Klondike Takes Home the Gold at Two Prestigious Cheese Competitions

August was a big month for Klondike Cheese. First, Klondike’s Odyssey® Feta was awarded a Gold in the Feta category at the 2010 Los Angeles International Dairy Competition. Shortly thereafter, Klondike Cheese received two First Place awards and a Second Place award in the 2010 American Cheese Society competition on August 24 and 25 at the 27th annual conference held in Seattle.

With a record-breaking 1,462 entries in this year’s American Cheese Society competition, entries came from 225 producers in 34 states, Canada and Mexico. Klondike Cheese is honored by its First Place award for their Reduced Fat Feta, and its First Place award for Klondike’s Brick Cheese. In addition, Klondike is celebrating its Second Place honor for their Muenster in this same competition category.

Klondike’s Reduced Fat Feta offers an ideal way to add flavor to healthful Mediterranean menu items, a wide range of appetizers, vegetable recipes, and salads. It’s a cow’s milk cheese, prized for its firm yet crumbly texture, and a flavor that’s tangy and salty without being bitter. Brick Cheese is a classic favorite—a semi-soft whole milk cheese that originated in Wisconsin. Muenster is a semi-firm cheese with a creamy texture that is enhanced as it ages. Klondike’s Brick and Muenster make great choices for cheese plates, snacking, or use in sandwiches and salads.

Klondike Cheese Company’s award-winning signature cheeses, including Odyssey® Feta, are produced in a state-of-the-art facility by the Buholzer brothers, Master Cheesemakers Ron, Dave and Steve. Klondike Cheese starts with the freshest cow’s milk from Wisconsin family farms. Today, third and fourth generation family members operate the Klondike Cheese Company, and are devoted to maintaining the tradition originally started by a farmers’ cooperative 75 years ago.

For more information about Klondike’s winning cheeses, visit the website at www.klondikecheese.com for product information, company history, and recipe ideas.

Greek Panini with Odyssey Feta Cheese

4 – 4 inch Ciabatta or hard rolls, sliced
4 teaspoons garlic butter, divided
2 whole chicken breasts, grilled, sliced horizontally (total 4 pieces)
8 ounces Odyssey Feta Cheese, Tomato and Basil flavor
1 roasted yellow and red peppers, sliced
¼ cup Greek olives, pitted and sliced

Place rolls on a baking sheet, spread 1 teaspoon of garlic butter on inside of each roll. On one side of bread, layer with chicken, feta, peppers, and olives. Top with remaining bread slices. Place in well -oiled sauté pan or Panini machine and grill until golden brown. Serve hot.
Yield: 4 sandwiches

Recipe Courtesy of Jasper Mirabile Jr., of Jasper’s Ristorante, Kansas City, Missouri.

Roasted Heirloom Beets with Odyssey Feta and Candied Walnuts

2 cups red beet juice
20 baby red beets
20 baby gold beets
Olive oil to coat beets
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh thyme for garnish
¼ cup Odyssey Peppercorn Feta crumbled cheese
¼ cup Odyssey Plain Feta crumbled cheese
½ cup candied walnuts
Thyme leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add beet juice, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the juice is reduced to approximately ½ cup syrup. Strain through a chinois. Cover and set aside.
In a large saucepan, add beets. Add water to cover. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, immerse beets in cold water, slip skins off, toss in oil.
Line jelly-roll pan with aluminum foil. Spread out beets evenly in pan, roast until tender approximately 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut beets into quarters and place in a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta and candied walnuts over beets, toss gently. Garnish with beet juice reduction and thyme leaves.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Recipe courtesy of Iowa Culinary Institute, Des Moines, Iowa.