Press Releases
OK – we just can’t refuse to let you in on one more recipe in time for the holidays – our fabulous Pecan Brittle. At Flat Creek Lodge, we make it with pecans from our property, and it’s an ideal holiday treat. Just a little tip to cooking the brittle – in order for it to set properly, you should make it on a clear sunny day when humidity is at a minimum. Start preparing the brittle in a pot, and then you can flatten it with a rolling pin or spatula.
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups pecans – Roast in oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.
1 Tablespoon baking soda
Candy Thermometer
Butter or line with wax paper cookie sheet and set aside. Combine sugar and syrup in saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Then let mixture boil without stirring until it registers about 280 degrees on candy thermometer. Stir in pecans.
Cook until syrup reaches “hard crack” (295 degrees) on thermometer.
Remove from heat; stir in baking soda (will foam up). Stir quickly and pour on prepared cookie sheet to cool. Stretch with plastic spatula or roll with rolling pin – quickly – as thin as brittle. Cool completely; break into pieces. Store in airtight container.
Makes 1 pound.
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Madeira Braised Rabbit with Young Root Vegetables
Naturally, the thought of hunting got us dreaming of fall game, so we got this recipe from our supremely talented visiting chef David Bies. It’s not quail, but we’re sure you’ll like it!
Serves 6
Prep Time – 1 hour
Cook Time – 2 hours
Ingredients Needed
3 whole rabbits – Butchered into 6 Thighs with legs attached, bone in 6 tenderloins
Remaining meat and bones for stock
Parsley – 1 bunch, leaves chopped and reserve stems
Thyme sprigs – 10
Yellow Onion roughly chopped - 1
Garlic – 6 cloves, smashed
Peeled Cippolini, pearl or any small onion – 1.5 #
Fennel – 1 bulb trimmed and split in 6 pieces
Baby carrots – 1 #
Small turnips, cut in half – 1 #
Madeira – 1 cup
Whole butter – healthy knob
Bay leaf – 1
Sifted flour – ½ cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Dutch Oven or Large wide pot with lid – 6 qt. or larger
Wooden Spoon for cooking
Method
Heat a small amount of oil (not olive oil) in the pot to medium heat. Add bones and slowly roast them until brown, careful not to burn them. Add garlic, chopped onion, parsley stems and thyme. Sweat ingredients for a few minutes to release the flavors. Add 5 qt. of water to cover the bones and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the broth. Discard the bones and Reserve the liquid (about 4 qt.). This is the Rabbit Stock.
Season the rabbit thighs and tenderloins with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss thighs and loins in AP Flour and shake off excess. Heat a small amount of oil (not olive oil) to medium heat in the pot or Dutch oven. Add the rabbit thighs and loins and lightly brown them on both sides. Remove the meat and reserve. Add the small onions and brown. Deglaze the pan with Madeira and reduce by half. Add a healthy knob of butter and the sifted flour. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the rabbit thighs, turnips, carrots, fennel, bay leaf and the reserved Rabbit Stock. Gently simmer for 45 minutes to one hour. Add the tenderloins and simmer 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with reserved chopped parsley and serve.
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SEVEN LUCKY RIBBONS COME HOME TO FLAT CREEK LODGE DAIRY
Southeast Georgia Dairy Wins Big at American Cheese Society
Conference Swainsboro, Georgia (August 12, 2009) – It was only the second year Georgia dairy Flat Creek Lodge competed at the American Cheese Society’s Judging & Competition at the organization’s annual conference, but this small dairy won big, bringing seven ribbons back to Swainsboro. This year, Flat Creek Lodge earned one First Place for its Dutch-style Leiden, two Second Place and four Third Place awards. In a competition with 1,327 cheeses and cultured dairy products entered from 197 producers in 32 states, Canada and Mexico, the Flat Creek Dairy team is thrilled with the results.
“We are very honored to have been recognized for so many of our cheeses,” said Flat Creek’s Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner. “For our sheep’s milk cheeses especially, which we have only been producing for about six months, these ribbons are extremely significant. We entered only nine cheeses, and seven of them won. I’m pretty happy with that!” Last year at this prestigious competition, Flat Creek won one First Place award for its Caraway Cotija.
In addition to the First Place cumin-flavored Leiden, which won in the Open Category for All Cheeses with Flavorings Added, the Cypress Cheddar earned a Third Place in the tough category Cheddars Wrapped in Cloth. Five other winners came from Flat Creek’s new line of cow and sheep’s milk blended cheeses – Second Place awards went to ColBaa with Black Truffle and Agrippina Feta. Half Ewe Blue Farmhouse, ColBaa (plain) and ColBaa with Scallion and Ginger each won a Third Place award. Out of 314 total awards given, most of the ribbons went to Wisconsin, California and Vermont, so Flat Creek Lodge’s seven ribbons bring honor to Georgia too.
The award-winning Flat Creek Lodge cheeses are available at retails spots including: Alon’s, Harry’s, Savor, Sawicki’s, Star Provisions, The Mercantile and several Whole Foods locations in Atlanta. Restaurants like Neo and Dynamic Dish serve Flat Creek Lodge cheeses. In fact, they can even be found at the Governor’s Mansion. In the Savannah area, Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can be found at Alligator Soul, Brighter Day Health Food Market, Cha Bella, Davis Produce, Il Pasticcio, Savannah Bee Co., The Mansion on Forsyth and Thrive to Go. Other southeast Georgia locations include Jekyll Island Club Hotel (Jekyll Island) and True Vine Wine & Gourmet (Brunswick). Murray’s in New York carries Flat Creek Lodge cheese to. Of course, everything is also available online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
About the American Cheese Society
The American Cheese Society is an active, not for profit, trade organization that encourages the understanding, appreciation and promotion of farmstead and natural specialty cheeses produced in North America. By providing an educational forum for cheesemakers and cheese enthusiasts, the Society fills an important gap in today’s specialty food world. Some ACS members come from small farmstead cheesemakers but they can also be industrial producers, wholesalers, distributors, retail shops, cheese media and cheese enthusiasts. The conference—a gathering of cheesemakers, academicians, enthusiasts, marketers, distributors, food writers and retailers from the U.S., Canada and Europe—celebrates the widespread enthusiasm for American specialty cheese. More than 700 attended this year’s conference, participating in educational seminars on subjects from cheesemaking to the art of maturing cheese.
The American Cheese Society is the country’s premier platform for cheese industry research and education. Founded in 1983, the ACS has grown to include approximately 1,250 members. Among its many endeavors, the Society works with the federal government on issues related to standards for the production of cheese and fermented dairy products. www.cheesesociety.org.
