Area cheese makers are invited to join the Maryland Cheese Guild, a local non-profit recently formed to promote artisanal cheese making in the Free State. Alicia Clugh, mdcheese@verizon.net, Guild coordinator, states “The mission of the Guild is to form a group of cheesemakers…both professional and amateur…to exchange ideas, share technique and challenge each other to grow and create. The Guilds of old set standards and their mark on something meant quality. That’s what I hope the Maryland Cheese Guild will come to represent.”
Interested parties can join the Guild by visiting the website and completing the membership form. The Guild offers three levels of membership: Businesses, Professionals and Associates. The Guild website also features a resources section, events section, and links to Guild member organizations.
After hosting a successful homemade cheese contest at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair for the past 4 years, the Guild is now adding a professional competition at the Maryland Wine Festival this September. Guild members will also coordinate a new Cheese Pavilion at the festival where guests can sample and purchase locally-made, artisanal cheese. Follow the Guild on Facebook or head to www.mdcheese.org for more details on how to join this special event.