This summer, I was lucky enough to be invited to join in a "Tour de Cheese" with David Gremmels of Rogue Creamery and cheese-guru and author Max McCalman, here researching his third cheese book.

It was a fantastic 900+ mile, 5 day cheese journey during which we visited 10 creameries and dairies around the state, from southern Oregon to the high desert, the Willamette Valley and the coast.

I am thrilled to bring you the first installments of "Meet Your Maker," a series of behind- the-scenes interviews gathered on the trip. You'll be amazed at the incredible array of cheesemakers and cheeses creating a food revolution right here in our own back yard.

This month's segments feature:

Kathy Obringer, Ancient Heritage Dairy
Jan Neilson, Fraga Farm
Dale Baumgartner, Tillamook Cheese

Even with the incredible diversity of scale (from off-the-grid microcreameries to major producer), and the differences in milk types, cheese styles and cheesemaking philosophies, there is a clear, common and unifying theme: a strong belief that good ingredients, hard work and dedication to craft produces exceptional cheese.

Stay Tuned in 2008 for more "Meet Your Maker" segments from Oregon, Washington and Beyond!