Each year, the ACS hosts the conference and world-renowned cheese competition. Unlike other cheese competitions where cheeses are graded down for technical defects, the American Cheese Society’s goal is to give positive recognition to those cheese that are of the highest quality in the aesthetic evaluation (i.e. flavor, aroma and texture), as well as their technical evaluation. As a result, the highest quality cheeses are those that the Society feels deserve the recognition of an American Cheese Society award, based on a minimum number of points awarded (totally 100 points possible) for First, Second or Third Place. In categories or sub-categories where the minimum number of points is not earned, no award was given for that category or sub-category.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, the Flat Creek Lodge resort offers an oasis to guests who enjoy being pampered with beautiful scenery, gourmet meals and luxurious surroundings. With a plethora of activities available onsite like bike riding through nature trails, visiting the spa, dining, fishing and even various types of hunting, the exquisite property entices all travelers. Flat Creek Lodge also creates an award-winning line of artisanal cow and sheep’s milk cheeses that appeal to the most discerning palate. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Swainsboro, Georgia (August 6, 2009) – In the history of great days at Flat Creek Lodge, the day of the first mushroom harvest tops the list. Imagine our delight when we gathered gorgeous Pink Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus djamor) that looked more like flowers than what you might think of as the fruit of a fungus. No wonder this variety is commonly called Pink Flamingo! These delicious mushrooms have a seafood-like flavor when they are sautéed, and they taste great in an Oyster Mushroom Salad (see our website for recipes). Oyster and other mushrooms to come are available to distributors, retailers and restaurants.
Growing mushrooms is just another aspect of our commitment to being as ecologically sound as possible. In addition to our land, we’ll be using a variety of growing media for our mushrooms. It’s called identifying the waste stream. By using agricultural and office waste to grow some of the mushrooms, we will create a circular system. The Pink Oyster Mushrooms are just the beginning.
Right now, we are also growing other Oyster varieties like blue, white and yellow. Each one has a different flavor. For example, the blue and white ones are meaty and silky with an earthy flavor while the yellow ones have a sweet flavor, smell like watermelon when raw and taste nutty when cooked.
Mushrooms are more than just a pretty face. They are the only fruit or vegetable with vitamin D, so they make a great choice for vegetarians. Drying them in the sun can magnify their vitamin D content tenfold. They can also be excellent sources of protein, but the content varies by type. Our Oyster Mushrooms have three times more protein than Shitakes.
We are thrilled with our first crop, which will be available at some of the same retail spots and restaurants where our line of artisanal cheeses and fresh berries have been for the past couple years. As we gather more mushrooms, new varieties will be available too. Most products can be ordered through our website www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Distributors, restaurants and retailers interested in getting more information on or purchasing our mushrooms, please contact Caroline Harless at Flat Creek Lodge charless@flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, the Flat Creek Lodge resort offers an oasis to guests who enjoy being pampered with beautiful scenery, gourmet meals and luxurious surroundings. With a plethora of activities available onsite like bike riding through nature trails, visiting the spa, dining, fishing and even various types of hunting, the exquisite property entices all travelers. Flat Creek Lodge also creates an award-winning line of artisanal cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses that appeal to the most discerning palate. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Flat Creek Lodge Takes Home 7 Big Awards at N. American Regional Jersey Cheese Competition
Swainsboro, Georgia (July 7, 2009) – Wedged in between two Vermont cheese makers, the little Flat Creek Lodge Dairy took home the Runner-Up position at the first North American Regional Jersey Cheese Awards last week. In addition to winning big for its gold medal Blau Wein Kase – an original cheese washed with blue wine made from Flat Creek’s fresh summer berries – the Dairy earned seven total awards in five classes.
With only 20 percent of the milk produced in the United States coming from Jersey cows, just being able to enter the contest aligns Flat Creek Lodge in a very small select portion of artisanal cheese makers.
“Even though this competition is new, there were a lot of impressive specialty products entered,” said Flat Creek Lodge Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner. “It’s great when you can place in the top three, so we are very excited about taking second place overall.”
In addition to the Blau Wein Kase, Flat Creek Lodge’s winning cheeses included Natural Rind Cheddar and Cypress Cheddar, which both earned silver medals in the Farmstead Hard Cheese class and Flavoured Cheese, Savoury bronze medal winners Cilantro Leiden and Aztec Cheddar. Huebner paid homage to the history of Flat Creek’s Home Emanuel County with the names of cheeses Paris 1853 and Ocheese, which won silver and bronze medals respectively. In the 1850s, Swainsboro, Georgia was known as Paris, and the Creek Indians who once lived in the area were initially called the Ocheese Creek Indians because they lived near Ocheese Creek.
What’s next on the agenda for Flat Creek Lodge? The Dairy will head to Austin, Texas in August for the American Cheese Society Awards. Last year at this huge competition, Flat Creek won First Place in the Hispanic & Portuguese Flavored category for the Caraway Cotija.
The North American Regional Jersey Cheese Awards were open to cheeses and butters made in Canada and the United States from 100 percent Jersey milk. In its first year, the regional contest drew 77 entries from 29 producers in 15 states and Québec. Each entry was judged individually; cheeses earning between 46 and 50 points received gold medals, between 41 and 45 points received silver medals, and between 36 and 40 earned bronze medals. www.jerseycheese.com.
The award-winning Flat Creek Lodge cheeses are available at retails spots including: Alon’s, Harry’s, Savor, Sawicki’s, Star Provisions, The Mercantile and several Whole Foods locations in Atlanta. Restaurants like Neo and Dynamic Dish serve Flat Creek Lodge cheeses. In fact, they can even be found at the Governor’s Mansion. In the Savannah area, Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can be found at Alligator Soul, Brighter Day Health Food Market, Cha Bella, Davis Produce, Il Pasticcio, Savannah Bee Co., The Mansion on Forsyth and Thrive to Go. Other southeast Georgia locations include Jekyll Island Club Hotel (Jekyll Island) and True Vine Wine & Gourmet (Brunswick). Murray’s in New York carries Flat Creek Lodge cheese to. Of course, everything is also available online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, the Flat Creek Lodge resort offers an oasis to guests who enjoy being pampered with beautiful scenery, gourmet meals and luxurious surroundings. With a plethora of activities available onsite like bike riding through nature trails, visiting the spa, dining, fishing and even various types of hunting, the exquisite property entices all travelers. Flat Creek Lodge also creates an award-winning line of artisanal cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses that appeal to the most discerning palate.
