Cheesemakers Are The Pride Of Wisconsin

Did you know that National Cheese Day is just around the corner, on June 4? Whether you have a relatively neophyte palate or an experienced one, you can appreciate and celebrate the taste, texture, and versatility of cheese. If you take a trip across America’s Dairyland in Wisconsin, where over a quarter of the cheese in America is made, you’ll be rewarded with an experience much like wine tasting or brewery hopping.

It’s entirely possible to meet a Master Cheesemaker, taste the recommended samples, and walk away with a richer understanding of the cheesemaking process as well as how the trade often passes down from generation to generation in Wisconsin, with historic dairy farming roots dating back 175 years. The community pride surrounding cheesemongers and makers is palpable, which makes the tasting experience that much more gratifying.

Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, Kerry Henning of Henning’s Cheese, located in Kiel, says that a typical day for him begins at 2:45 a.m. The previous day’s cheese gets packaged at the plant and then more cheese is made. Everything then gets washed and sanitized and the work day finishes at 1:00 p.m. “It’s nice having the afternoon available to do maintenance or have fun,” says Henning. “Like a baker who has to get donuts out early, a cheddar cheese maker needs to get cheese curds out to the local stores as early as possible.”

Henning’s Cheese is a fourth generation family-owned cheese factory. Outside of Europe, The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program, administered by the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin, is the only one of its kind. Open only to veteran cheesemakers, this accolade helps makers achieve the topmost level of their craftsmanship.

“In Wisconsin, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a cheesemaker is to become Certified Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker; it’s at least a 15-year process once you begin to start making cheese,” says Henning. “Generally, you work at least two years before attending classes to write your state exam to become a licensed cheesemaker. Then ten years after that you can apply to enroll in the Master Cheesemaking course. After an initial examination to determine if you’re ready to enter the program (and many are not), you begin a three year process (apprenticeship) of taking classes and having facility and cheese evaluations. After completing all the necessary requirements, you then take an exam that takes 40—60 hours to complete. You get one month to do this at home. If you pass the exam, you receive the honor of becoming a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker.”

Day-to-day operations work a bit differently at Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville, where the Hatch (Andy and Caitlin) and Mericka (Scott and Liana) families own and operate the business, creating two traditional artisan cheeses: Pleasant Ridge Reserve, an aged alpine-style cheese, and Rush Creek Reserve, a soft-ripened, spruce-bound cheese. “We often describe Rush Creek Reserve as savory custard,” says cheesemaker, Andy Hatch. “It is so soft that it’s creamy paste drips off the spoon when it’s served and it has a richness that makes people think of cured meats, or of bacon and ham.”

It’s worth noting, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, which can be found nationwide, is an award-winning cheese, winning Best of Show in the American Cheese Society’s annual competition in 2001, 2005, and 2010 as well as the US Championship Cheese Contest in 2003.

“Pleasant Ridge Reserve is typically aged for a year before it’s sold, and like the classic alpine cheeses Gruyere and Comte, it boats a blend of sweet and savory flavors,” says Hatch. “The base of its flavor consists of warm, round, savory notes like chicken broth and roasted meat, and when aged over a year it’s finish is laced with a sweetness reminiscent of tropical fruit (pineapple, papaya). This combination of sweet and savory are what make Pleasant Ridge so compelling and so fun to pair with drinks and other foods. It’s also what has made Pleasant Ridge one of the most-awarded cheeses in the country.”

Hatch makes the cheese right on the dairy farm and the work day depends on the season. This time of year, the typical day is busy from sun up to sun down. “The bookends of the day are the morning and evening milkings in our 100 year-old barn,” says Hatch. “In between we make a batch of cheese (every day, seven days a week), tend to the cheese again in the caves, ship orders to customers, and take care of our animals, pastures, and filed work. We live here next to the barn and the creamery, so it doesn’t really feel like work; it’s just how we live.”

For folks at home that want to create an elegant, yet simple, cheese board, with nibbles and drinks that pair well, cheesemaker Marieke Penterman of Marieke Gouda in Thorp says, “There are so many wonderful products to create a nice cheese board with; simply take cheese, crackers, and salami, some nuts or fruit, and don’t forget the honey mustard to dip it in.”

Hatch suggests, “As with most other high-quality ingredients, people can allow our cheeses to stand for themselves. They require minimal fuss and preparation because we’ve done all the hard work for you, making and aging beautiful cheese. One important principle is to find textures and flavors that complement each other but will also provide points of contrast. A bit of tart fruit or some crunch from nuts can stand off from the creamy richness and highlight it.”  

Henning’s Cheese also keeps it simple in practice. “A local Wisconsin-made beer, wine or Old Fashioned along with some Henning’s sliced Medium or Aged Cheddar and one of the many flavored cheeses we make is all we do. I like to add some Blue or Parmesan if I happen to have some in my refrigerator. To me, it’s all about having flavorful cheeses to serve. Save money somewhere else, not on your cheese.”

Travel has influenced the cheese-making process for many makers. Henning has visited Europe a number of times, seeing the many cheese plants there. “I had the perception that European cheese plants were old, small and not as up-to-date as American cheese plants; I was surprised to see how large, automated, and sanitary they were,” says Henning. “I was disappointed on the number of remaining traditional cheese plants that were left.”

When I asked Hatch if travel has influenced his cheesemaking process, he said: “Very much so. When I was in my early 20s, I spent a few years working as an apprentice in different parts of Europe (England, Ireland, Norway, Italy, France). I also studied Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin, but those experiences abroad gave me an entirely different perspective on what’s possible for small-scale cheesemaking.”

Of course, Wisconsin is home for these cheesemakers and it’s easy to see why they love this part of the country. Mars Cheese Castle, New Glarus Brewing Company, Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center, and the coastal city of Sheboygan are a few highlights. Henning loves the diversity of the seasons and the fun outdoor adventures like snowmobiling, downhill skiing, boating, and hiking. “We have such beautiful parks and forests in Wisconsin,” says Henning. Hatch loves the people and the Green Bay Packers. Penterman says that she loves “summers, farm-friendly infrastructure, and most of the people—but for sure all people that love cheese because they are my kinda people, they are the best!”