Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association: Public invited to taste best cheeses at U.S. Championship Cheese Contest

Contact: Jane Cisler, 608-828-4550, jcisler@wischeesemakers.org

Charity Tasting Event to Benefit Paul’s Pantry in Green Bay

MADISON, Wis. – The United States Championship Cheese Contest is coming to Green Bay, and with it, an exclusive opportunity for the public to taste dozens of the nation’s best cheeses, while helping a great cause: Paul’s Pantry in Green Bay.

On Wednesday, March 13 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., cheese lovers will meet cheese experts from across the U.S., taste cheese contest entries, and witness the final round of judging to determine the 2013 United States Champion Cheese.

Tickets for the “Championship Cheese Charity Event – A Benefit for Paul’s Pantry” are $25 and are available at http://www.paulspantry.org/ The event takes place in the Legends Club Room at the Lam- beau Field Atrium. All ticket proceeds will go directly to Paul’s Pantry to support their mission to care for hungry people in the community.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Attendees will witness the exclusive final round of cheese judging, as judges determine and name the 2013 United States Champion. In addition, dozens of the nation’s best and most unique cheeses – including several of Wisconsin’s finest – will be sampled until 8:30 p.m.

The event is open to a limited number of attendees, with all tickets sold in advance. Appetizers will be served and a cash bar available.

The cheeses for sampling are entries competing for gold medals in the 17th biennial United States Championship Cheese Contest, held in Green Bay from March 12-13. These cheeses will be fresh from the judges’ evaluation, arriving from states across the U.S.

In addition, several Wisconsin cheesemakers will attend and sample their finest cheeses. Participants include: Carr Valley Cheese, Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese, Holland’s Family Cheese, LaClare Farm, Montchevre, and Sartori. All Wisconsin cheesemakers represented are either past U.S. Champions, or won a gold medal in the last United States Championship Cheese Contest.

The event is presented by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, host of the United States Championship Cheese Contest. For more information, visit: http://www.uschampioncheese.org or contact Jane Cisler, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, 608-828-4550.

Contest organizers thank generous event sponsors: BelGioioso Cheese, Green Bay Press Gazette, Novak’s Cheese of Wisconsin, Parisi’s Delicatessen, Sargento Cheese, Sartori Cheese, and Winona Foods.

###

About the U.S. Cheese Championship

As the largest, most objective expert evaluation of cheese and butter, the United States Championship Cheese Contest is the nation’s premiere technical evaluation and competition. Entries are evaluated by a team of proficient judges selected from all areas of the country. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the finest products in 82 classes. A Championship Round evaluates the gold medal cheeses from each class to declare the United States Champion. http://www.uschampioncheese.org

About Paul’s Pantry

Paul’s Pantry was founded in 1984 by the late Leo Frigo. Leo had retired as President of Frigo Cheese and wished to devote the remainder of his life to helping those in need. Leo realized that the amount of food being thrown away by business was shameful and that the unsalable but edible food could be used to benefit the needy in our local community. Paul’s Pantry was started as a result of a need to care for hungry people in the community who are unable to purchase enough food for their family. The pantry receives no federal, state or local tax revenue, nor does it receive any monies from the Hunger Task Force, or United Way. It relies entirely on the community, a three way partnership made up of volunteer, food supplier, and donors. http://www.paulspantry.org