The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Flat Creek Lodge Releases Sheep’s Blend Cheeses to Anxious Buyers
Swainsboro, Georgia (July 2, 2009) – After months of waiting, milking and aging, the Dairy team at Flat Creek Lodge has announced the release of the first cheeses blended with sheep’s milk. In very limited amounts, the Flat Creek Dairy offers four flavors that have been handcrafted by Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner. Always ahead of the pack, Flat Creek Lodge is the first dairy in Georgia to create sheep’s milk cheeses.
The first wheels of Colbaa, a cheese with 34 percent sheep’s milk and 66 percent Jersey cow’s milk, were released last week and sold out immediately. Most of this tangy and creamy cheese went to Thrive Café in Savannah and the Buckhead Club in Atlanta. Cheesemonger Rip Williams held a little back and took it to the St. Philip’s Cathedral Farmer’s Market in Atlanta where it sold like hotcakes.
Despite the quick sale, cheese lovers will have more chances to snatch some of the blended sheep’s milk cheeses this summer. Uneenodae, a 50/50 sheep’s and cow’s milk blend, will be ready in about a month. Agrippina, another half and half cheese that is a feta will be available next week. Sometime in July, Huebner also plans to release a few wheels of Half Ewe Blue Farmhouse.
All of the sheep’s milk cheeses will be available in very limited supplies. Because sheep produce a much smaller quantity of milk than cows, it takes a long time to collect enough milk to make a batch of cheese. This is just one of the things that makes sheep’s milk cheeses so special!
True cheese aficionados can contact the Lodge about getting put on a sheep’s milk cheese waiting list to secure some of the future batches. Most of the Flat Creek Lodge sheep’s milk blend cheeses are produced from raw milk supplied by the property’s flock of Lacaune-East Friesian mix sheep. The Agrippina is pasteurized.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, the Flat Creek Lodge resort offers an oasis to guests who enjoy being pampered with beautiful scenery, gourmet meals and luxurious surroundings. With a plethora of activities available onsite like bike riding through nature trails, visiting the spa, dining, fishing and even various types of hunting, the exquisite property entices all travelers. Flat Creek Lodge also creates an award-winning line of artisanal cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses that appeal to the most discerning palate.
The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Berries Get Ripe on the Vine at Flat Creek Lodge
Swainsboro, Georgia (June 19, 2009) – When the temperatures rise, things get berry sweet at Flat Creek Lodge. That’s mostly thanks to our 20 acres of berry orchards where plump blueberries, raspberries and blackberries pop up every June. Once we pick them, we deliver them straight to expectant restaurants throughout Georgia. Of course, we keep a few for our own Dining Room so that we can serve our guests fresh, sweet desserts all summer long.
This summer, look out for Flat Creek Lodge berries at restaurants like Pricci, the Mansion on Peachtree, Aria, Star Provisions, Duck’s Cosmic Kitchen and Buckhead Deli and News. Fresh berries are on sale every Saturday morning at the St. Philip’s Cathedral Farmer’s Market (2744 Peachtree Road, NW).
Our cheeses like the award-winning Aztec Cheddar, Blue Farmhouse and Cypress Cheddar are available at retails spots including: Alon’s, Harry’s, Savor, Sawicki’s, Star Provisions, The Mercantile and several Whole Foods locations in Atlanta. In the Savannah area, Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can be found at Alligator Soul, Brighter Day Health Food Market, Cha Bella, Davis Produce, Il Pasticcio, Savannah Bee Co., The Mansion on Forsyth and Thrive to Go. Other southeast Georgia locations include Jekyll Island Club Hotel (Jekyll Island) and True Vine Wine & Gourmet (Brunswick). We even have cheese at Murray’s in New York. Of course, everything is available online too.
Look out for our new line of sheep’s milk cheeses coming this summer!
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, the Flat Creek Lodge resort offers an oasis to guests who enjoy being pampered with beautiful scenery, gourmet meals and luxurious surroundings. With a plethora of activities available onsite like bike riding through nature trails, visiting the spa, dining, fishing and even various types of hunting, the exquisite property entices all travelers. Flat Creek Lodge also creates an award-winning line of artisanal cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses that appeal to the most discerning palate.
The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Flat Creek Lodge Announces Rotating Chef Series for the Summer
Swainsboro, Georgia (June 1, 2009) – What’s better than an excellent visiting chef dinner? We say – having a rotation of famed chefs join our team! This summer, Flat Creek Lodges welcomes a number of chefs to join the team. First up, this weekend, former chef de cuisine from Atlanta’s Restaurant Eugene, Chef David Bies. Before he heads to Tokyo this fall, Chef David Bies will spread delicious joy throughout the Flat Creek Dining Room this weekend (and other weekends throughout the summer) offering four- and five-course dinners Thursdays through Sundays.
For the past four years as chef de cuisine at Restaurant Eugene, Bies assisted with menu development as well as all aspects of kitchen management. Prior to Restaurant Eugene, Bies was a fishmonger at Miramar Seafood Market in Asheville, North Carolina. He has also worked at The Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville, South Carolina and The Ritz Carlton, Atlanta (Buckhead). Bies earned a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University in 2003.
With Flat Creek Lodge, Bies looks forward to creating menus with ingredients like fresh produce, summer berries and fish and game straight from the Flat Creek Lodge property. Coming from a tradition of cheese appreciation augmented by Restaurant Eugene’s monthly cheese events, Bies is sure to enjoy partnering with Flat Creek’s head cheesemaker Dane Huebner to highlight Georgia’s finest artisanal cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses.
Bies and other fantastic Georgia chefs will head to Flat Creek Lodge this summer to bring the locally-grown ingredients straight to the table! For reservations and dining information, the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Swainsboro, Georgia (May 15, 2009) – We hadn't seen him since he awarded us at the Flavor of Georgia food competition, but Flat Creek Lodge was honored earlier this month by a visit from Governor Sonny Perdue, his wife Mary and several additional family members. While onsite, the Governor had a great time hunting wild turkey and fishing with his twin granddaughters. The expedition was filmed as part of the O'Neil Outside television show with O'Neil Williams. The Governor at Flat Creek episode will air in July. We'll keep you posted!
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Swainsboro, Georgia (April 14, 2009) – It’s been quite a year for Flat Creek Lodge’s Aztec Cheddar cheese. Fresh from pulling in the Grand Award at the recent Flavor of Georgia food products contest, the spicy cheese with a hit of cocoa is now making its way into some out-of-the-ordinary cookies. Made with guajilo peppers and cocoa, the marbled cheddar harkens back to the spicy way chocolate was initially enjoyed by Mesoamericans. Created by Head Cheesemaker and avid baker Dane Huebner, the Aztec Cheddar Cookies will knock your socks off.
