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12 The Cheese Guide Cheesemaker Mariano Gonzalez is joining Grafton Village Cheese Company, a subsidiary of The Windham Foundation, effective February 1, 2019, said Ruth Anne Flore, Chief Executive Officer of Grafton Village Cheese. As Head Cheesemaker, Gonzalez will supervise all aspects of cheesemaking at Grafton Village Cheese, including production, development, aging, and procurement. Gonzalez is an award-winning cheesemaker and cheddar cheese specialist who has been developing his skills for over 30 years. As a young child in his native Paraguay, he remembers helping his uncle make Queso Paraguay, a traditional fresh cheese of that country. In 1987, Gonzalez married his wife Meg and moved to her home in Shelburne, Vermont, where he learned to make traditional cheddar cheese by hand at Shelburne Farms. During his tenure at Shelburne Farms, the cheese won Best Cheddar and Best in Show at the American Cheese Society. It was also during this time that Gonzalez began developing a traditional clothbound English style cheddar, his dream cheese. Mariano Gonzalez Returns to Vermont In 2001, he moved to California's Central Valley to become head cheesemaker at Fiscalini Cheese Company. With Fiscalini, Gonzalez developed the company's bandage-wrapped cheddar, which won Best Cheddar at the prestigious World Cheese Awards in England in 2007, 2011 and 2014. Other signature award-winning cheeses developed under his guidance include San Joaquin Gold, a semi-hard aged cow's milk cheese and Lionza, an alpine-style cheese that most recently won the coveted sofi Award from the Specialty Food Association in New York and Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards. Gonzalez is a frequent participant in educational panels and industry workshops and is a member of the American Cheese Society and California Artisan Cheese Guild. He has also worked for USAID as part of its Farmer to Farmer program, helping develop the cheese industry in Central and South America. When not making cheese, Mariano enjoys spending time with his wife, two adult daughters and their three dogs. They will reside in Grafton. Face Rock Creamery was honored with a 2019 Good Food Award for its Clothbound Cheddar. The award, presented at the January 11 Good Food Foundation gala celebration, reflects Face Rock's dedication to creating hand-crafted cheese using responsible production practices. Traditionally, clothbound cheddar is created by wrapping a cheddar wheel in cloth bandages, covering it in lard to form a natural rind, and aged. Face Rock takes a unique approach and coats its wheels in butter made on site at the creamery using the same milk that goes into the cheese. Wedges of Face Rock clothbound, aged at least 13 months, present a flaky, creamy texture flecked by the crunchy crystals that Face Rock Brings Home a 2019 Good Food Award indicate a premium aged cheddar. "We are honored to bring home a Good Food Award alongside the nation's finest food artisans," shared Face Rock President Greg Drobot. "Clothbound is not commonly produced in America, but it is a favorite for anyone who loves a cheddar experience that is beyond the norm. We're proud that our Clothbound is becoming known nation-wide as one of the best." Face Rock Clothbound Cheddar was one of 220 winning products that rose to the top from 2,035 entries. The Clothbound also brought home a gold medal at the 2018 American Cheese Society Judging and Competition, making it a banner year for this rare style of cheese. The first cheese made by Point Reyes Farmstead, the iconic Original Blue, along with the company's newest cheese, traditional Gouda, both won prestigious Good Food Awards at this year's gala event in San Francisco on January 11. Point Reyes Farmstead, now in its 18th year, was the only recipient in the cheese category to garner two of the winning recognitions. After receiving the awards, Point Reyes' Head Cheese Maker, Kuba Hemmerling, enthusiastically thanked his team for their commitment and hard work. "Everyone is so committed. We continue to work hard to exceed the quality expectations of our Two Good Food Awards for Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese customers. These awards are testament to our continued focus on making the best cheese possible." An annual recognition program now in its ninth year, the Good Food Awards celebrates American food and drink crafters who demonstrate a commitment to creating tasty, authentic and responsible products and in doing so, bettering our nation's food system. Each of the 2019 winners demonstrates both a mastery of their craft and a commitment to maintaining exceptionally high social and environmental standards in their work.