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Wisconsin is (or was) known as "America's Dairlyland." This is where most of the nation's milk was produced. Until a decade or so ago, the market price of milk was set by how far from Wisconsin it was being sold. This was based on the cost to transport it from here. That's how California overtook us in dairy production - California milk earned so much more, since it was far from Wisconsin.
We were protectionist when it came to our product. When butter substitutes came on the market, for a while you couldn't even get them here. Then there was a law saying that you could sell margarine, or oleo as it was called at the time, but it couldn't be butter-colored, it could only be white. And then you could get packets of yellow coloring to mix into your oleo to make it seem to taste better. Even now, all dairy products sold in the state must be inspected for quality.
So we're all about the dairy products - milk, butter, cheese. We love our cheese. But for a long time, it was more about quantity than quality (much like our beer industry). Finally in recent years, our cheesemakers are being noticed on the international stages. Headlines read Wisconsin cheesemakers were in the spotlight at the World Championship Cheese Contest, winning more awards than any other U.S. state or country. Five of the top 20 global cheese finalists in contention for World Champion were from Wisconsin.
This is great. Because I like cheese. I like most cheeses. Cheeses we've had in the house recently: Cheddar, Havarti, Gruyere, Parmesan, Asiago, Swiss. I have Swiss all the time on my sandwiches. My friend and I ordered a "warm cheese platter" as an appetizer the other night. At gaming a while back, a guy brought a tray of cheese and sausage. I was the only one to eat the white cheddar, because the other guys all thought it was Swiss. My first thought was you don't like Swiss?! Followed by you can't tell the difference on sight between Swiss and white cheddar?
Cyn and I were just talking about cottage cheese the other day. I liked it when I was a kid, but I don't much care for it now. Blue cheese? Good when used right. Feta? Love it. Stinky cheeses, like Limburger? I actually don't know. Brie? It's good, but I prefer the sharper, harder cheeses. Like Manchego, as another example.
Don't get me started on American cheese. Otherwise known as "cheese" (with scare-quotes), or its official name, process cheese food. Processed cheese is not cheese. Even if one of its ingredients was actual cheese.
Have you ever had cheese curds? A Wisconsin favorite. Fresh ones are squeaky when bitten. Or you can have them battered and deep fried. Maybe dipped in marinara.
Did you know that Swiss cheese is made here in the US, but is modeled after the Swiss Emmental cheese?
We were protectionist when it came to our product. When butter substitutes came on the market, for a while you couldn't even get them here. Then there was a law saying that you could sell margarine, or oleo as it was called at the time, but it couldn't be butter-colored, it could only be white. And then you could get packets of yellow coloring to mix into your oleo to make it seem to taste better. Even now, all dairy products sold in the state must be inspected for quality.
So we're all about the dairy products - milk, butter, cheese. We love our cheese. But for a long time, it was more about quantity than quality (much like our beer industry). Finally in recent years, our cheesemakers are being noticed on the international stages. Headlines read Wisconsin cheesemakers were in the spotlight at the World Championship Cheese Contest, winning more awards than any other U.S. state or country. Five of the top 20 global cheese finalists in contention for World Champion were from Wisconsin.
This is great. Because I like cheese. I like most cheeses. Cheeses we've had in the house recently: Cheddar, Havarti, Gruyere, Parmesan, Asiago, Swiss. I have Swiss all the time on my sandwiches. My friend and I ordered a "warm cheese platter" as an appetizer the other night. At gaming a while back, a guy brought a tray of cheese and sausage. I was the only one to eat the white cheddar, because the other guys all thought it was Swiss. My first thought was you don't like Swiss?! Followed by you can't tell the difference on sight between Swiss and white cheddar?
Cyn and I were just talking about cottage cheese the other day. I liked it when I was a kid, but I don't much care for it now. Blue cheese? Good when used right. Feta? Love it. Stinky cheeses, like Limburger? I actually don't know. Brie? It's good, but I prefer the sharper, harder cheeses. Like Manchego, as another example.
Don't get me started on American cheese. Otherwise known as "cheese" (with scare-quotes), or its official name, process cheese food. Processed cheese is not cheese. Even if one of its ingredients was actual cheese.
Have you ever had cheese curds? A Wisconsin favorite. Fresh ones are squeaky when bitten. Or you can have them battered and deep fried. Maybe dipped in marinara.
Did you know that Swiss cheese is made here in the US, but is modeled after the Swiss Emmental cheese?