* The dried guajilo peppers for the recipe can be found in many specialty food shops. These are the peppers that flavor traditional enchilada sauce.
Aztec Cheddar Cookies – from Dane Huebner
1 ¼ sticks of butter
1 ½ c. shredded Aztec Cheddar
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. granulated sugar
1 egg
½ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
2 ¼ c. all purpose flour
4 large dried guajilo chili peppers
1 ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (at least 60 percent cocoa)
½ c. shredded Aztec Cheddar
Deseed and de-stem chilies and cover with warm water.
Cream butter, 1 ½ c. of cheese and sugars.
Add egg.
Add salt and baking soda.
Add flour until just mixed.
Remove chilies from water, julienne chilies into 1/8 to ¼ in. strips.
Stir in chilies, remaining 1/2 c. of cheese and chocolate chips.
Bake at 325 for 15 to 17 minutes.
Aztec Cheddar and the other amazing Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can be found at a variety of retails spots (like Whole Foods and Savor in Atlanta and Sawecki’s in Decatur) and restaurants throughout Georgia and the Southeast. This month, Destiny Produce - the only Certified Organic distributor in Georgia – began distribution of Flat Creek’s line of artisanal cheeses. The cheeses are also available online anytime at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Swainsboro, Georgia (April 15, 2009) – This year’s Grand Award Winner of the Flavor of Georgia food products contest Flat Creek Lodge will be heading to Atlanta every Saturday morning with plenty of cheeses and other goodies available for purchase at the St. Philip’s Cathedral Farmer’s Market. It’s a great chance to try some of the Swainsboro artisanal dairy’s creations and talk to the folks who produce them. Seasonal produce like fresh berries will also be found in the Flat Creek Lodge stand.
WHAT: Flat Creek Lodge cheeses at the Cathedral Farmers Market
WHEN: Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Now through fall
WHERE: Parking Lot of
The Cathedral of Saint Philip
2744 Peachtree Road, NW
Atlanta 30305
WHY: Who can resist the award-winning Aztec Cheddar – a marbled cheese made with guajilo peppers and cocoa?
Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can also be found at a variety of retails spots (like Whole Foods and Savor in Atlanta and Sawecki’s in Decatur) and restaurants throughout Georgia and the Southeast. This month, Destiny Produce - the only Certified Organic distributor in Georgia – began distribution of Flat Creek’s line of artisanal cheeses. The cheeses are also available online anytime at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Swainsboro, Georgia (April 15, 2009) – This year’s Grand Award Winner of the Flavor of Georgia food products contest Flat Creek Lodge will be heading to Statesboro on Saturday mornings with plenty of cheeses and other goodies available for purchase at the Main Street Statesboro Farmers’ Market. It’s a great chance to try some of the Swainsboro artisanal dairy’s creations and talk to the folks who produce them. Seasonal produce like fresh berries will also be found in the Flat Creek Lodge stand.
WHAT: Flat Creek Lodge cheeses at the Main Street Statesboro Farmers’ Market
WHEN: 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Now through fall
WHERE: Corner of E. Main and S. Main
Statesboro, GA
WHY: Who can resist the award-winning Aztec Cheddar – a marbled cheese made with guajilo peppers and cocoa?
Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can also be found at a variety of retails spots (like Whole Foods and Savor in Atlanta and Sawecki’s in Decatur) and restaurants throughout Georgia and the Southeast. This month, Destiny Produce - the only Certified Organic distributor in Georgia – began distribution of Flat Creek’s line of artisanal cheeses. The cheeses are also available online anytime at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just one and a half hours from Savannah, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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CHEESE ISN’T THE ONLY THING WE DO WELL
Blueberry Cobbler at Flat Creek Lodge – Straight From of Our Berry Orchards to the Table
Swainsboro, Georgia (April 2, 2009) – While Flat Creek Lodge has been making headlines with all of its exciting Dairy news – a Cheese Championship, being named the Flavor of Georgia winner and newly arrived sheep to name a few things – summer is the right time for one of the Lodge’s other talents to come to the fore.
When our berry orchards start popping, our chefs starting thinking all kinds of yummy things. Sous Chef JoAnn Ealey just couldn’t wait to share her Blueberry Cobbler recipe. Enjoy!
Flat Creek Lodge Blueberry Cobbler
½ Cup butter
1 Cup milk
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 Cup sugar
2 Cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in a 9x13 baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and stir in vanilla, milk and sugar to make a batter. Remove the hot dish with the melted butter from the oven and pour the melted butter into the batter. Spoon the berries into the dish and pour batter over the berries. Do not stir! Place dish back in the oven and bake until the batter is browned - about 30 minutes.
Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Like our cheeses, Flat Creek Lodge berries are available all season long in restaurant and retail spots throughout the Southeast. They can also be found for purchase online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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LITTLE GEORGIA DAIRY EARNS BIG LEAGUE RECOGNITION
Flat Creek Lodge Places Second and Third in US Championship Cheese Contest!
Cheddar and Blue Beat Out National Big Wigs
Swainsboro, Georgia (April 1, 2009) – The Flat Creek Lodge Dairy sent its cheese a long way from Swainsboro this month – all the way to Green Bay, Wisconsin to compete in the US Championship Cheese Contest. The results are in, and Flat Creek Lodge is astounded and elated to have earned Second Award in the Blue Veined class for its Blue Farmhouse and Third Award in the Bandaged Cheddar class for its brand new Cypress Cheddar. Coming off the Grand Award win in the Flavor of Georgia products competition earlier in the same week, Flat Creek Lodge is proving itself to be one worthy little dairy.“Of course we are thrilled to have placed so high in two categories,” says Flat Creek Lodge owner Caroline Harless. “One aspect of these competitions that is really important to us is the chance to get feedback about our cheeses and their quality. As a new dairy, this is very helpful to us.”
The Cypress Cheddar – a six-month cloth-bound cheddar that had basically just come out of the aging closet to be sent to the competition – topped most of the cheddar producers in the country. With a 99.1 rating, this cheddar is sure to be a best seller. The First and Second awards went to Springside Cheese Corp. and Glanbia Foods, Inc. In the Blue Veined Category, out of 25 entries from all over the country, only Sartori Food Corporation scored higher than Flat Creek Lodge.
Even Flat Creek Lodge Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner was a bit surprised by the wins, stating, “In a competition like this one, it can be difficult for an artisanal dairy to place high, and it’s usually large company dairies that win these competitions.” When you craft each batch of cheese by hand and milk under 30 cows, seasonal differences come out in the cheeses, making each batch of artisanal cheese special. The uniqueness is one thing to love about small dairy cheeses, but it makes difficult winners in these big contests. That just means that the Second and Third awards are even more special for the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy.
