Artisanal Cheeses from the Heartland

Wisconsin produces more cheese — and more award-winning cheese — than any other state. There are dozens of artisan cheesemakers throughout Wisconsin, and many of them are descendants of the original “cheeseheads” who brought Cheddar-making techniques from England.

We’re sampling three of Wisconsin’s best handmade, artisanal cheeses this week, and you’re going to love these crowd-pleasers. Three adjectives: beautiful, sumptuous, and lip-smacking!

On Wisconsin!

Roth Private Reserve

This could be your favorite new cheese, but you won’t be alone: Roth’s Private Reserve won First Place in the American Cheese Society Awards in 2017. Only small batches are made of this exceptional cheese.

Private Reserve is an American original with European echoes. Traditionally crafted in copper vats using the finest RBST-free milk in Wisconsin, Private Reserve is made in the heart of Wisconsin in an area known locally as Little Switzerland for its source of high-quality milk.

Think of it as a centerpiece on your cheeseboard. Or shave it on pizza. It’s a great all-around cheese to use in the same way you use Parmesan: on roasted vegetables, in pasta, in omelets, or in frittatas.

Origin: Wisconsin (Monroe)

Producer: Emmi Roth USA

Milk: Raw cow

Rennet type: Animal

Rind: Natural

Age: 6+ months

Look: Cream-colored paste

Feel: Hard with fine crystals and a firm texture

Smell: Sweet

Taste: Rich, robust, earthy, with honey and butterscotch notes

Pairs well with: Hazelnuts, almonds, fig jam, cured meats

Tastes good with: Hard apple cider, Riesling, Pinot Noir, a Provence-style rosé

Deer Creek 5 Year Private Reserve

This extra-mature Cheddar has been recognized internationally for its superior aroma and taste. Gold winner of the International Cheese Awards 2014 and First Place winner at the American Cheese Society 2013, Deer Creek 5 Year Private Reserve is a truly outstanding cheese. As this Cheddar ages, its flavor, texture, and body change to be more complex. The flavor blossoms into a bold savoriness with a hint of bitterness at the end.

Its allure can be traced back to Deer Creek’s licensed cheese graders who hand-select vats that have retained the taste, texture, and quality of a highly revered Cheddar. Very few vats make it to this level.

Origin: Wisconsin

Producer: Deer Creek

Milk: Pasteurized cow

Rennet type: Vegetarian

Rind: None

Age: 5 years

Look: Orange cheese encased in black wax

Feel: Semi-firm

Smell: Sweet, creamy

Taste: Sharp, savory

Pairs well with: Almonds, Spanish peanuts, grapes, cured meats

Tastes good with: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah; beer pairings include red Ales and Ambers

Billy Blue

Blue-cheese lovers, rejoice! Here is a blue with the all the bite and creaminess you crave. You will NOT be disappointed. And to think it’s domestic!

Billy Blue is one of Carr Valley Creamery’s standouts. Made from the milk of pasture-fed goats, Billy Blue is unusual and a rare find: most blues are made from cow’s milk. You’ll love its delightfully complex flavor profile with the piquancy from the blue and a tangy mellowness from the almost-white chèvre. The goat’s milk provides a nice contrast to the bite from the blue. It’s sweet and savory at the same time.

And it’s been recognized with awards around the world, not just in its own backyard. Most recently it won a Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards and First Place at the 2014 American Cheese Society Competition.

Not only will it look gorgeous on your cheeseboard, Billy Blue can be used in many recipes: on burgers, in salads, on mashed potatoes, or melted over roasted potatoes. Here are a couple recipes to try: Fall Billy Blue Salad and Billy Bison Burgers.

Origin: Wisconsin

Producer: Carr Valley

Milk: Pasteurized goat

Rennet type: Vegetarian

Rind: None

Age: 4 months

Look: Ivory colored paste with blue pockets and veins

Feel: Firm, creamy, slightly crumbly texture

Smell: Intense, tangy

Taste: Goaty, sweet-savory balance with a mellow finish. The blue gives it a lip-smacking bite.

Pairs well with: Nuts, honey, fruit

Tastes good with: Sparkling wines, big reds, Port

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Wisconsin Cheeses