Keep Your Eyes on These Five

Planet Cheese - The American Cheese Society’s 40th conference is underway this week in Des Moines, with nonstop tastings and educational sessions and—always a highlight—the awards ceremony for the competition winners. I’ll report next week on the victors, but I’m betting on five newish creameries, in particular, to bring home some ribbons. Four of the five have been making cheese for less than 10 years and the fifth is only a year older. With their consistently top-notch output, these newcomers give me hope for the future of American artisan cheesemaking. 

Goat Rodeo Farm & Dairy (Allegheny County, PA) seemed to burst on the scene last year with an awards magnet named Bamboozle. This mixed-milk wheel won its category at the 2022 World Championship Cheese contest, then went on to top its category at the American Cheese Society judging and to place third overall, out of 1,400 entries. Launched in 2015, Goat Rodeo uses its own goat’s milk plus purchased cow’s milk for Bamboozle, a 9-pound wheel washed with beer and aged for a couple of months. I’ve tried it only twice but was blown away with its quality both times. Note the supple texture, roasted peanut aroma and thin rind. I can’t wait to see what else this family-owned farm has in store for us. 

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