tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2737234699043019617.post-82676484238203827182007-08-07T07:30:00.000-07:002007-08-07T10:20:13.395-07:002007-08-07T10:20:13.395-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_2WIgtkJjLOg/RrioXHKrMnI/AAAAAAAAAHk/XvAQOdzT4AI/s1600-h/2007ConferenceLogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_2WIgtkJjLOg/RrioXHKrMnI/AAAAAAAAAHk/XvAQOdzT4AI/s200/2007ConferenceLogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096008093383996018" border="0" /></a>The results are in from the annual American Cheese Society show, arguably the premier cheese competition in the United States.<br /><br />The big winner? Black Star Farms, a.k.a. the <a href="http://www.blackstarfarms.com/farm/">Leelanau Cheese Co.</a>, of Suttons Bay, Michigan. The company's Aged Raclette beat out over 1,200 entries to take the “Best of Show” award.<br /><br />Black Star Farms wasn't the only cheesemaker to win plaudits though. Fast-rising Beecher's Handmade Cheese of Seattle took home second place overall for their <a href="http://www.fatchancemedia.com/2007/06/beechers-flagship.html">Flagship Reserve</a>. (Technically, the ACS called them "first runner-up", but by my math that means second.)<br /><br />Meanwhile, another entrant from the Upper Midwest, Wisconsin-based <a href="http://www.rothkase.com/company.html">Roth Kase USA</a>, came in third ... er, "Second Runner-Up" ... for the Roth’s Private Reserve.<br /><br /><span id="Site"><span id="Article"><a href="http://www.vermontshepherd.com/"> Vermont Shepherd</a>, a sheep's-milk cheesemaker in Putney, Vermont, was honored as the best farm house cheese in the country.<br /><br /></span></span><a href="http://www.reformer.com/ci_6561521?source=most_viewed"></a>GordoBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05434742975623048346noreply@blogger.com2