The US Championship Cheese Contest was held March 17 – 19 in Green Bay, Wisconsin and featured more than 1,360 cheese and butters submitted by artisans and manufacturers in 32 states. With roots back to the 1890s, this competition presented by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association is the Superbowl of dairy product competitions, according to John Umhoefer, executive director of the Association.
Cheese lovers can celebrate with Flat Creek Lodge by finding the cheeses at a variety of retails spots (like Whole Foods and Savor in Atlanta and Sawecki’s in Decatur) and restaurants throughout Georgia and the Southeast. This month, Destiny Produce - the only Certified Organic distributor in Georgia – began distribution of Flat Creek’s line of artisanal cheeses. The cheeses are also available online anytime at www.flatcreeklodge.com. This summer, fans will have a new reason to celebrate when Flat Creek Lodge releases the first round of sheep’s milk cheeses.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Flat Creek Lodge Takes Home Grand Award in Flavors of Georgia Competition
March 26, 2009
Swainsboro, Georgia (March 26, 2009) – We’re so proud, we just can’t resist tooting our own horn. As a still pretty new Dairy, the team at Flat Creek Lodge was pleased as punch to win the third annual Flavor of Georgia food products contest. Governor Sonny Perdue announced the winners at a ceremony held at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta on March 17, and Flat Creek Lodge owner Caroline Harless was on-hand to gleefully accept the award.
Pulling in first place in the dairy category as well as being named the overall winner, Flat Creek Lodge won for head cheesemaker Dan Huebner’s nearly famous Aztec Cheddar. Made with guajilo peppers and cocoa, the marbled cheddar harkens back to the spicy way chocolate was initially enjoyed by Mesoamericans.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be honored with first place in the competition,” said Harless. “Winning in the dairy category would have been quite an honor, but winning overall has kept us smiling for days. We are so proud of our Flat Creek Dairy team!”
Flat Creek Lodge’s Aztec Cheddar topped the 112 submissions from 81 businesses competing in this year’s Flavor of Georgia. In addition to the overall and dairy categories, winners were chosen in BBQ & hot sauces; confections; jams, jellies and sauces; meats; snack foods and other foods.
Flavor of Georgia 2009 was held in conjunction with Georgia Ag Day, which kicked off National Agricultural Awareness Week in Georgia. The competition is sponsored by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, Georgia Agribusiness Council, the Governor’s Agricultural Advisory Commission and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Food Science and Technology.
The Flat Creek Lodge Dairy looks forward to celebrating their win throughout 2009, and Huebner already has plenty of new ideas cooking. Late last year, Flat Creek welcomed 40 Lacaune-East Friesian mix sheep that have now had 40 lambs. The milking has begun, and Huebner looks forward to creating Flat Creek’s first round of sheep’s milk cheeses, which should be ready sometime this summer.
Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can be found at a variety of retails spots (like Whole Foods and Savor in Atlanta and Sawecki’s in Decatur) and restaurants throughout Georgia and the Southeast. This month, Destiny Produce - the only Certified Organic distributor in Georgia – began distribution of Flat Creek’s line of artisanal cheeses. The cheeses are also available online anytime at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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FLAT CREEK LODGE FINDS A NEW WAY TO SEND CHEESES PACKING
Destiny Produce Picks Up Flat Creek’s Line of Cheeses and Produce for More Southeast Distribution
Friday, March 6, 2009
Swainsboro, Georgia (March 6, 2009) – Flat Creek Lodge is thrilled to announce that on March 1, 2009, Destiny Produce – the only Certified Organic distributor in Georgia – will begin distribution of Flat Creek’s line of artisanal cheeses. Although Swainsboro’s Flat Creek has been handling plenty of its own distribution for the past couple years since the Dairy officially opened, working with Destiny Produce is a giant step toward delivering their locally-produced cheeses and produce to retailers and grocers throughout the Southeast.
“We are honored to have been selected by Destiny Produce,” says Flat Creek Lodge owner Caroline Harless. “Our mission has always been to practice sustainable agriculture and support the local economy. We have been working hard on our own to get the Flat Creek products into a variety of locations, but the partnership with Destiny Produce will expand our reach a great deal and exactly access our target market.”
Flat Creek Lodge’s new reach will include both wholesale and retail operations as Destiny Produce has customers of all sizes – from the natural food co-ops and buying clubs to the independent grocery stores and large retail chains. Even better, Destiny Produce distributes products within Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
“At Destiny Produce, we have built our business by representing local producers,” says Destiny Produce CEO Dee Dee Digby. “We are delighted to partner with Flat Creek Lodge and offer their amazing, world class cheeses throughout the Southeast. Our shared vision for a vibrant local food system makes this alliance especially strong.” Flat Creek Lodge cheeses are an ideal match for Destiny Produce’s plans to add new product lines this year including organic cheese and local, sustainable pork and chicken.
Steve and Caroline Harless initially opened Flat Creek Lodge more than 13 years ago as a hunting and fishing resort and spa. The Harlesses had a strong desire to benefit the local environment and economy, so they improved the land, used local artisans and builders and started growing produce onsite. In the summer of 2007, a new dream came to fruition when the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy opened with a line of four cheeses.
Since that time, the Dairy has exploded, thanks to Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner and Cheesemonger Rip Williams. Huebner’s creative genius has led to an expanded line of original cheeses like Flat Creek Farmhouse, Farmhouse Blue, Aztec Cheddar and seasonal varieties of Leiden. With the arrival of sheep late last year, the line of cheeses will be expanded once again this summer to include sheep’s milk varieties.
Williams, along with Harless, has spent much of his time in the Flat Creek Lodge truck hand-delivering cheeses and produce from the greenhouses and berry orchards to Atlanta restaurants and retail spaces. He’s also become a well-known fixture at many local farmers’ markets. The new agreement with Destiny Produce will augment Flat Creek’s current distribution efforts in an exciting way.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401.
The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Flat Creek Lodge Welcomes the World to Swainsboro
Swainsboro, GA (February 27, 2009) - Since the first day of construction, Flat Creek Lodge in Swainsboro has been supporting local businesses, artisans and builders. While recent attention on the resort and spa has focused on what the property has been exporting around Georgia and beyond – artisanal cheeses, fresh berries and produce – Flat Creek Lodge is still drawing attention and visitors to Emanual County, promoting Southeast Georgia to guests from as far away as Canada. With journalists, tourists and even television crews stomping into retail and hospitality spot Stumpknockers to begin their journey to faraway kind of place, Flat Creek Lodge literally welcomes the world to Swainsboro.
