Gourmet News

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Chocolate Mascarpone Wins Best in Class

Published April 10, 2023

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Chocolate Mascarpone took home Best in Class accolades in the Flavored Soft Cheese category at the 2023 United States Cheese Championships, with Fresh Mozzarella placing in the Top 3 of the Fresh Mozzarella category.

This year’s contest saw 2,249 entries from 197 producers representing 35 states.

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Top 5 accolades by class and place are:

Open Class, Flavored Soft Cheeses: Chocolate Mascarpone (first); Marinated Fresh Mozzarella (fourth)
Fresh Mozzarella: Fresh Mozzarella (second, third)

“It’s an honor to see our products recognized on a national stage,” said George Crave, founder of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese. “We’re proud of our award-winning legacy that spans each of our handcrafted products.”

First-place Chocolate Mascarpone is the perfect way to add an elegant touch to everyday recipes, including desserts, charcuterie boards and fruit trays. Find recipes using the award-winning product on the Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese website and purchase their award-winning cheese today.

The U.S. Cheese Championship has been held biennially since 1981. 2023 marks the 21st edition of the contest, hosted in Green Bay, Wis., by the Wisconsin Cheese Maker’s Association. The contest is open to cheesemakers across the nation and is evaluated by a panel of skilled technical judges. Cheeses are scored by flavor, body and texture, salt, color, finish, packaging and more.

The Crave family farms 2,500 acres of productive land in south-central Wisconsin, growing soybeans, corn and alfalfa to use as nutritious feed for their Holstein cows. From the biodigester to water recovery and recycling, sustainability is top-of-mind on the farm and cheese factory. The Crave Brothers Farm LLC and Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC use 100 percent green power and are carbon-negative businesses.

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces food service and retail sizes of Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Part-skim Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Farmer’s Rope String Cheese and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds.

Crave Brothers will be exhibiting at the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show at the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin – Wisconsin Cheese Pavilion . For more information, contact Roseanne Crave, sales & marketing manager at roseanne@cravecheese.com or visit cravecheese.com.

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Country Music Star Luke Bryan to Tout Smithfield Foods Brands

Published April 3, 2023

Smithfield Foods‘ portfolio of consumer favorite brands are collaborating with country music superstar and television personality Luke Bryan to help recognize and uncover the good all around us, at the table to beyond.

Starting with the food we eat, the Good Goes On with Luke Bryan platform is setting out to help people discover how to best nurture themselves and be inspired to share the goodness with those around them through mealtimes, social gatherings and special occasions.

The diverse portfolio of brands, including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan’s Famous and Carando, has provided shoppers with convenient, dependable and delicious meal options for decades. We nourish families and individuals throughout each day, but more importantly, we bring people together to eat, feel, and share good experiences.

“I’m proud to kick off the Good Goes On program because there’s always room for more good in the world,” Bryan said. “I’m a believer in finding the good in every day, having fun and spreading joy. We have a few surprises up our sleeves this year, so be sure to follow us as we continue to find ways you can spread the good in 2023!”

“Our brands are excited to partner with Luke Bryan to help continue our mission of bringing goodness to households through the food we provide,” said Tim Zimmer, chief marketing officer for Smithfield Foods. “Over the years, we’ve enjoyed seeing that even small and simple acts of thoughtfulness can make a difference. This year, we’re proud to join with Luke Bryan to focus on the good around the table and showcase how our brands help nurture the communities we serve across the nation.”

To see what Bryan will be up to next and stay up to date with Good Goes On, check out GoodGoesOn.com.

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USDA Sets Virtual Meeting on Urban Agriculture

Published March 30, 2023

The U.S. Department of Agriculture encourages urban producers, innovative producers and other stakeholders to submit comments for and virtually attend the fifth public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on April 18.

“The Federal Advisory Committee is a valuable source of on the ground information and recommendations for USDA,” said Terry Cosby, chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, which houses USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. “I encourage members of the public to attend and submit comments for the Committee to help us better serve urban and innovative producers and their communities.”

The Committee is part of USDA’s efforts to support urban and innovative agriculture, creating a network for feedback. Members include agricultural producers and representatives from the areas of higher education or extension programs, non-profits, business and economic development, supply chains and financing. The committee last met in February 2023.

Topics for the upcoming meeting will include addressing public comments and discussing the following recommended topics:

A new public/online database for grant and funding programs
Farm Service Agency loan programs
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Food loss and waste; and
Food labeling.

The Committee will deliberate and vote on proposed recommendations and address public comments during the meeting. USDA will share the agenda between 24 to 48 hours prior to the meeting.

The virtual meeting runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern on April 18. To attend virtually, register by April 18 on the committee’s webpage. To submit comments, send by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 2 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Docket NRCS-2023-0006.

For special accommodations, contact Markus Holliday.

Additional details are available in the Federal Register notice.

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