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Throughout the month of October, Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine in Chicago is celebrating American Cheese Month with a full calendar of events.

Pastoral is collaborating with the American Cheese Society (ACS), the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), cheesemakers and others in the industry to host a variety of special events, free tastings, fundraisers and exclusive offers that celebrate the quality and craftsmanship of American cheese.

ACS created the first ever American Cheese Month to recognize and raise awareness of the quality and diversity of American cheeses; to support and promote well-made cheese, local foods, family farms, traditional cheesemaking methods and sustainable production models; and to help generate funding for the American Cheese Education Foundation (ACEF) which educates people about the art and science of artisanal and specialty cheese.  American Cheese Month will be held annually each October, with special events and promotions planned in cities across the country.

“The burgeoning artisan cheese movement in North America inspired us to open Pastoral back in 2004, and we continue to be delighted and motivated everyday by the growing number of American artisan cheesemakers from regions throughout the U.S. who now receive not only national acknowledgment, but international recognition and awards as well,” said Greg O’Neill, co-founder and co-proprietor of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine. “We’re eager to spread the word on the quality and craftsmanship of American cheesemakers and create dialogue on sustainability, eating locally and supporting traditional cheesemaking practices.”

Pastoral worked together with WMMB and other local industry enthusiasts to create the first ever Wisconsin Cheese Week, that ran Oct. 9-16 and featured events that celebrate Wisconsin cheesemakers and their work. Pastoral kicked off Wisconsin Cheese Week with a two-day staff retreat to Wisconsin sponsored by the WMMB—designed specifically for Pastoral’s more than 50 employees—to visit select artisan cheesemaking operations, experience a special pairing dinner and a variety of educational programs that will further enhance the Pastoral team’s cheese expertise. Special public events included a Meet the American Cheesemaker—Dinner with Saxon Creamery’s Jerry Heimerl and a guided cheese and beverage tasting at Kendall College to benefit ACEF, hosted by Pastoral, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) and Marion Street Cheese Market with cocktails by Death’s Door Spirits, beers by Goose Island Brewery and artisan cheeses from cheesemakers throughout Wisconsin.

At all three Pastoral locations, there were a variety of free tastings and demos, all with artisan cheesemakers from Wisconsin.

For the rest of the month, Pastoral will host additional free tastings and demos featuring American cheesemakers. Pastoral will also collaborate with more than 15 Chicago restaurants and food purveyors on an American Cheese Plate Benefit to offer special American Cheese Plates featuring artisan cheeses made throughout the U.S. Five percent of proceeds from all American Cheese Plate sales to the ACEF. All participating restaurants and purveyors—plus other local restaurants that feature American artisan cheeses—are included on Pastoral’s American Cheese Plate Map, available at all Pastoral store locations and online at pastoralartisan.com.

Every day during the promotion, the Pastoral blog, Cheesy Chat, will feature a cheesemaker and a cheese.