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Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese

Pleasant Ridge Reserve is undoubtedly one of the world's great artisanal cheeses; an American original reminiscent of French Gruyere style cheeses. It was awarded Best of Show at the 2010 American Cheese Society conference, an accolade it won in 2001 and 2005 as well. Pleasant Ridge Reserve was named U.S. Champion at the 2003 U.S Championship cheese contest. It's the only cheese ever to win both national competitions. Pleasant Ridge Reserve is made from the non-pasteurized milk of a single herd of Wisconsin cows fed & managed using natural, "old world" practices. The unique flavor of Pleasant Ridge Reserve is due to the combination of pasture-produced milk, the adoption of time-proven methods of cheese production, & a hand-crafted "old world" aging technique. The cows graze lush pastures from early spring through fall, just as all cows did before the industrialization of the food system. The resulting milk has better nutritional value & more varied & subtle flavors that are expressed in the delicate flavor profile of Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese. Only a portion of the milk is used to make cheese. Selecting the carefully controlled "designer milk" is the first step in developing the signature flavor. The cheese is made right on the farm starting within minutes after the last cow has been milked. Meticulous attention & the use of traditional cultures & enzymes assure that the milk will yield a cheese that responds to the affinage process with a deep & complex flavor profile. Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese is the product of a process linked to the seasons & life cycles of the cows, as well as the prairie soils & climate of southwest Wisconsin. The cheese is made right on the farm starting within minutes after the last cow has been milked. The sweet flavors of the pasture grasses, clovers, herbs & wild flowers can be experienced in every bite. We think you'll agree with the folks at Pleasant Ridge Reserve that producing food slowly, deliberately & with pride is a value worth preserving in our hurried, industrialized society. Pleasant Ridge Reserve is inspired by farmstead cheeses from the Alpine provinces of southeastern France. The aging techniques used were originally developed in the Middle Ages when cheeses were aged in limestone caves. It is washed frequently with a brine solution, keeping it free of unwanted microbes & producing a variety of pleasing flavors. Because of the time-consuming hand work involved this practice is rarely used today. The final stage of the process is the daily washing & turning of each wheel of cheese while in a cave environment. After about 4 months in the aging room, Pleasant Ridge Reserve is ready to please your palate. It will continue to change & develop variations in its flavor as it ages further. Try it at various stages & you’ll find it a rare flavor experience at every age. Pleasant Ridge Reserve is usually eaten as a table cheese, excellent as an appetizer or a dessert cheese. Eating it at room temperature brings out the full depth & complexity of its flavors. Wait at least 45 minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator before serving. Pleasant Ridge Reserve is an excellent cooking cheese. Similar to French Gruyeres, it is superb in soups, fondues, gratins & omelets. It's best to wrap your cheese in waxed paper & store it in the refrigerator; 40 degrees is a good temperature. Do not freeze it! Wrapping it in plastic wrap doesn't allow the cheese to breathe which can give it an "off" flavor Compared to milk from factory farms, grass fed milk is much higher in Vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids, & Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), all of which are thought to have health enhancing properties. A Standard order is a ¼ wheel of cheese weighing 2.5 pounds. A Large order is a ½ wheel of cheese weighing 5 pounds. Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese is generally delivered to your door via UPS 2nd Day Air. Overnight Service is available. (In Wisconsin orders are shipped via UPS Ground only.) Details   Price: $45.00 Options   Size Standard - 2.5 Pounds Large - 5 Pounds Quantity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Add to cart

About the Producer

Uplands Cheese

Uplands Cheese is owned & operated by two families: Mike & Carol Gingrich and Dan & Jeanne Patenaude.  They formed Uplands Cheese to craft a unique cheese using centuries-old techniques that originated in the alpine provinces of France.  They started farming together in 1994 to work out more sustainable methods of pasture management & seasonal calving.  The two families prefer traditional farming to the factory farming that has become the norm in the dairy industry.

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