VIVE La Fromager!

I met some really great people in my association with the American Cheese Society. Some of the first cheesemakers I met were producing goat milk cheeses. Many soft chevres, some unique soft ripened brie styles, and even fewer hard tomme types (it's a French alpine style  of cheese). These cheesemakers were predominantly women who loved their dairy goats and the dairy industry, loved European style cheese, and set out to make their own versions. These women went on to the pinnacle of the industry, and in my humble opinion, were in large part more instrumental in bringing on the love affair with artisan cheeses that we so enjoy today. Oh sure, there were great cheesemakers in the country prior to their entering the scene - like Ig Vella, and his father Tom in California; or the Widmer's  of Theresa, WI - where Joe Widmer uses the same bricks his grandfather used to create amazing brick cheeses, (and numerous other talented master cheesemakers). But, I look at my former 'gal pals' in the cheese industry as a sort of sorority of women cheesemakers, and it is an elite group of top professionals. Anne Topham of Fantome Farm, Ridgeway, WI; Judy Schad of Capriole, Greenville, IN; Allison Hooper of Vermont Creamery, Websterville, VT; Paula Lambert of The Mozzarella Company, Dallas, TX; Jennifer Bice of Redwood Hills, Sebastopol, CA; Mary Keehn, Cypress Grove Chevre, Arcata, CA. These are all women I was fortunate enough to have observed making successful businesses built on deep seated passions at times when very few consumers wanted anything to do with a "EW - Goat Cheese?!" Their belief in themselves and those around them have inspired me throughout my current journey. They make beautiful cheeses with inspired flavors.

I haven't had the opportunity to attend a Cheese Society Conference these days. Since beginning on this great adventure, it is nearly impossible to leave for a whole week at a time. I have no doubt these ladies will continue to be leaders in the industry, and when it is their time to find quieter pursuits, I am equally sure that there will be a whole cadre of younger cheesemakers growing the industry to greater heights of craftsmanship. Thank you ladies, for your formidable examples - it is my honor to try to imitate in any small measure your business acumen!