If your idea of the perfect food is a hunk of local cheese, you are in luck! The cheese industry and culture (no pun intended) in Pennsylvania is flourishing, with a wide variety of incredible cheeses in nearly every style available at farmers markets, specialty food shops and even a few larger grocery stores.
Whether you fancy yourself a Pennsylvania-cheese expert, or you just like to dabble in locally sourced cheese plates from time to time, here are three resources to help you learn new things, connect with other cheese-lovers and find even more delicious cheese.
PA Cheese Guild Cheese Trail Map
In the summer, we introduced you to the PA Ice Cream Trail, and now we’re happy to report that there is also a PA Cheese Trail, thanks to the PA Cheese Guild. This interactive map covers the entire state and gives info about each farm or cheese maker listed. Head over to the Guild’s site to figure out which cheese you’re going to seek out next, or which destination is right for a Saturday road trip!
Collective Creamery’s Podcast
Collective Creamery is a cheese subscription service serving the Greater Philadelphia area, run by two very talented cheese makers (Birchrun Hills Farm and Valley Milkhouse) and one very passionate cheese expert. Not only do they create and curate bi-weekly and monthly shares featuring incredible curds — the Fall/Winter subscription just opened, by the way — but they also co-host a podcast that comes out with a new episode about every two weeks. Tune in via the Collective Creamery website, or download through your favorite podcasting app, for interviews with artisan cheese makers and writers and other movers and shakers in the cheese world.
The Cheese Ball (Nov. 10)
The Cheese Ball is a genius event, now in its fourth year, that uses the concept of a potluck to create a massive cheese board that can be shared by all the attendees. Hosted by local writer and cheese fiend, Madame Fromage, The Cheese Ball will be held on Saturday, November 10, from 7–11 p.m. at Ruba, a club in Northern Liberties in Philly. This night of abundant delights features a crowd sourced cheese plate (each guest in encouraged to bring a piece of cheese or a condiment), live music by Chuck Darwin and the Knuckle Draggers, featuring Ben Wenk of Ploughman Cider, local baguettes from Lost Bread Co. and Philly Bread, a special cocktail featuring Powers Irish Whiskey, a cheese raffle, a cheese tower by Collective Creamery (see above) and plenty of cheesy revelry. Grab your tickets now, start planning your extra-cheesy outfit and get ready to party with the area’s best cheese-mongers and most-devoted cheese fans.
- PA Cheese Trail image: PA Cheese Guild
- Feature and Collective Creamery photo: Collective Creamery
- Cheese Ball photo: Madame Fromage
