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R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 8 3 S u n d a y, M a y 1 7 , 2 0 1 5 REACH OUT TO DAIRY DEVOTEES WITH ARTISAN CHEESES FROM THESE TOP 10 AMERICAN CHEESEMAKERS In the world of American-made gour- met foods, artisan cheeses are the celebrities on the scene. Names like Fat Bottom Girl, Humboldt Fog, Red Hawk and Pleasant Ridge Reserve may mean nothing to one person, but to the lover of specialty cheese, these names might as well be Bono, Madonna and Cher. Today's American cheesemakers are crafting truly groundbreaking products, and as a result, many U.S.- produced cheeses are developing national and even global followings. Here are ten cheesemakers that are ver- itable rock stars among dairy-loving gourmands. 1. Beehive Utah's Beehive Cheese Co. has won a bevy of awards for artisan cheeses like Barely Buzzed (rubbed with espresso and lavender), SeaHive (rubbed with local honey and sea salt), TeaHive (flavored with tea and bergamot) and Big John's Cajun (rubbed with Cajun spices). Beehive Cheeses are made with vegetar- ian-friendly rennet. For more information, visit www.beehivecheese.com. 2. Bleating Heart Cheese Fans of Bleating Heart Cheese are as enamored with the cheesemaker's cheeky names for its products as they are with the cheeses themselves. The company's washed rind sheep's milk cheese Fat Bottom Girl is the star of the Bleating Heart lineup, but cheese lovers also swoon over the dairy's Funky Bleats, Moolicious Blue and Goldette Tommette. For more information, visit www.bleatingheart.com. 3. Cellars at Jasper Hill Famed for its underground aging facili- ty, Vermont's Cellars at Jasper Hill prides itself on creating a regional "taste of place." The cheesemaker's Cabot Clothbound Cheddar is perhaps its most sought after product, but the company delights its customers with an extensive selection of cow's milk cheeses, includ- ing blue, bloomy rind, semi-soft and firm cheeses. For more information, visit www.jasperhillfarm.com. 4. Coach Farm Upstate New York-based Coach Farm is a goat cheese lover's paradise. The cheesemaker offers classic fresh chevre in a number of shapes and sizes, but it also surprises with unique aged cheeses, like Rawstruck, an aged raw goat's milk product, and the Grating Stick, a hard, aged product that is perfect sprinkled over pasta or salad. For more information, visit www.coachfarm.com. 5. Cowgirl Creamery Founded in the early 1990s by longtime friends and business partners Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, Cowgirl Creamery cheeses are now available through over 500 stores, independent cheese shops, farmers markets and restaurants across the country. The cheesemaker's products include Mt Tam, Red Hawk, Chimney Rock, Pierce Pt, St Pat and Devil's Gulch. For more information, visit www.cowgirlcreamery.com. 6. Cypress Grove Perhaps no other American cheese has reached the level of prominence that Cypress Grove's Humboldt Fog has attained. The mild goat's milk blue is rubbed in a layer of edible vegetable ash, imparting notes of herbs and citrus. Humboldt Fog is joined by a number of other beloved goat's milk cheeses in the Cypress Grove portfolio, including Purple Haze, Truffle Tremor and Midnight Moon. For more information, visit www.cypressgrovechevre.com. 7. Holland's Family Cheese Holland's Family Cheese, well-known among cheese lovers as the producer of Marieke Gouda, recently delighted the cheese's followers with the launch of a new jalapeño variety. Marieke Gouda Jalapeño has won awards from the American Cheese Society, World Cheese Awards and Wisconsin State Fair. Holland's also offers Goudas flavored with black peppercorns, cloves, cumin, honey, mustard, onion and more. For more information, visit www.mariekegouda.com. 8. Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese California-based Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. was recently honored as the second place Best of Show winner at the 2014 American Cheese Society Awards for its Point Reyes Bay Blue. Inspired by English Stilton, the cheese is a rustic blue noted for its mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish. For more information, visit www.pointreyescheese.com. 9. Sprout Creek The cheeses from New York's Sprout Creek Farm are made using milk from the farm's small herd of pasture-raised, grass-fed dairy cows. The farm's firm and semi-firm offerings include Toussaint, Kinkead, Bogart and Madeleine. Semi-soft and washed rind cheeses include Batch 35 and award-win- ning Eden. In addition, Sprout Creek Farm offers one bloomy rind cheese, Margie. For more information, visit www.sproutcreekfarm.org. 10. Uplands Cheese Company Uplands Cheese Company currently makes only one artisan cheese, but it does it so well, that this product has won Best of Show at the American Cheese Society Awards a record three times. Pleasant Ridge Reserve is an