Tillamook Maker’s Reserve Crackers with Kelly’s Jelly Habanero Pepper Jelly

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I. LOVE. CHEESE. CRACKERS.

Yesterday I decided to make Cheese Crackers using Tillamook 2019 Maker’s Reserve Cheddar. I used Emeril’s White Cheddar Cracker’s recipe. The only additions I made were to add 1 Tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast and a 1/2 teaspoon of brown mustard seeds. I also sprinkled some paprika on top before putting them in the oven. After removing from the oven, I cracked some sea salt on top. After tasting, I would increase the amount of cheese (at least 50% more), but The Man swooned.

The mustard seeds added come crunch and the cayenne a bit of  zip; however, topping the crackers with Kelly’s Habanero Pepper Jelly took them over the moon with perfect heat and sweetness.

Although I lack technical savvy, I learned to make slideshows. Here is one I created for making Emeril’s Cheese Crackers using the Maker’s Reserve and Kelly’s Habanero Jelly.

I thought today I would share with you some history of the Tillamook Cooperative.

In the mid-19th Century the Tillamook Valley welcomed its first European settlers. There was plenty of rain which created green, lush grass; perfect for raising dairy cows. Soon the dairy farmers found themselves with excess butter and milk to sell. The overland route to Portland took too long; the product would spoil. They built the first Oregon official’s ship, “The Morning Star”, to carry their dairy products to market via the Pacific and the Columbia River.

In 1894, Canadian Cheesemaker Peter McIntosh re-located to the Valley and shard his Cheddar-making expertise with the farmers of the Valley. They nicknamed him “Cheese King of the Coast”.

Fifteen years later in 1909, several of the small creameries operating around Tillamook joined forces to create a cooperative to make dairy products, including cheese, of the same high quality. Each creamery contributed $10 to start the cooperative and the Tillamook County Creamery Association was born.

In 1921, the first slogan came along: “Look for Tillamook on the Rind” to let customers know they were buying genuine Tillamook cheese. The co-op ran ads in Portland, San Francisco and L.A. Sales soared.

Tillie of Tillamook became “spokescow” in 1959 to promote the 50th anniversary of the cooperative. The Morning Star ship was added to the logo in 1966.

In 2001, a new creamery was built to accommodate the demands of Tillamook Cheese and its ice cream, butter, sour cream and yogurt lines.

2009, the cooperative celebrated its 100th anniversary and in 2015 adopted a new slogan “Dairy Done Right”.

2018 arrives and the creamery was once again re-designed and expanded as Tillamook grew.

Today, the co-op has more than 1100 farmers who continue the tradition of producing high quality milk to become dairy products that include Maker’s Reserve.

Selections of Kelly’s Jelly and Tillamook Cheese are available at my Amazon Influencer Storefront. Thanks for supporting my efforts to keep the passion for cheese and specialty foods alive!!

There’s still time to order holiday platters: by 12/17 for Christmas and by 12/27 for New Years: 

My friend and fellow Cheese Professional, Babs Hogan, is offering Cheese Jerseys – just in time for the holidays. Shop Local!!!

In addition to being a member of the Internationale Guilde des Fromagers (Jura and Garde) and an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, I am a Certified ServSafe Food Production Manager with certifications that also include ServSafe Certified Instructor and Proctor. I am available for cheese events, cheese program development, cheese training, food safety training and 3rd party food safety auditing. See my About Me and Resume pages for more details or call me at 360 921 9908 to discuss availability.

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