Norseland, Incorporated—part of TINE SA, Norway's largest producer, distributor and exporter of dairy products, and makers of Jarlsberg, the #1 brand of specialty cheese in America—is pleased to announce Chrissy’s Cooking Club as the winning team of Jarlsberg’s Grilled Cheese Cook-Off, a 5 Boro PicNYC special attraction held at Governors Island on May 26th.
The OMG Grilled Cheese was created by the students of this non-profit Bushwick campus farm that promotes from-scratch cooking, using ingredients grown in their community garden. The combination of Jarlsberg, queso fresco, grilled peppers and onions, served with a sofrito sauce, collard greens and salad, was inspired by a secret family recipe of one of the students.
The judges—which included award-winning journalist Amy Cortese, Experimental Gourmand food blogger Kathy Blake, former FOOD & WINE editor and food writer Monica Forrestall, The Takedown Impresario Matt Timms, and media journalist, nutritionist/cookbook author Janet Zappala—based their decision on exceptional taste, layers of flavors and use of fresh ingredients, many grown by the students themselves. Top prize included a 22lb wheel of Jarlsberg, Lodge seasoned/cast iron skillet set with cookbook, and Sur La Table gift card (total value $500).
Founded in 2011, Chrissy’s Cooking Club is based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and works directly with small, local, and sustainable farmers, community activists, and long-term organizations to realize actual changes in people’s diets and lifestyles towards more healthful eating. Through hands-on workshops, cooking demos, lectures, and on-the-ground support, this organization takes a grass-roots approach to make eating at home easy and affordable for people from all walks of life.
The Grilled Cheese Cook-off, sponsored by Jarlsberg Cheese—with NY Hand Made Breads donating 3,000 slices of fresh-baked bread and Lodge USA providing reversible griddles for the chefs to prepare 1,500 gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches—was a special attraction feature at this year’s sold-out 5 Boro PicNYC festival, produced by Food Karma Projects.
Food Karma Projects produces food media events throughout New York and dedicates a portion of its tickets sales to community and charitable partners. This year’s 5 Boro PicNYC recipients were Slow Food NYC, Earth Matter, Kingsborough Community College and Teen Battle Chef. To learn more, contact: foodkarma@gmail.com
Source: Norseland, Inc.