Alpine- style cheese made in the style of Gruyere and Beaufort. The exceptional product is made from the raw milk of grass-fed cows. For more information, visit www.uplandscheese.com. ALTER ECO ANNOUNCES REORGANIZATION OF EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM Alter Eco™, a pioneer of globally-crafted organic foods with full-circle sustainabili- ty, has appointed former Vice President of Sales, Kate Tierney, as President of Alter Eco, PBC; and Co-founder, Edouard Rollet, who previously held the position of President, as co-CEO alongside Co- founder Mathieu Senard. The change was made by the Alter Eco board of directors as a way to further strengthen the compa- ny's trajectory as one of the fastest grow- ing brands in the natural foods industry, and is effective immediately. "We're thrilled and honored to con- gratulate Kate as she steps into her new role," said Senard. "She's been an inte- gral part of our leadership team for sev- eral years, during which she's made sig- nificant strides in expanding national sales and our retail footprint. This reor- ganization better focuses our executive management teams' skills and resources, positioning Alter Eco for sustained growth while ensuring our commitment to full-circle sustainability." Under Tierney's leadership, Alter Eco has grown from annual sales of $2 million to $16 million in a short five-year time frame. In her new position as President, she will play an elevated role in team management and preparing the company for continued double digit growth. Tierney joined Alter Eco in 2007, as the company's first board mem- ber, and was instrumental in developing a diverse board through 2009, bringing on several experienced industry experts to further nurture the company's progres- sion. Tierney officially joined the Alter Eco team in May of 2009 to lead sales. A veteran of the natural products industry for 24 years, Tierney has served in many capacities including retail and brokerage management. She also held several roles at UNFI for more than 15 years, where she last held the position of Western Vice President of Sales in 2008. Alter Eco's high-quality, farmer- grown organic foods are USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Carbon Neutral Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Gluten-Free. For more information on Alter Eco, visit www.alterecofoods.com. ESCA BONA TO EXPLORE FOOD INDUSTRY'S BROKEN SUPPLY CHAIN Esca Bona, an event dedicated to acceler- ating innovation within the good food movement, will take place in Austin, Texas from October 26, 2015 to October 28, 2015 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel. Esca Bona will connect trend-set- ting entrepreneurs, game-changing tech- nologists and visionary business leaders from across the supply chain with the end goal of magnifying the positive innova- tion happening in food. The event is pro- duced by New Hope Natural Media. This highly-curated gathering will spotlight many of the most transforma- tive ideas shaping our food future. Credible, influential voices from all aspects of the food supply chain will partner through actionable formats such as a Rapid Prototype Workshop, a Global Town Hall and an "Entrepreneur's Kitchen and Garage" to create new solu- tions to the challenges of accessibility, scalability and transparency facing our current food system. "Change is happening at a faster rate than ever before" said Carlotta Mast, Executive Content Director and Event Ambassador for Esca Bona. "We believe the next-generation innovators, mission- based disruptors and revolutionary change-agents need a place to come together to accelerate their ability to cre- ate a better food world." Macro concepts currently shaping the content of the event include: Trust Through Transparency: From soil to stomach, the modern consumer's quest for good food assurance is driving radical changes across the food ecosystem. The conference will address how suppliers, technologists, retailers and brands are collaborating for supreme transparency. Esca Bona will also explore how by bringing big food, smart food and good food closer together, the industry can overcome the many barriers preventing great food from getting to those who need it most and will be a forum for discussing whether authentic, mission-based food brands can continue to climb the ranks of the food dynasties or become destined to lose their way. The conference will also explore what food technology can do for us, how it can be sustainable, nourishing and affordable for the average consumer. Participants will convene inspired by the people they will meet, learn from, work with and mentor during their time in Austin—and they will leave supported by the new relationships, friendships and partners they will need to fast track their ideas, missions and businesses. For more information, visit w w w. p a g e s . n e w h o p e 3 6 0 . c o m / e s c a - bona-inquiry-2015.