The kind and worldly folks at Saveur.com have published a piece illustrated by Becca and written by yours truly. The theme? Five Wisconsin cheeses you’ve never heard of, plus Limburger.
Archive for May, 2008
Master Cheesemaker book on Saveur.com
Posted in Media Mention on May 28, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Tom Torkelson and A Bit of Amish Country Life
Posted in Photos, Travel Log on May 26, 2008 | 3 Comments »
We’ve had so many tremendous visits with cheesemakers that it would be unfair to play favorites and single anyone out in terms of providing a particularly good tour. And yet, it’s hard to get around the fact that not only did newly graduated master cheesemaker Tom Torkelson show us around his plant, canned milk loading [...]
In Their Own Words: The Center For Dairy Resarch
Posted in Travel Log on May 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
It’s been nearly a month since we visited the Center for Dairy Research in Madison and interviewed a number of the key players in the Master Cheesemaker program. So — with regrets on the delay — here are a few of the most interesting quotes we gathered from their staffers:
Dean Sommer, Cheese & Food Technologist: [...]
How Writing a Book is Like Making Cheese
Posted in General on May 20, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I’m punch drunk after days of writing, as hard as I can, to get this book done by the end of the month. It’s entirely possible that the cold light of reason will make this analogy seem ridiculous down the road, but here goes. Writing a book or article is not unlike making fine cheese. [...]
Tasting Notes – Brie
Posted in Tasting Notes on May 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
If you have had brie in the US, chances are you have had President Brie, the flagship product made at Lactalis in southwestern Wisconsin.
The brie is mild and buttery and wonderful when warmed slightly and spread on toast. The texture is also smooth and soft, and the mold-rind is subtle enough for even finicky eaters [...]
Chatty Belle of Neillsville
Posted in Photos, Talking Cows, Travel Log on May 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Through a random accident of scheduling, our last interview happened to be with David Lindgren, whose plant is near Neillsville on Highway 10. Neillsville, as it turns out, is home to Chatty Belle, the world’s largest talking cow. She’s about 16 feet high by 20 feet long, which is plenty big.
Now, it should be understood [...]
Western Wisconsin Roundup
Posted in Photos, Travel Log on May 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
This was our last week of frantic road-tripping, and it’s been bittersweet. On one hand, we’ve driven more than 7,500 miles, and we’re tired. On the other hand, we’ve met some wonderful people and tasted some amazing cheeses, and it’s kind of hard to think we won’t be going out to any more plants… at [...]
A Sight for Sore, Frostbitten Eyes
Posted in Photos, Travel Log on May 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Spring arrived with a vengeance for our last week of roadtripping. Here’s an abridged selection of my favorite shots (Becca got oodles of good ones this week).
She took this spring landscape somewhere in northeastern Wisconsin:
The budding plant was snapped on the banks of the St. Croix river, as we crossed back to Minnesota from Wisconsin [...]
The Map Turned Blue
Posted in General on May 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Gaze upon the glory that is the completed cheesemaker interview map. We did our last interview, with David Lindgren of Lynn Dairy, on Friday. So, every blue pin indicates a cheesemaker we’ve driven out to visit, interview and photograph.
Astute observers may count only 43 map pins, although there are 44 active master cheesemakers. We won’t [...]
Tasting Notes: AMPI Jalapeño Jack
Posted in Photos, Tasting Notes on May 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Before visiting with Richard Wold at AMPI, we stopped by the company store and picked up some butter, pudding and a pound of the jalapeño monterey jack. As it turns out, Wold was quite proud of his spicy jacks; his habañero jack won second prize at the 2008 World Championship Cheese Contest, and he was [...]