Last week, Flat Creek cooked up a hearty country breakfast for 165 guests from 50 states and Canada as part of the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association’s annual convention, which was meeting in Savannah. The organization’s dedication to nurturing the farm direct marketing industry proved a perfect fit for Flat Creek Lodge’s mission of practicing sustainable agriculture. Flat Creek Lodge serves guests fish, game, produce and dairy products raised, grown or created onsite and delivers its varied line to retail shops and restaurants throughout the state. In fact, the group enjoyed the visit so much the tour guides are interested in returning twice in 2009 with other groups.
If agriculturalists are partial to Flat Creek Lodge, for avid and novice outdoor sportsmen and women, the property stands as a rare gem where luxury is as vital as rusticity. Apparently the Outdoor Channel thought so too, and they sent a television crew down last fall to hunt turkey. Host of Outfitter Tuff Jim Crumley got to experience many aspects of the property, where quail hunting, target practice and great fishing are de rigueur. While Crumley enjoyed the thrill of the chase, General Manager Cathy McDaniel filled in the crew on the other offerings of the property like the spa, gourmet dining room, deluxe accommodations and Japanese bathhouse.
“We chose Flat Creek Lodge because it has a one-of-a-kind personality,” said Crumley. “There is not one separate aspect of Flat Creek that makes it a superb destination; it is the total concept – the property, the hunting, the lodging, the people and, of course, the food!” Each week, Outdoor Channel Outfitters puts viewers in the field with the best outfitters in the country and features a different destination.
Naturally, Crumley’s on-camera hunt ended in success when he downed what he described as an excellent bird. “Flat Creek has much more than hunting. I must say that the hunting experience is just a fun, fun part of an extraordinary Flat Creek experience,” he said. The show aired during early February on Outfitters TV – bringing Swainsboro into living rooms across the country, and bringing the country into Flat Creek Lodge – virtually.
The honored guests don’t stop with television hosts and agriculture conventions. Following an exciting week of tour busses and TV premieres, Flat Creek Lodge spent last weekend welcoming Tuxedo Road magazine, which feature the property in an upcoming issue. And did we mention the fact that Southern Living also made its way to Flat Creek Lodge late last fall? The piece in that well-known magazine has already been published bringing another kind of accolade to the property that was honored as a Producer of Distinction by the Georgia Department of Economic Development in October of 2008.
Another honored guest will head to Flat Creek Lodge late this spring. Renowned chef, author and culinary television producer Virginia Willis will be Flat Creek Lodge for a Visiting Chef Dinner on May 23. Guests will have the opportunity to sample some of what made Willis a household name. A one-hour cocktail reception will be followed by a five-course wine dinner compliments of Chef Willis. Dinner is $75 per person or dinner is available with lodging for $325 per couple for one night or $599 per couple for two nights. Reservations are required by May 20 and can be made by calling 
877-352-8273
.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Flat Creek Lodge Adds Paintball to Outdoor Sporting Offerings
Swainsboro, Georgia (December 4, 2008) – Flat Creek Lodge, a 2,000-acre hunting and fishing resort and spa in Southeast Georgia, has recently added a Commando Style Paintball Course to its long roster of outdoor offerings. The three-acre course has been uniquely designed for a paintball adventure in the pines and comes complete with trenches and forts.
Groups of 12 or two teams of six can make a day enjoying a variety of types of paintball fun. Packages include a semi-automatic weapon with safety options, an anti-fog mask, coveralls and 400 paintballs per player. Sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at lunchtime. (Head to the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room for an after-battle feast!) Cost for paintball is $55 per person including lunch. Additional paintballs are available for $10 per 200.
Get ready for action!
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Friday, December 12th, 2008
A Real Treat at a Sporting Resort and Spa Provides Best of Both Worlds
Swainsboro, Georgia (December 15, 2008) – Take a real break from the holiday hustle and bustle with a getaway that provides sporting adventure and spa relaxation. Special Winter Packages at Flat Creek Lodge offer an environment that is as luxurious as it is rustic. This hunting and fishing resort and spa can easily delight any visitor – from the most avid sportsman TO the most discerning gourmand.
Flat Creek Lodge Winter Retreat Package: Book by January 31, 2009
$299 per couple (plus sales tax)
- One night of lodging
- In-Room Wine and Cheese Pairing featuring Flat Creek Lodge’s artisanal cheeses
- Four-course Dinner Paired with Wine
- Hearty Country Breakfast
- Activities like Biking, Nature Walks and relaxing in the whirlpools
- Additional activities can be added to this package
- Additional nights of lodging can be added at $150 per couple
Currently, Flat Creek Lodge can accommodate singles, couples and groups of various sizes. For those arriving at Atlanta or Savannah airports, van transportation can be provided. Flat Creek Lodge can also assist with arranging golf outings and other area excursions.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
For More Information Contact
Carrie Whitney 404-822-1078
carrie@launchatlanta.com
Thursday, December 4th, 2008
Arrival of Sheep at Flat Creek Lodge Promises New Line of Mouth-pleasing Cheeses
Swainsboro, Georgia (December 9, 2008) – Apparently, taking care of a bunch of Jersey cows wasn’t exciting enough for the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy team. Having developed a highly successful line of artisanal cow’s milk cheeses (Murray’s in NYC ran out of the Farmhouse Blue before they could feature it as a cheese of the month!), the Flat Creekers are on to the next challenge. With the arrival of 40 Lacaune-East Friesian mix sheep today, one can only expect new joy for the tastebuds.
Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner looks toward crafting the new line of sheep’s milk cheeses with excitement. “There is an old proverb that states – goat’s milk is the best for drinking, cow’s milk is the best for butter and sheep’s milk is the best for cheese,” says Huebner. “Since ewe’s milk has nearly double the amount of solids in the milk, it is closer to solid cheese than other milks. Sheep’s milk also has the fatty acid flavor spectrum of both of the other animals.”
The Flat Creek sheep’s milk cheeses will be available sometime around summer of 2009. Since sheep produce a much smaller amount of milk than cows, the batches of sheep’s milk cheeses will also be smaller, but that just makes them more special!
Overall, what makes Flat Creek Lodge artisanal cheeses distinct is that the milk, whether from the cows or the sheep, comes from a standard, rarely changing group of animals. That means it is more consistent and more consistently Flat Creek Lodge, but it also means that fluctuations in season can be tasted too. For example, milk generally has a higher fat content during the colder winter months. Artisanal cheeses are handcrafted, and each batch can provide a somewhat new experience.
