Bluegreen Resorts

Wisconsin has long been famous for cheese
Whether it's foam wedges proudly worn by Packers fans or state license plates touting "America's Dairyland," the message is clear. Cheese rules. The state produces the country's greatest volume of cheese and the biggest variety. Think chewy, warm cheese curds, 10- year-old cheddar, goat cheese delicately laced with herbs and just about any other combo you could dream up. Already at 600 varieties, the number of Wisconsin cheeses keeps climbing as master cheesemakers craft new American artisan cheeses.

Some of the world's most award-winning wedges can be found south of the Dells on roads that ribbon across Sauk, Dane and Green counties. Cows contentedly graze across the lush countryside, cheese thickens in tanks of warm milk, and the folks who lovingly handcraft it are often willing to share their passion. They'll explain the subtleties of cheese and what makes each stand out.

"Everybody has a niche," says Bruce Workman, who crafts 180-pound wheels of Emmentaler at Edelweiss Creamery in tiny Monticello, Wisconsin.

Like vineyards, each creamery knits itself to the land and its seasons. Cheesemakers even refer to terroir, a French term used to describe how the grapes' flavor reflects the soil, air and water of a particular region. Here, it's the cows, goats and sheep that graze on thick grasses enriched by the area's limestone and organisms deposited by melting glaciers. Descriptions of cheese also sound like a slight twist on the bouquet of wine. Creamy. Intense. Fruity. Earthy. Buttery. Tangy. A hint of hazelnut. A floral finish. "Green County really wants to be the Napa Valley of the cheese industry," Workman says.

Carr Valley
The closest cheese tour is Carr Valley's LaValle plant about 25 minutes west of the Dells (southwest on County Road H to Reedsburg and northwest on State Highway 33). The company, one of Wisconsin's best-known, has been making cheese the old-fashioned way since 1904. They also have a shop in downtown Wisconsin Dells, but in LaValle visitors can watch a video on how cheese is made and see it in action from an observation window.

"We make over 80 different kinds of cheese," says senior administrator Patty Koenig. With last year's wins at the American Cheese Society, they're also the most award-winning producer in the world. Among their standouts are Grand Canaria with its blend of milks; sheep's milk Marisa cheeses; applewood-smoked white cheddar hand-rubbed with paprika; bread cheese, a Finnish type which holds its shape after being sautéed; and Cocoa Cardona, a goat's milk cheese rubbed with cocoa.

At Carr Valley's Sauk City store, there's also a test kitchen and the chance to take their new cooking classes on everything from new American to traditional Italian cuisine, taught by some of the most celebrated chefs in the country. Carr Valley master cheesemaker Sid Cook often attends classes, too.

"We fly in chefs from all over," Koenig says. "Classes are another great way to taste the cheese."

Madison cheese markets
Some of the biggest tastes come from small producers. Close to a dozen of them line the square that surrounds Wisconsin's State Capitol every Saturday, as well as Wednesdays in the summer. Dane County Farmer's Market has distinguished itself as one of the best markets in the country, especially for organic produce. Look for organic Swiss from Bleu Mont Dairy, brick, muenster and havarti from Forgotten Valley, blue cheese from Hook's Creamery, and French-style goat cheese from Fantome Farm. Fantome's owner Anne Topham can often name the goat whose milk made the cheese and might even show you a photo. Don't forget squeaky fresh cheese curds, too. They're easy to eat as people promenade around the capitol.

If you miss market day, stop in at Fromagination, also on the capitol square. The new store offers educational cheese classes, cooking sessions, an array of cheese to sample and purchase, along with meats, olives and breads for building the perfect on-the-go picnic.

Heart of cheese country
Head through Sauk and Dane counties to Green County on the southern border, and you'll be in the absolute heart of cheese country—a place where Swiss families have held tight to their heritage since settling here in the 1840s. Swiss names grace century-old barns, caramel-colored Swiss cows quietly graze the fields, and chalet architecture dominates New Glarus, which dubbed itself "Little Switzerland." New Glarus's many restaurants serve generous, tasty meals heavy on the schnitzel and spaetzle, with cozy Glarner Stube serving the best fondue pot. Turner Hall of Monroe serves an authentic Swiss cheese and onion pie while the quirky Baumgartner's Cheese Store and Tavern draws loyal fans for its signature limburger sandwich. Stop in at the artsy Dining Room at 209 Main for a cheese sampler platter.

About two dozen cheesemaking facilities are scattered across Green County, with three of them welcoming visitors to their shops with retail areas and places to see cheese in progress. The granddaddy is Roth Kase, a Swiss company in Monroe that makes at least 60 kinds of cheese, including its famous gruyere, fontina, havarti and gouda.

Chalet Cheese Cooperative, also in Monroe, makes the famously pungent limburger cheese as well as mild, nutty baby Swiss, brick and colby. It's good to call ahead there and at Monticello's Edelweiss Creamery to see traditional wheels of Emmentaler, as well as lacey Swiss and butterkase.

No matter which creamery you pick, a tasty cheese is guaranteed, along with a scenic drive down rural roads where you might still get a friendly wave from passing drivers.

"It is so beautiful in Green County because of the rolling hills," says Workman. "It's just an experience that should be done. And often."

When you go
For more information, including details for Monroe's Cheese Days Sept. 19-21, 2008, contact Green County Tourism, 608.328.1838, www.greencounty.org. Find other dairies and learn everything you wanted to know about cheese at Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's www.wisdairy.com.