Paramount political leader and India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, may or may not have been talking about cheese when he said: “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.” However, the activist’s assertion still holds—culture, both in cheese and in civilization, is a key component to creativity and tolerance. This Saturday, Washington state cheesemakers will slice and dice their cultures into samplers to help drive this point (as much as a push using this quote was).
The third annual Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Seattle Design Center and will welcome more than 50 artisan cheesemakers from throughout the state. Cheese styles will range from fresh chevre with local honey, apricots and almonds from River Valley Cheese in Fall City, Wash., to Camembert-style bloomy rind cheese from Kurtwood Farms on Vashon Island, Wash., and manchego-style sheep’s milk infused with saffron from Ring of Trees Farm in Bellingham, Wash.
Along with the cheesemakers showcasing their own cultures, Whole Foods Market will be sampling their in-house preparations from their chefs with recipes to pass on to home cooks. Metropolitan Market cheese mongers will be putting on a show as they pull curds and stretch mozzarella for all to witness.
Cheese-friendly beverages will be served courtesy of Diamond Knot Brewing, Iron Horse Brewery, Sound Brewery, Diversion Wine and Lobo Hills Winery and additional cheese accompaniments include pickles from Boat Street Pickles, bread and pastries from Columbia City Bakery, charcuterie from Hitchcock Deli and dried fruit crisps from Simple & Crisp.
“This event is people who want to know more about cheese,” says festival organizer Lisa Miyashita. “It’s personal, every time I taste the cheese, I see the people. Every cheese maker has a story and that’s what this festival is all about.”
The festival will also host a cheese seminar presented by cheese monger Sheri LaVigne of Seattle’s The Calf & Kid—guests will dig deep into Washington cheese culture with one of the area’s biggest supporters of local, artisan cheese. LaVigne will also pair featured cheeses with local beers. Tickets are $40 or $35 when purchased with a festival ticket.
Tom Douglas Restaurants’ Trattoria Cuoco will also host a cheese makers dinner tomorrow night, with grilled cheesy bites and three family-style cheese-focused courses professionally paired with wines. Tickets for the dinner are $75 per person including wine and tax.
With so many options to widen your mind and spirit, get cultured this week in Seattle with the Washington Artisan Cheese Festival.