These days, it’s easy to pick up Flat Creek Lodge cheeses. Served in top Atlanta restaurants like Pano’s & Paul’s and Restaurant Eugene since spring, the cheeses are making their way to more retail spots throughout the state. Cheese lovers can find Flat Creek Lodge cheese at Whole Foods Buckhead and Ponce locations, Sawecki’s in downtown Decatur, Souper Jenny, Savor and Star Provisions in Atlanta. Persimmon Creek Vineyards in Clayton carries the cheeses, and they are distributed in Savannah too. Of course, Murray’s (www.murrayscheese.com) carries these Georgia-grown cheeses, and they are always available through the Flat Creek Web site (www.flatcreeklodge.com).
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
For More Information Contact
Carrie Whitney 404-822-1078
carrie@launchatlanta.com
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
Flat Creek Lodge Awarded for Caraway Cotija
Swainsboro, Georgia (July 31, 2008) – No stranger to accolades, the young Dairy at Flat Creek Lodge in Southeast Georgia brought home new honors from the prestigious American Cheese Society 25 th Anniversary Conference last weekend. The competition was tough - with entries from 181 producers from 30 states and three Canadian provinces, the 2008 American Cheese Society Competition acknowledges the very top cheesemakers on the continent. Flat Creek Lodge won First Place in the Hispanic & Portuguese Flavored category for the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy team’s Caraway Cotija, a drier style of cheese similar to Parmesan with plenty of salt and picante .
“This is an exciting honor for us,” said Flat Creek’s Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner. “You do your best to select your finest cheeses, but with more than 1,100 entries, it’s definitely a tough competition. The judges put in a lot of effort to sort through everything and find the best cheeses.” In all, the ACS Competition included 15 aesthetic judges and 15 technical judges, making the selection of winners highly professional and making the Award extremely significant.
The American Cheese Society is an active, not for profit, trade organization that encourages the understanding, appreciation and promotion of farmstead and natural specialty cheeses produced in the Americas and Canada. By providing an educational forum for cheesemakers and cheese enthusiasts, the Society fills an important gap in today’s specialty food world. Some ACS members come from small farms but they can also be industrial producers, wholesalers, distributors, retail shops, cheese media and cheese enthusiasts. Founded in 1983, ACS membership has grown to include approximately 1,400 members who are also able to work with the federal government concerning issues that involve accepted standards and practices in the production of cheese and fermented dairy products. www.cheesesociety.org
Each year, the ACS hosts the conference and world-renowned cheese competition. Unlike other cheese competitions where cheeses are graded down for technical defects, the American Cheese Society’s goal is to give positive recognition to those cheese that are of the highest quality in the aesthetic evaluation (i.e. flavor, aroma and texture), as well as their technical evaluation. As a result, the highest quality cheeses are those that the Society feels deserve the recognition of an American Cheese Society award, based on a minimum number of points awarded (totally 100 points possible) for First, Second or Third Place. In categories or sub-categories where the minimum number of points is not earned, no award was given for that category or sub-category.
“Winning this year is great inspiration for us and truly validates our efforts,” said Huebner. “We are looking forward to even better things next year.”
In addition to the blue ribbon Caraway Cotija, the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy produces a full line of artisanal cheeses including: Cheddars – Aged, Horseradish, Aztec and Thai Chili; Mustard Kase and Onion Kase; smoked cheeses such as Smokin’ Jack; the Original Farmhouse Cheese and Farmhouse Bleu; Dutch–style Leiden and cheeses flavored with herbs and other produce from the Flat Creek Lodge greenhouses. All of the cheeses are made from raw milk except the Flat Creek Feta. New Flat Creek Lodge cheese creations will be perfectly aged and ready soon including the Aged Stir Curd, Kalamata Olive and White Wine Feta and the unique Vidalia Onion Cheddar.
The line of cheeses is available onsite at Flat Creek Lodge and many selections have also recently been making their way to restaurants and retail spaces throughout Georgia. Flat Creek’s locally produced cheeses including Thai Chili Cheddar, Mustard Kase, Onion Kase, Original Farmhouse, Farmhouse Bleu, Mozzarella and Dutch-style Leiden are now available at Whole Foods Buckhead, and cheese lovers can also sample some of the Flat Creek creations at Star Provisions. Atlanta restaurants featuring Flat Creek Lodge cheeses include Restaurant Eugene and Buckhead Life Group restaurants Pano’s & Paul’s, Chops and Pricci.
In Savannah, Flat Creek cheeses are making their way to restaurant chefs through Green Tomato Concepts. The Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta and The Cloister on Sea Island also serve Flat Creek cheeses. Retailer Out of the Blue in Blue Ridge, Georgia sells Flat Creek cheeses, and they can be sampled at Persimmon Creek Vineyards in Clayton, Georgia too. In addition to being found at the above locations, Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can always be ordered online or by telephone by getting in touch with Flat Creek Lodge directly.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com .
Thursday, April 24th, 2008
Sporting Resort and Spa Provides Best of Both Worlds
Swainsboro, Georgia (April 22, 2008) - With the largemouth bass spawning on beds around the 18 different ponds located at Flat Creek Lodge, it’s no wonder that some monster bass are being caught! Guest Claudia Haraway noted that the highlight of her visit was catching of a 14-pound, 28-inch largemouth bass. Another happy visitor to Flat Creek Lodge, Kerri McKenzie caught a pre-spawn 26-inch, 12.5 pounder from the same pond. Both of these trophy-size fish were caught, weighed, measured (and photographed!) and released back into the main lake. Haraway and McKenzie’s good fortune provides an example of the great catches that can be made fishing the lakes and ponds that surround the unique resort, spa and outdoor sports destination.
Flat Creek Lodge is a 2,000-acre, top-notch outdoor sports facility located just outside the town of Swainsboro, Georgia. The resort offers 12 lodge rooms along with six two- bedroom and two four-bedroom cottages, a complete spa facility, fitness center and a unique Japanese bathhouse for guests to enjoy.
Along with phenomenal bass fishing, Flat Creek Lodge offers seasonal quail, deer, turkey, wild boar, pheasant and duck hunts on its game preserve. Renowned Sporting Director Bob Edwards offers training tips and sporting classes to improve any sportsperson’s abilities and maximize enjoyment. For visitors who prefer other outdoor activities, the resort also offers hiking, nature tours, biking and other summer related activities at the onsite freshwater beach. During fall 2008, Flat Creek Lodge plans to offer new options like fitness training, orienteering, a confidence course and paintball in the woods. With so many types of adventure, there is never a dull moment at Flat Creek Lodge.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com
Monday, April 7th, 2008
THE BIG CHEESE
Flat Creek Lodge Dairy Places 12th in World Cheese Competition
Atlanta (April 2, 2008) – The results are in, and Flat Creek Lodge Dairy is, in fact, The Big Cheese. Open for less than one year and under the leadership of Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner only half of that time, Flat Creek Lodge Dairy’s rankings in the recent World Cheese Championship Contest show that not all cheese has to be aged to taste great!
