one as I worked with the American Cheese Society when Mike Gingrich was just getting started making this wonderful cheese! )ljw