Mark has worked in wine and cheese for over fifteen years, but his love of these products goes back to early college. When other students were experimenting with quantum beer drinking, Mark turned to fine wine. His love for wine brought him eventually to the Sonoma County Wine Country. Here he worked with such vintners as Robert Stemmler, Keith Mietz, and Phyllis Zazounius. It was also in Sonoma County Mark was introduced to the wonderful world of cheese. Since 1991, Mark, as owner of Research Resources, has worked extensively with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) in the foodservice and retail sides of cheese promotion, including;

Distributor Seminars for SYSCO, Pocahontas Foods, U.S. Foodservice, Gordon Foodservice, Eurobest, Petersons, Columbus and Domestic Cheese.

Retail Seminars for Kroeger, Publix, Wegmans, King Super, Winn Dixie, HEB, Hughs, Price Chopper, Haggens, Tom Thumb, Larry's Markets, Natures Northwest Albertsons, Whole Foods, Buy-Rite and numerous independents.

Foodservice and Restaurant group Seminars for; Darden, Brinkers, Metromedia Restaurant Group, Disney and many independent operators.

Tradeshow and Seminars for; American Culinary Federation (ACF)1995 - 2001 the American Cheese Society (ACS), International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association Tradeshow (IDDBA) 1993 – 2001 National Restaurant Association Tradeshow (NRA) 1993 – 1997, Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park and Greystone) Fancy Food Shows (NASFT) in San Francisco and New York.

Mark has presented at The Monterey Wine Festival with Regi Hise(Former Director of Education &
Training for Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and noted authority on cheeses) and Doug Frost (Master of Wine and Master Sommelier) on wine and cheese pairings for WMMB. Other recent events include a wine and cheese seminar at Exphotel in Cancun for the USDA and the ATO and a wine and cheese reception at the Mexican Cultural Center in Washington D.C. for USDEC (United States Dairy Export Counsel).

In addition to these activities, Mark has worked in Cheese and Specialty Gourmet food Distribution in the San Francisco Bay Area, organized and performed countless cheese demos at Bay Area stores and food events and taught classes in cheese and wine at local area schools and shops.

Mark has made wine and cheese pairing one of the major focuses of his professional life and he is working to bring the pleasures of wine and cheese to the widest audience possible.

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Recipes

Welsh Rarebit

Mornay Sauce