ACS 2011 — Arrival

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Click here to view Caitin Hunter’s photo album of her trip to the Abbey cheeses of Quebec.

Palais-Web-Header

Made good time to Montreal — 6.75 hours including a half-hour stop for lunch — and checked-in to my and Kevin’s Craig’s List apt rental. Good price, includes parking, but bare bones. As Kevin points out, “we’re going to spend about seven or eight hours here a day, max. What more do we need?”

Excellent attitude.

ER and KB enjoy lunch by the highway.

ER and KB enjoy lunch by the highway.

We walked the seven blocks downhill (therefore *uphill home*) to the Palais du Congress convention hall to register for the conference, and then split up so that Kevin could attend the reception for first-time attendees.
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ACS 2011 — The Journey Begins

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Palais-Web-Header

I packed up my competition entries and shipped them off last week. CHECK. I’ve confirmed my lodging in Montreal. CHECK. I’ve moved my cows from the lower pasture to the upper pasture where they should have more than enough to much on until I get back. CHECK. I’ve Googled to find the best poutine in Montreal. CHECK.

I still need to pack and gas up the car. Otherwise I think I’m ready to go. Tomorrow I pick up Kevin Burnsteel (cheesemaker at Pineland Farms Creamery) in Augusta and we will be on our way to the American Cheese Society conference in Montreal, which actually began today (Tuesday) when all the competition entries will be judged (though ribbons will not be publicly awarded until the ceremonies Friday night). Other activities begin Wednesday with a series of guided tours of Montreal and Canadian cheese highlights. Kevin and I won’t arrive until those tours have completed, but we plan to be there for the opening keynote on Thursday morning, after which it will be three days of non-stop cheese talk culminating in the Festival of Cheese on Saturday night when we all have a chance to try all 1300+ cheeses that were entered in the competition from all over North America, at which point most of us will actually be cheesed-out.

I will be doing my best (depending on the connectivity I find with my laptop and mobile phone) to update those of you who weren’t able to attend the conference here on the Guild web site, as well as on the new Guild Twitter feed: @MECheeseGuild, which will be the first place we announce any Maine ribbon winners at the competition awards on Friday night. Good luck to all who entered!

Pineland Farms Creamery Awards

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Pineland Farms Creamery

Pineland Farms Creamery is one of the most decorated cheese makers in the state of Maine. Many of their awards have not be published on the Guild web site in a press release, therefore here is a list of their national and international wins at various competitions:

American Cheese Society
2010 Second Place – Salsa Jack Spread
2010 Third Place – Feta
2010 Third Place – Salsa Jack
2009 First Place – Feta
2008 First Place – Monterey Jack
2007 First Place – Onion & Garlic Jack
2007 Third Place – Salsa Jack

The Big E Cheese Competition
2011 Silver – Salsa Jack
2011 Bronze – Onion & Garlic Jack
2011 Bronze – Pepper Jack
2011 Bronze – Cheddar
2011 Bronze – Smoked Monterey Jack
2011 Bronze – Salsa Jack Spread
2010 Silver – Cheddar Spread
2010 Silver – Horseradish Cheddar Spread
2010 Bronze – Monterey Jack
2010 Silver – Cheddar Spread
2010 Bronze – Pepper Jack
2010 Bronze – Onion & Garlic Spread
2010 Bronze – Salsa Jack Spread
2009 Gold – Salsa Jack
2009 Bronze – Onion & Garlic Jack
2009 Bronze – Smoked Monterey Jack
2009 Bronze – Smoked Salsa Jack
2008 Gold – Onion & Garlic Jack
2008 Silver – Monterey Jack

Los Angeles International Dairy Competition
2011 Gold – Salsa Jack Spread
2011 Gold – Onion & Garlic Spread
2011 Gold – Horseradish Cheddar Spread
2011 Gold – Salsa Jack
2011 Gold – Onion & Garlic Jack
2011 Silver – Cheddar
2011 Silver – Monterey Jack
2011 Silver – Two-year Cheddar
2011 Bronze – Feta
2010 Gold – Baby Swiss
2010 Gold – Feta
2010 Gold – Monterey Jack
2010 Gold – Onion & Garlic Jack
2010 Gold – Salsa Jack
2010 Gold – Pepper Jack
2010 Silver – Two-year Cheddar
2008 Gold – Onion & Garlic Jack
2008 Gold – Salsa Jack
2008 Gold – Smoked Monterey Jack
2008 Gold – Smoked Salsa Jack
2008 Gold – Feta
2008 Gold – Monterey Jack Spread
2008 Gold – Salsa Jack Spread
2008 Gold – Onion & Garlic Spread
2008 Gold – Baby Swiss Spread
2008 Gold – Bacon Swiss Spread
2008 Gold – Horseradish Cheddar Spread
2008 Gold – Cheddar Spread
2008 Bronze – Colby Jack
2008 Bronze – Smoked Baby Swiss
2008 Bronze – Ragin’ Cajun Spread