Page 118 - Southern Oregon Magazine Spring 2018

chow | local habit

A CHEESY AFFAIR

Behind the scenes of the Annual Cheesemakers’ Dinner

CHRIS DENNETT BY STEVEN ADDINGTON

ow in its 14th year, the The real question is how did express their disappointment that
Oregon Cheese Festival they do it? What happens behind a beloved dish has gone missing.
Nbrings the State’s best the scenes before anyone sits at Try making the same dish every
cheesemakers to Central Point a table for dinner? How does an day for three years and tell me
for a two-day public celebration industry professional even begin where your motivation level ends
of cheese, wine, beer and cider. to approach the project of a triple up.
But it’s Friday night’s private pairing?
kickoff event that always sets the Special dinners are a breath of
tone—the Annual Cheesemaker’s Let me begin by saying chefs fresh air. They are where kitchen
Dinner, presented by the Oregon love doing things like this. The professionals get to flex their
Cheese Guild. popular image of a chef is a “chef muscles” and reconnect
creative antisocial genius who with the creativity that drew
Normally, if asked to write about gets to constantly innovate. The them to the job in the first
this kind of a special dinner, one reality is very different. There place. They are also largely a
would mention the high quality are long hours of repetitive work collaborative effort that brings
of the food, the incorporation of in a hot kitchen with people in the opinions of not only the
cheeses into each course, a little yelling, making the same food executive chef, but also the sous
bit about the cheese producers, for long periods of time. Ask a chefs, pastry chefs, and anyone
and how well everything paired creative person to make the same else who will be participating in
with the chosen drinks. Let me food day in and day out and you the final product.
get that stuff out of the way. It was have the recipe for crushing that
amazing: the cheese, the courses, creative soul. It’s why they make Most pairings are food matched
the pairings, the atmosphere, the specials and change menus even to a drink. This one was cheese
setting. Everything was amazing. though customers come in and matched to a food, matched

116 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | spring 2018