Arethusa Farm in Litchfield is celebrating another win. The dairy's Europa cheese was named the Best Entry in the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, which was held March 4-6.
The award is history, as Arethusa Farm is the first creamery in 40 years to win two consecutive Best In Show awards. The cheese was chosen No. 1 among 2,400 cheeses.
First runner-up in the contest was St. Malachi Reserve, made by The Farm at Doe Run in Coatesville, Pa. The second runner-up position was awarded to Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan, made by Lake Country Dairy-Schuman Cheese in Turtle Lake, Wis.
The biennial U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, hosted by WCMA since 1981, is the nation's premier technical cheese, butter, cultured product and dry dairy ingredient competition.
DETAILS: U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, USChampionCheese.org; Arethusa Farm, arethusafarm.com.
In other food news...
Pizza Pi Day
This “Pi Day” on Friday presents a good excuse to celebrate another kind of pie: pizza.
That's the day voting opens for the Pizza Capital Trail, a list of the state's top pizzerias voted on by the public. Voting will continue until May 1 and the trail will be unveiled in late September. To cast your vote, visit PizzaCapitalTrail.com.
A Guinness World Record attempt for the world's largest pizza party will be Sept. 12 at the Apizza Fest. For information, visit tasteofnewhaven.com/apizza-feast.
“Connecticut pizza isn't just food, it's a way of life,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. “From New Haven to Hartford to Mystic, our pizza culture is unmatched, and these initiatives will make sure the whole world knows it. This isn't just about great sauce and slices [Dash] it's about the stories, traditions and rivalries that have made Connecticut the beating heart of America's pizza culture.”
The governor's office said the Office of the State Comptroller has found there are 1,376 pizza restaurants in Connecticut, including 63 in New Haven. Connecticut is No. 1 in pizzerias per capita as well as the number of locally owned establishments.
Other initiatives to celebrate Connecticut's love of pizza include “The Pizza State” art installation, which will be at District in New Haven before being moved to Tweed New Haven Airport; pizza-theme Air Jordans, which will be displayed at Sneaker Junkies in New Haven and then auctioned off in June with proceeds benefiting Feeding Families Foundation; and a “Pizza Play” at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in June.
DETAILS: The Pizza Capital Trail, PizzaCapitalTrail.com; World's Largest Pizza Party, tasteofnewhaven.com/apizza-feast.
Cupcake decorating class
Icing is nice, but fondant is fun, too.
A special kids cupcake decorating class is scheduled for March 23 from noon to 1 p.m. at Hardcore Sweet Bakery in Watertown, and the focus will be on fondant.
Fondant is a moldable decoration, created with gelatin, and it can be rolled out and sculpted into complex shapes. Kids will try their talents on creating fondant flowers to fit a spring theme. The young bakers will then use their fondant flowers to decorate cupcakes during the event.
The cost for the class is $20.
DETAILS: Hardcore Sweet Bakery, 619 Main St., Watertown; 860-417-6660; hardcoresweetbakery.com/event-details/spring-kids-decorating-class-watertown.
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