Award-winning Wisconsin cheesemaker Andy Hatch of Uplands Cheese has been named one of Martha Stewart's 2016 American Makers.
The news comes on the cusp of the annual release of one of Wisconsin's most anticipated seasonal cheeses, Uplands' Rush Creek Reserve, a soft-ripened cheese wrapped in spruce bark that has developed a cult following since its 2010 debut. The popular cheese will begin making its way to specialty cheese shops throughout the nation beginning next week.
Hatch, who has been making cheese at Uplands for the past 15 years, is one of 10 entrepreneurs recognized by the Martha Stewart American Made program, which aims to discover the next generation of American artisans through acknowledgement of their entrepreneurial passion and contributions to their communities in the fields of food, style, design and technology.
"I’d like to thank Martha Stewart and the editors of Martha Stewart Living for not only valuing the quality of our cheese, but also for recognizing that our success can serve as an example to other family farms looking to add value to their milk," Hatch said at the awards ceremony held in New York in October. "I spent years as a cheese-making apprentice in Europe, and there's nowhere I'd rather make cheese than in southern Wisconsin. We have everything we need right here to make world-class cheese."
Uplands Cheese has made a name for itself largely through the production of Pleasant Ridge Reserve, an alpine style cheese made during the summer months while cows are on fresh pasture. The cheese is the most awarded cheese in American history and the only cheese to have won both the American Cheese Society’s and U.S. Cheese Championship’s Best of Show.
The full list of 2016 Martha Stewart American Made honorees includes:
- 21c Museum Hotels – Louisville, Kentucky
- Eagle Street Rooftop Farm – Brooklyn, New York
- Girls Who Code – New York, New York
- Harry’s Berries – Oxnard, California
- Loki Fish Company – Seattle, Washington
- M&S Schmalberg – New York, New York
- NYCitySlab – Yonkers, New York, New York
- Stony Creek Colors – Nashville, Tennessee
- Sweetgreen – Washington, D.C.
- Uplands Cheese – Dodgeville
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
