The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wis., has added a new fest for foodies to its line-up of annual events, this one themed to all things cheese. The inaugural “The Big Cheese” event is set for Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28, with activities taking place in the resort’s restaurants, cooking school, and specially created tasting rooms. It was the sheer number of award-winning cheesemakers in the Elkhart Lake area, including those with world championships to their names, that provided inspiration for the event, with attendees to be treated to cheese tasting classes taught by the judges and graders of those prestigious cheese competitions. For the full itinerary and ticket and reservation information, log on to www.TheBigCheeseOsthoff.com. To purchase tickets to any of the activities or make overnight reservations, call Osthoff reservations at 877-624-8995.
Participating cheesemakers, all within a half-hour’s drive of Elkhart Lake, represent the crème de la crème and include Sargento, Sartori, LaClare Farms, Saxon Creamery, Henning’s and Deer Creek, plus Masters Gallery which has one of the largest privately held cheese inventories in the country. Naturally, cheese and wine pairings are on the schedule, but more unexpected pairings of cheese and microbrews, cheese and bourbon and cheese and tea are also included on the event lineup. Hands-on cheesemaking classes, cooking classes, cheese tastings through the taste buds of those who grade and judge cheese, a cheese marketplace, a special tasting of world championship cheeses, nine-course artisan cheese dinners prepared by the resort’s culinary director Chef Patrick O’Toole, cheese and cocktail cruises on the lake, even a cleansing milk spa treatment in the resort’s Aspira Spa are all on the schedule as well.
Meals in the resort’s restaurants will feature specially prepared cheese dishes, with the headlining cheesemakers themselves making the rounds through the dining rooms. Wisconsin author Jeannette Hurt, known for her exploration of culture through the lens of food and drink and with several books on cheese already on her resume, will also be on hand to teach cheese and cocktail pairings as well as sign copies of her book “The Cheeses of Wisconsin: A Culinary Travel Guide” and her “Drink Like a Woman” recipe book.
According to Lola Roeh, general manager of The Osthoff Resort, The Big Cheese event was specially created for those who crave authentic foodie experiences. “This event lets attendees experience firsthand the delicious art of artisan cheesemaking in Wisconsin, an art that cheese lovers the world over so closely associate with our corner of the world here in the Elkhart Lake area,” said Roeh.
Overnight guests of the resort as well as the general public are invited to pick and choose which classes and tastings they’d like to attend over the course of this cheese-centric weekend, with full event packages that include overnight accommodations also offered. Festivities begin Friday at 10 a.m. and run through brunch on Monday morning. Tickets may be purchased by calling Osthoff reservations at 877-624-8995.
About The Osthoff Resort
The Osthoff Resort, considered a landmark in Wisconsin tourism, is known for its lakeshore setting on crystal clear Elkhart Lake, spacious suites, award-winning Aspira Spa and an impressive collection of amenities that includes three restaurants, a cooking school, gift boutiques, indoor and outdoor pools, lake deck with live music, and elegant ballrooms and meeting venues. For more information on the resort, log on to www.osthoff.com. Ticket and reservation information on The Big Cheese event running Memorial Day weekend may be found at www.TheBigCheeseOsthoff.com.
