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March 11: Cheese of the Day – Pleasant Ridge Reserve

Saturday at the Facebook Cheese Study Group is dedicated to Alpine-style cheeses which are explored by ACS CCP® Pat Polowsky. This week he is highlighting the only cheese to win Best of Show three times at the ACS Cheese Competition. Here’s what Pat has to say about Uplands’ Pleasant Ridge Reserve:

Saturday is Alpine-style day. Today is devoted to Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville, Wisconsin

Quick facts
Milk: raw cow
Format: 10lb. wheel
Style: Alpine – based on beaufort
Rennet: traditional
Age: ~10 months (extra aged: 12mo+)
Proprietors: Andy Hatch & Scott Mericka

Pleasant Ridge Reserve (PRR) is made using raw milk exclusively from grass-fed cows giving the paste deep yellow hue. This typically means that Pleasant Ridge Reserve is made May through October. Like many other firm Alpine-style cheeses, the wheels are washed with a brine solution in order to develop a characteristic microflora on the rind. Speaking of rind, PRR has one of the best developed rinds in this category of cheeses. French and Swiss cheesemakers often marvel at the consistency and smoothness of the rind.

The texture is smooth with the occasional tyrosine crystal crunch. The flavor can range from nutty, grassy, sweet to earthy, spicy, caramelly, and fruity.

Fun facts: PRR has won ACS Best of Show three times (2001, 2005, and 2010), and also won the US Cheese Championship (2003)!

The recipe for PRR was developed with the help of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research by Upland’s founders Mike and Carol Gingrich.

Uplands Website: https://www.uplandscheese.com/cheese.html
Interested in buying a whole wheel for home? http://fromagination.com/…/pleasant-ridge-reserve-cheese-f…/

Our Facebook Cheese Study Group is raising funds to send worthy ACS CCP exam® candidates and ACS CCPs®who want to attend the 2017 ACS Conference in Denver, Cheese With Altitude. You can apply for a scholarship by clicking here and you can contribute to the scholarship fund by clicking here. All monies raised (withe the exception of the fees charged by GoFundMe) go to the winners of the scholarship. everyone involved in the scholarship efforts is donating their time and receiving NO fees or monetary compensation… just the feeling of helping those who need our help. Complete rules and information can be found here.

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