Hosted by the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association, the 27th Biennial World Cheese Championship—the largest international cheese contest—was held March 11-13 in Madison, Wis. The contest judges cheeses and butters by class; each is evaluated by an international panel of 22 expert judges. Flat Creek Lodge Dairy placed 12th out of 29 places, putting it in the top 43 percent of participants—pretty sweet for a young dairy.
Of course it doesn’t hurt that Huebner, Flat Creek’s Big Cheese, came to the Dairy with plenty of cheese-making credentials. In addition to working in beer production and as a scientist in a bakery, he served as Research Chef and Cheesemaker at Cedar Grove Cheese in Wisconsin, where he developed different cheese and flavors for private label companies, helping them win cheese awards.
With the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy since November, Huebner has been hard at work making local versions of some of his favorite cheeses from around the world, as well as coming up with several of his own American Originals. Since elements like type of milk, microbes and the terroir affect the flavor of every cheese, no cheese can ever be exactly duplicated. So Flat Creek Cheddar will only taste like Flat Creek Cheddar.
Feeling cheesy? Flat Creek Lodge Dairy cheeses are available at the Flat Creek property, online or by placing a telephone order.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
Wednesday, March 19th, 2008
Artisanal Cheese Dairy in SE Georgia Benefits from New Head Cheese
Swainsboro, Georgia (March 4, 2008) – Last summer, Flat Creek Lodge celebrated the opening of the second licensed artisanal cheese dairy in Georgia. In less than a year, the micro-dairy earned a nomination for the “2008 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year” award, which is co-sponsored by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and Dairy Today magazine. This spring, Flat Creek Lodge has another reason to rejoice – a new Head Cheese Maker with plenty of creative ideas and a retail arm that will help get the Flat Creek cheeses out to lucky cheese lovers throughout Georgia.
Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner has come to Flat Creek Lodge with plenty of cheese making credentials. With a background in microbiology, Huebner began his career in beer production then worked as a scientist in a bakery. Traveling to Vietnam, he researched fermented fish products before realizing his desire to develop cheeses. He served as Research Chef and Cheesemaker at Cedar Grove Cheese in Wisconsin where he developed different cheese and flavors for private label companies, helping them win cheese awards.
With the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy for four months, Huebner has already been hard at work making local versions of some of his favorite cheeses from around the world as well as coming up with several of his own American Originals. Since elements like type of milk, microbes and the terroir affect the flavor of every cheese, no cheese can ever be exactly duplicated. So Flat Creek Cheddar will only taste like Flat Creek Cheddar.
“Cheese making is about combining ideas that already exist to make something new,” says Huebner. That “something new” has played out as local Cheddar and Leiden, but also an American Original – the Flat Creek Farmhouse, which is an aged farmhouse style that has been wrapped and covered in white mold. (It actually is aging now and will be ready in about six months!) Huebner has also created Aztec Cheddar, a traditional hand-milled Cheddar with cocoa and guajillo peppers, bringing a very old culinary idea to cheese.
Huebner is not flying solo in the Dairy; he has plenty of assistance from Cheese Maker Fred Faye and Cheese Monger Rip Williams. Faye also comes to Flat Creek from Wisconsin and has a background in milk processing.
“Dane comes up with a lot of ideas, and that is exciting,” says Faye. “We have the opportunity to try many different cheeses and are not limited by one or two products.” What happens to the cheese after sufficient aging is up to Williams who has been presenting the cheeses at farmer’s markets throughout Georgia. Last fall, Flat Creek Lodge cheeses came to Atlanta for a farmers market on Northside Drive, and they were also found at Taste of Atlanta as well as Tour de Champagne last month. This spring and summer, Williams plans to take the cheese on the road every weekend. He is also talking with high-end retailers and wholesalers who cater to restaurants about carrying special lines of the cheeses.
Flat Creek Lodge cheeses are currently available at the Flat Creek property, online or by placing a telephone order. Like certain cheese complements, cheese itself gets better with age. Look for flavors like Vidalia Onion Cheddar and a naturally smoked cheese to reach maturity this fall!
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
Pro Sporting Club Director and Cloister Veteran Signs on at Flat Creek Lodge
Swainsboro, Georgia (October 16, 2007) – The Southeast Georgia hunting and fishing resort Flat Creek Lodge announced the addition of Sporting Club Director Robert Edwards to its highly skilled team. Edwards brings a new level of expertise to the property, having earned his stripes working at places like the Cloister Resort and Remington Shooting School and instructing at first-rate shooting tournaments like the Charlton Heston Celebrity Shoot for the NRA.
Finding an ideal home at Flat Creek Lodge, Edwards asserts that he has been an outdoorsman all his life and can happily say that for the past 30 years, he has earned his living shooting guns or fishing. His professional know-how will advance the hunting, fishing and clay target shooting programs at Flat Creek Lodge, beginning with a full assessment of the current amenities and implementing a long term plan for improvements.
"We are very excited about the addition of Bob Edwards to our staff. He brings with him a wealth of hunting and fishing experience and expertise,” said Cathy McDaniel, Flat Creek Lodge General Manager. “We are sure that this addition with take our hunting and sporting clay programs to new levels."
“Flat Creek Lodge is a diamond hidden in the state of Georgia,” says Edwards. “It currently offers a five-star resort experience, and I look forward to developing a five-star hunting, shooting and fishing program.” Edwards is surely the man who can make it happen. In addition to spending five years as Gun Club and Waterfront Manager for the Cloister Resort and Spa on Sea Island, Georgia, he was the Director of Shooting Sports for The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia where he designed and built the sporting clay facility. He most recently held the title of General Manager of the Forest City Gun Club in Savannah, Georgia. Edwards’ fishing expertise includes a sixth place finish in the Bahamas Billfish Championship in 2006, as Captain aboard the Roulette a 61’ Jarrett Bay Sportfisherman and Lead Instructor of the Genmar Backwater Fishing Schools at Tarpon Lodge on Pine Island, Florida. He also spent four years as the Director of Marketing and Promotions for Sporting Clays Magazine.
Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine.
The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.
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