— By Stacy Brooks —
Wisconsin’s nickname is “America’s Dairyland,” and it’s simple to see why on a street journey throughout the state. As you make your approach via, you’ll discover cows grazing subsequent to the freeway and deep-fried cheese curds on the menu at roadside diners. The state is residence to almost 1,200 licensed cheesemakers who produce greater than 600 completely different forms of cheese, starting from traditional cheddar to distinctive specialty creations. In 2024, Wisconsin cheesemakers produced 3.58 billion kilos of cheese, or 25% of the cheese produced in the US.
Wish to get in on a few of that tacky motion? These kid-friendly Wisconsin cheese factories (also called creameries) supply a peek on the cheesemaking course of, picture alternatives with big cows, and scrumptious dairy-based eats like contemporary cheese curds, grilled cheese sandwiches, and ice cream cones.
Marieke Gouda
Situated simply off Freeway 29 in Thorp, Wisconsin (lower than an hour’s drive from Eau Claire), Marieke Gouda makes use of conventional Dutch cheesemaking strategies to craft a variety of gouda cheese, from delicate younger gouda to variations flavored with bacon, honey clover, jalapeño, and extra.
Marieke Gouda was based by and is overseen by cheesemaker Marieke Penterman, who grew up within the Netherlands and in 2024, turned the fourth lady in historical past to earn a Wisconsin Grasp Cheesemaker certification. Marieke Gouda is a farmstead cheesemaker, that means that the cheese and milk are produced on the identical location.
We began our go to with a cease by the barn, which is simply throughout the patio from the constructing housing the creamery, cheese retailer, and cafe (extra on these later). We missed out on seeing the cows being milked, however we have been in a position to see the milking parlor via viewing home windows and study extra about dairy farming due to academic shows that defined the method.
For a extra in-depth expertise (and assured cow viewing), company can be a part of a guided tour of the milking parlor and barn (supplied June via August, Monday via Saturday, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.). Though we weren’t in a position to see actual cows, we have been in a position to snap a photograph with the large cow statue subsequent to the barn.
Marieke Gouda cow statue / Picture by Stacy Brooks
On the Marieke Gouda Retailer, we peeked via the home windows to observe cheesemakers in motion, monitoring the cheese vats within the adjoining creamery and rotating massive wheels of cheese within the ageing room. Informational indicators walked us via the whole cheesemaking course of, from the pipeline system that transports the milk from the barn to molding the cheese curds into wheels. The shop is stocked with the complete lineup of Marieke Gouda cheeses, with sizes starting from manageable wedges to five-pound hunks.
We have been delighted to find a wide range of cheeses made by different Wisconsin producers together with cheddars, string cheese, and contemporary curds, together with a couple of flavors of Marieke gouda obtainable to pattern. Domestically made cheese accompaniments like jams and crackers, sweet, and items rounded out the sizable choice of merchandise.
By this level, we have been prepared for lunch at Café Dutchess, Marieke Gouda’s full-service restaurant. The eating room has home windows with views of the ageing room — as we waited for our meals, we admired lots of of huge wheels of cheese stacked on cabinets. Appropriately, Café Dutchess serves deep-fried curds, burgers, sandwiches (we liked the gouda grilled cheese with fries), and salads that includes Marieke Gouda cheeses. On the children’ menu, there’s gouda grilled cheese in addition to gouda mac and cheese.
Scray Cheese
Cheesemaking at Scray Cheese / Picture courtesy of Uncover Inexperienced Bay
Though it’s solely a couple of 20 minute drive from Inexperienced Bay, Scray Cheese Manufacturing facility & Shoppe in De Pere, Wisconsin has a distant, rural really feel. Our drive took us down picturesque roads and ended on the small manufacturing facility that’s been churning out handmade cheese since 1924. The fourth era, family-owned manufacturing facility has a store stocked with curds contemporary from the manufacturing line; our bag of curds was nonetheless heat, and there was a pleasant squeak as we bit into every curd. Recent curds are produced each day besides Friday and Sunday.
The cheese store is positioned in a brick constructing that used to deal with the manufacturing facility’s head cheesemaker — earlier than trendy expertise like refrigeration, cheesemaking was a round the clock job. In the present day, the small store sells blocks of cheddar, gouda, and fontina (plus, in fact, contemporary curds), with a handful of cheeses obtainable to pattern.
Scray Cheese is particularly recognized for his or her inventive flavors of cheddar. We liked ogling the distinctive choices like French onion, guacamole, and taco. A few of the flavors are longstanding recipes, such because the Tuscan rosemary; others are experimental concepts pitched by the manufacturing facility’s staff, like strawberry tajin and low maple. We ended up bringing residence a tasty block of blueberry cheddar.
The store additionally has an ice cream counter serving exhausting scooped ice cream and a choice of cheese-themed items, like t-shirts and magnets.
Scray Cheese exterior / Picture by Stacy Brooks
Ellsworth Creamery
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery’s Menomonie location is simply off of I-94, excellent to interrupt up our drive from Inexperienced Bay to our residence in Minnesota. A sequence of viewing home windows gave us a step-by-step, behind-the-scenes perspective on the whole cheesemaking course of — from receiving the milk to remodeling curds into blocks of cheese, with useful academic indicators.
The dimensions of the ability was mind-boggling, particularly in comparison with smaller creameries like Marieke Gouda and Scray Cheese. To get a way of scale, it’s useful to take into account that Ellsworth sources milk from 200 household dairy farms.
Ellsworth Creamery / Picture by Stacy Brooks
After watching cheesemaking via the home windows, we perused the completed merchandise. The creamery’s expansive retailer is stocked with greater than 280 Wisconsin cheeses, together with contemporary Ellsworth cheese curds. The shop is thought for sometimes providing brand-new tacky creations which might be being examined on prospects, like Buffalo Wing Jack cheese. Different gadgets embody locally-made snacks, fudge, and drinks.
Earlier than hitting the street, we grabbed a chew to eat on the meals counter. The menu options grilled cheese sandwiches made with curds or your alternative of cheese, in your alternative of bread. We went with the curd grilled cheese on marbled rye and liked the oozy, barely chewy texture. Different choices embody pizza, quesadillas, soup, and deep-fried curds. The delicate serve and exhausting scoop ice lotions are made with native milk, and you may create customized sundaes or shakes from a slew of enjoyable toppings and mix-ins.
Ellsworth Creamery cheese curd grilled cheese / Picture by Stacy Brooks
A Scrumptious Household Journey By means of Wisconsin
Our street journey stops at creameries have been clearly scrumptious — we’re nonetheless considering of these grilled cheeses, plus the contemporary curds, gouda, and blueberry cheddar we introduced residence as edible souvenirs. However this type of street journey affords households much more. Stopping by Marieke Gouda, Scray Cheese, and Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery took us behind the scenes to observe how cheese is made. On the finish of all of it, you permit with deeper appreciation for the exhausting work and technical talent that Wisconsin cheesemakers put into every block of cheddar and wheel of gouda.
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In regards to the Writer: Stacy Brooks is a Minneapolis-based freelance journalist who has lined meals and journey for 10 years. Her writing has been printed in over 35 native and nationwide retailers together with Fodor’s, Wine Fanatic, Enterprise Insider, Thrillist, and the Minnesota Star Tribune. She blogs at tangledupinfood.com and is on Instagram @_tangledupinfood.Associated
