“Living on the Wedge: Wisconsin's artisan cheesemakers” was previewed in Chicago at the Gene Siskel Film Center on January 31, 2006.
Produced by independent film makers Mariana Coyne and Gaylon Emerzian, of Trillium Productions in Evanston, IL, “Living on the Wedge” takes viewers on a journey through America's Dairyland to meet some of the state's most skilled and passionate cheesemakers.
"Wisconsin is well known for its cheesemaking tradition and expertise," says Coyne. “ Everyone's familiar with Wisconsin Cheddar, for instance. But we wanted to pull back that 'Cheddar Curtain' and give people a glimpse of the rich diversity of cheesemaking there, and of the artisan side of the industry.”
The film lets viewers meet some of these incredible cheesemakers and brings them right into the 'make room' and the aging cellars.
We paired Chicago chefs with artisan cheesemakers who were in the documentary for this event. Here is the list of chefs/restaurants and artisans/cheeses:
- Chef Terry Crandall of the Peninsula Hotel and Sid Cook of Carr Valley Cheese served Cocoa Cardona, an aged cocoa covered goat milk cheese, and Gran Canaria, a mixed milk cheese aged in olive oil that won "Best of Show" in 2004 at the American Cheese Society.
- Chef Paul Virant of Vie in Western Springs and Anne Topham of Fantôme Farm offered fresh farmstead chèvre and her new “ Fleuries," ash covered aged chèvre.
- Chef Chris Jones of Bin 36 and Bleu Mont Dairy presented Willi's Bandaged Cheddar, a wrapped and cave-aged cheddar with a delicate cheddar taste, and Willi's new Driftless Earth Schmier, a terra-washed rind cheese also aged in Willi's cave.
- Chef Carrie Nahabedian of Naha and George and Debbie Crave of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese served Crave Brothers Mascarpone, which won 2nd place in its category at the American Cheese Society judging in 2005, and cave-aged Les Frères.
- Chef George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Café and Tony and Julie Hook of Hook's Cheese served Hook's Blue Paradise, a double cream blue, along with Hook's Original Blue and their exquisite 10-year-old Cheddar.
- Chef Gale Gand of Tru and Mike Gingrich of Uplands Cheese Company served Pleasant Ridge Reserve, a cheese that won the prestigious "Best of Show" award in 2001 and 2005 at the American Cheese Society.
download our press kit, which has short descriptions and contact information for the artisan cheesemakers and for the chefs/restaurants who participated.
check out pictures of the event.
This event was supported by a University of Wisconsin-Extension Emerging Agricultural Markets grant and Wisconsin's Dairy Business Innovation Center (DBIC). The documentary was partially funded by DBIC and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.