Seventh Annual American Artisanal Treasure Awards© Recipients announced

(BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Apr. 4, 2011) -- Norbert Wabnig, proprietor of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, is proud to announce the winners of his Seventh Annual American Artisanal Treasure Awards©. The American Artisanal Treasure Awards© were created by Wabnig to honor producers of handmade specialty foods across the United States. Each winner will receive a Certificate of Handmade Excellence signed by Wabnig. "For decades, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills has been known for carrying rare and hard to find artisanal foods and supporting the producers, long before the current wave of interest in artisanal products. The American Artisanal Treasure Awards© is my way of saying thank you to these fine artisans, many of whom are pioneers in their category," Wabnig notes. For the first time, The Cheese Store is recognizing the efforts of organizations that are helping to promote the artisanal movement.

Best Organization

• California Artisan Cheese Festival
  Established in March 2007, California's Artisan Cheese Festival is the first-ever weekend-long celebration and exploration of handcrafted cheeses, foods, wines and beers from California and beyond. The festival is a nonprofit organization with the mission to educate people who want to learn more about artisan cheese, support the artisan cheesemaking community and its sustainability, and celebrate and enjoy the creations of the artisan cheesemakers. http://www.artisancheesefestival.com/

Best Cheeses

• Hook’s 12 & 15 Year Cheddars
  From a small factory on the corner of Jail Alley and Commerce Street in historic Mineral Point, Wisconsin, Tony and Julie Hook produce some of Wisconsin’s finest traditional and artisan cheeses. This totally unique Wisconsin cheddar has amazing depth of character and little crunchy crystal bits, like fine parmesan. http://www.hookscheese.com/hooks.html
• Rogue Creamery "Rogue River Blue"
  The Rogue Creamery is home of Rogue River Blue, regarded as one of the finest blue cheeses in the world. Located in Southern Oregon, owners Cary Bryant and David Gremmels produce a variety of award-winning blue and hand-milled cheddar cheeses including the London World Cheese Award for best blue cheese in 2003. http://www.roguecreamery.com/
• Andante Dairy Minuet
  Founder Soyoung Scanlan named her company Andante, which is the tempo mark for "moderately slow" in written music. All of her cheese is designed to bring out the magical property of milk and to reveal the essence of terroirs where the milk and the cheese are produced. Her cheeses are named after musical terms like Minuet, Adagio, Rondo, and Nocturne to represent her love of music and her personified image of her cheese. http://www.andantedairy.com

Best Gourmet

• Bona Dea Strawberry Preserves with Balsamic Vinegar
  Shephard's organic Carpinteria Strawberries with cane sugar and Balsamic vinegar made by Chef Julia Crookston in Santa Barbara.
• Chocolate by M "Truffe"
  Swiss miss Marianne and husband Eric Manes produce some of the Golden State's finest chocolate products of Swiss chocolate origin. These dark chocolates bombs are exemplary! http://www.chocolatebym.com
• Savannah Bee "Tupelo Honey"
  Savannah Bee Company founder Ted Dennard was first introduced to honey as a 12-year old boy on his father's Coastal Georgia retreat property when a battered old pickup carrying beehives rattled into his life. Today Savannah Bee operates three retail stores, bottles two distinct lines of world-class honeys, and manufactures a luxury beeswax-based body care line. http://www.savannahbee.com/
• Anjou Bakery "Fruit Nut Crostini"
  Nestled in the picturesque rolling hills of Washington State between Wenatchee and Cashmere, Anjou Bakery is owned by Heather and Kevin Knight. Fruit Nut Crostini is the latest Anjou product made from the bakery’s fruit nut bread. The bread is baked, air dried/cured, and then sliced thinly and re-baked for a crisp texture. Enjoy these little “toasts” au naturel or as a vehicle for your favorite cheese. http://www.anjoubakery.com/