Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine hosts Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival at Chicago French Market

Chicago French Market’s Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine will host its second annual Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival, a complimentary event to meet culinary artisans from throughout the U.S. and around the globe!  Come and sample products and celebrate small batch food, beer and wine at Chicago French Market (131 North Clinton Street), from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, April 28, 2012.

This year’s lineup features more than 70 culinary producers—more than double the number of artisans who participated at last year’s event—with award-winning cheese makers from across the country including Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese in Kentucky, Cypress Grove Chevre in California and Marcoot Jersey Creamery from Illinois among at least 25 others. Venerable cheese mongers from Neal’s Yard Dairy in London will also be on hand and sampling some of the best cheeses from the British Isles, while New York-based Forever Cheese will feature some of the Mediterranean’s finest cheeses and other culinary delights from Italy, Spain, Portugal and Croatia.

Additionally, there will be a variety of national and international artisans who produce Pastoral’s distinctive sweet and savory accompaniments. From beer and spirit makers in Chicago to a potato chip producer from Virginia to caviar and truffle oil artisans from Italy, this year’s festival is one of Chicago’s most extensive events featuring culinary specialties from local, national and international producers.

Scheduled events throughout the day will include a cheese wrapping game sponsored by Formaticum, an avocado tasting for kids (and grown-ups) with The Good Food Project—sponsored by Avocados from Mexico—and Best of the Fest competition with food industry luminaries voting on their favorite featured artisans and products.

Pastoral created Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival as part of the company’s mission to make buying and eating great food and wine a fun, inviting and educational experience for its customers. Many of the products featured at Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival are sold in the Midwest exclusively at Pastoral. The event also will highlight artisan producers featured at Pastoral’s neighboring Chicago French Market vendors.

Parking for only $6 will be available for all attendees at 165 North Clinton, the parking lot located just north of Chicago French Market.   For more information, visit pastoralartisan.com or call 312-454-2200.

See below for a list of participating artisans and vendors.

CHEESEMAKERS

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Washington)

Beehive Cheese Company (Utah)
Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheese (Indiana)
Cypress Grove Chevre (California)
Forever Cheese (Mediterranean)
Frisian Farms (Iowa)
Holland’s Family Cheese (Wisconsin)
Cellars at Jasper Hill (Vermont)
Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese (Kentucky)
LaClare Family Farm (Wisconsin)
Marcoot Jersey Creamery (Illinois)
Milton Creamery (Iowa)
Neal’s Yard Dairy (London)
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company (California)
Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery (Illinois)
Rogue Creamery (Oregon)
Sartori Cheese (Wisconsin)
Saxon Homestead Creamery (Wisconsin)
Seymour Dairy (Wisconsin)
Spring Brook Farm (Vermont)
Uplands Cheese Company (Wisconsin)
Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery (Vermont)
Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Co-Op (Wisconsin)
Zingerman’s Creamery (Michigan)

BREWERIES

5 Rabbit (Illinois)

Finch’s Beer (Illinois)
Founders Brewing Company (Michigan)
Goose Island (Illinois)
Half Acre Beer Company (Illinois)
Brouwerij Liefmans (Belgium)
New Holland Brewing Company (Michigan)
North Coast Brewing Company (California)
Brewery Ommegang (New York)
Uinta Brewing Company (Utah)

VINEYARDS

Acustic Winery (Spain)

Adelsheim Vineyard (Oregon)
Barrelhead Winery (California)
Chateau de Tiregand (France)
Elk Cove Vineyards (Oregon)
Graziano Family Wines (California)
Julian Cider (California)
L. Mawby Vineyards (Michigan)
Laurel Glen Vineyards (California)
Marques Vargas Vineyards (Spain)
Monticello Vineyards (California)
Orin Swift Cellars (California)
Pazo San Mauro (Spain)

SPIRITS

Death’s Door Spirits (Wisconsin)

Few Spirits (Illinois)
Koval Distillery (Illinois)
Valentine Vodka (Michigan)

CONFECTIONS

Confection Diva (Illinois)

DAS Foods (Illinois)
Happy Goat Caramels (California)
Rich Chocolates & Candies (Illinois)
Salted Caramel (Illinois)
Truffle Truffle (Illinois)
Whimsical Candy (Illinois)

GOURMET FOODS

34 Degrees Crispbreads (Colorado)

Ameline Mustards (France)
Ames Farm (Minnesota)
Avocados from Mexico in partnership with The Good Food Project
Calvisius Caviar (Italy)
Castleton Crackers (Vermont)
Cook au Vin (Illinois)
The Gracious Gourmet (Connecticut)
Mieli Thun (Italy)
Potter’s Crackers (Wisconsin)
Quince & Apple (Wisconsin)
Route 11 Potato Chips (Virginia)
Savini Tartufi (Italy)
Sour Puss Pickles (New York)
Stu’s Sour Pickles (Illinois)

CHARCUTERIE

Creminelli Fine Meats (Utah)

PARTICIPATING CHICAGO FRENCH MARKET VENDORS 

Abbey Brown Soap Artisans, Canady Le Chocolatier, City Fresh Market, Delightful Pastries, EJ Sushi, Lavazza Espression, FliP Crepes, Frietkoten, Fumare Meats & Deli, Klay Oven Kitchen, Loop Juice, Pastoral, Presto Café & Grill, RAW, Saigon Sisters, Spicy Monkey Soup Company, Superior Nut & Candy, Vanille Patisserie and WISMA.