Accident, Maryland – FireFly Farms (http://www.fireflyfarms.com), producer of artisanal goat cheeses from Maryland’s Allegheny Plateau, proudly announces that five of its aged goat cheeses received honors from the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) at its annual national convention held October 15th through 22nd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The ADGA Products Committee sponsors the prestigious annual Goat Milk Cheese Competition.
FireFly Farm’s Mountain Top Bleu™ received the first place ribbon competing in its class against other unflavored, blue-veined cheeses with exterior molding. This new award brings Mountain Top Bleu’s total individual award count to 15, including its selection in August 2011 as America’s top goat’s milk blue cheese at the American Cheese Society Conference Annual Judging. Other previous awards include its 2005 selection by Saveur magazine editors as one of their 50 favorite American cheeses and its international recognition at the World Cheese Awards in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
FireFly Farm’s Black & Blue™ received the first place ribbon competing in its class against other unflavored, rindless blue-veined cheeses. This new award brings Black & Blue’s total individual award count to six, including consecutive first place finishes in the ADGA Goat Milk Cheese Competition for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and now 2011.
FireFly Farm’s Merry Goat Round™ received a second place ribbon competing in its class against other unflavored, surface mold-ripened cheeses. This new award brings Merry Goat Round’s total individual award count to nine, including international recognition at the World Cheese Awards in 2004, 2007, and 2008.
FireFly Farm’s Cabra LaMancha™ received the third place ribbon competing in its class against other unflavored, washed-rind cheeses. This new award brings Cabra LaMancha’s total individual award count to nine, including its 2005 selection by Southern Foodways Alliance as one of the “Top 10” American goat’s milk cheeses and its international recognition at the World Cheese Awards in 2008 and 2009.
FireFly Farm’s Bella Vita™ received the third place ribbon competing in its class against other unflavored hard cheeses. This new award brings Bella Vita’s total individual award count to eight, including its 2010 Super-Gold designation at the World Cheese Awards, its 2010 first-place award from the American Cheese Society, and its 2007 selection as “Reserve Best-In-Show” at the ADGA Goat Milk Cheese Competition.
“We are proud and humbled by the continued national recognition for FireFly Farms cheeses!” said FireFly Farm’s head cheese maker, Matt Cedro. “This is a great honor for us, and we dedicate these ADGA awards to the four local family dairy goat farms that produce such high quality goat milk for us use in our cheese-making process.”
Assistant cheese maker, Dan Porter, echoed Cedro’s excitement, “Once again, it’s two first-place finishes for FireFly Farm’s two goat’s milk blue cheeses. It just feels great, and it’s a great way to cap off a great October and the first annual American Cheese Month.”
The ADGA Products Committee was formed to investigate ways to bring dairy goat products to the attention of the buying public and encourage the use of these products. Members of this committee are committed to raising the awareness of the public to the quality and variety of dairy goat products available today ranging from cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products to the vast array of body care products that are increasing in popularity.
FireFly Farms cheese is available at farmer’s markets, restaurants, many specialty retail stores, and its own flagship retail location in Accident, Maryland.
The FireFly Farms Creamery & Market is open seven days a week as follows:
Monday – Thursday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Friday and Saturday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The FireFly Farms team is developing a menu of visitor tours and tastings, to be available beginning this fall.
For information on where to purchase FireFly Farms cheese, please contact the farm directly or visit http://www.fireflyfarms.com.
About FireFly Farms:
FireFly Farms offers nationally and internationally awardwinning premium goat cheese that features the distinct regional flavors of Mountain Maryland’s Allegheny Plateau. Each cheese is artfully handcrafted and aged with precise detail; and, each offers distinguished flavor, exceptional texture, noteworthy composition, and unprecedented aesthetics. The cheese of FireFly Farms is produced using agriculturally sustainable, locally sourced fresh goat’s milk and timehonored, traditional methods of goat cheese making.
Source: FireFly Farms
