Wisconsin Cheese

One great thing about living in Green Bay is the delicious Wisconsin Cheese! If you like cheese, this is definitely the place to be.

There are more than 350 different types, varieties and styles of cheese that is made in Wisconsin. Here are some really interesting facts Wisconsin Cheese about cheese made in Wisconsin:

Wisconsin has the only master cheesemaker program in the United States.

Wisconsin has Federal standards for making cheese.

Wisconsin is the first state to have a cheese grading system. Cheese is graded on color, appearance, texture and flavor.

History

The history of Wisconsin Cheese actually began with the European immigrants. Many were dairy farmers so it was only natural that when they came to Wisconsin they began to make milk. They made cheese from excess milk. The immigrants came from different parts of Europe and each group brought their own cheese.

Swiss – of course, Wisconsin Swiss cheese!

Italians – Mozzarella, Provolone, blue-veined Gorgonzola

French – Camembert, Brie, Blue Cheese

Germans – Muenster, Limburger

English – Cheddar

Dutch – Gouda, Edam

Wisconsin Cheesemakers created Brick and Colby

In 1841, Anne Pickett started Wisconsin’s first cottage industry cheese factory and I guess the rest is history! Wisconsin became the first state to grade its cheese for quality in 1921. Even today, Wisconsin’s grading quality standards are the toughest.

There are about 15,000 dairy farms today and they produce an average of 18,850 pounds of milk each year. Cheesemakers use about 90 percent of the milk to make cheese.

Becoming a Cheesemaker

If you would like to become a cheesemaker in Wisconsin, you must take classes in dairy science and spend hundreds of hours working in a cheese factory so that you can get a Cheesemaker License. Wisconsin is the only state that requires a licensed cheesemaker to be present when cheese is made and the only state that offers a Master Cheesemaker program.

Cheese curds

Before moving to Wisconsin, we never heard of Cheese Curds. In fact, unless you are living in an area with cheese factories, you might not have heard of them either. Cheese curds are young cheddar cheese before being processed into blocks and aged. Fresh cheese curds have a mild, milky flavor, and they “squeak” when you eat them. The texture is springy or rubbery.

You can find Cheese curds in many restaurants and bars. They are also available at local fairs and festivals. Many times you will find them deep fried which is so good!

If you live in Wisconsin, there are many places for you to buy a wide varity of cheeses. If you live in other areas, there are many online stores where you can buy Wisconsin cheese. If you never have tried cheese from Wisconsin, you don’t know what you are missing!