It’s Cheese O’Clock! Guided Virtual Cheese Tastings For American Cheese Month

May is American Cheese Month, and every Thursday in May, cheese experts Janet Fletcher and Laura Werlin will be your guides for a live virtual tasting of some of their favorite artisan cheeses produced in the U.S. The series is free, but you can (and should!) order the featured cheeses through igourmet (which will donate $10 per order to the American Cheese Education Foundation). Each series also has suggested wines, which you can order directly from the wineries linked on the signup page. Some sessions will include guest appearances by some of the featured makers.

Cheese and wine, expertly paired and discussed online together with the folks who made them? A shelter-in-place win if there ever was one. Add to that the opportunity to help artisanal cheesemakers survive this very difficult time in business — food producers are essential workers that need our support now more than ever. And you’ll get an education, not to mention a spectacular sensory experience in good virtual company.

Julianna by Capriole goat cheese.

igourmet

The first event, on Thursday, May 7th (4pm PT/7pm ET), will focus on “American Rock Stars,” with special guests Mateo Kehler (cheesemaker at Vermont’s Jasper Hill Farm) and Roederer Estate winemaker Arnaud Weyrich, whose wines will pair nicely with the four cheeses selected by Fletcher and Werlin:

Nettle Meadow Farm Kunik

Capriole Goat Cheese Julianna

Hidden Springs Creamery Ocooch Mountain

Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue

Get the Cheeses

Get the Ultimate Cheese Collection (includes condiments)

Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.

Here are the featured wines for the first session:

Roederer Estate Brut

Roederer Estate Extra Dry

Get the Wines

Use code “cheese” for free wine shipping

cheesetasting — Kunik by Nettle Meadow.

igourmet

If you enjoy the first tasting and discussion, you can do it on the regular, every Thursday in May. Upcoming events include “Hidden Gems,” “West Coast Wonders,” and “A Quartet of Favorites.”

Once you RSVP, you’ll be sent a login via email. Here’s the rest of the schedule:

Thursday, May 14

“Hidden Gems”

RSVP for “Hidden Gems” tasting

Milton Creamery Flory’s Truckle

On the cheese board:

Shepherd’s Way Farm Shepherd’s Hope

Tulip Tree Creamery Trillium

Goat Lady Dairy Providence

Milton Creamery Flory’s Truckle

Get the Cheeses

Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.

In the glass:

2018 Silverado Vineyards Vineburg Chardonnay

2016 Silverado Vineyards Mt. George Merlot

Get the Wines

Use promo code CHEESE for a 10% discount on the 2-bottle wine set and ship for just $5. Ten percent of sales donated to the American Cheese Education Foundation.

Thursday, May 21

West Coast Wonders

RSVP for “West Coast Wonders” tasting

Cascadia Creamery cheesemaker John Shuman

On the cheese board:

Pennyroyal Farm Laychee

Cascadia Creamery Sawtooth

Shooting Star Creamery Aries

Face Rock Creamery Clothbound Cheddar

Get the Cheeses Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.

In the glass:

2018 Jordan Chardonnay