Making Cheese in God's Country

(Page 3 of 4)

April/May 2001
By Anne Vassal  
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By supporting our local family dairy farms and specialty cheesemakers.... we help to preserve the centuries-old, artisan cheesemaking tradition.

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Preserving the Tradition

Wisconsin cheesemaking dates back to the earliest settlers who brought their trade from Europe-mainly Switzerland, Germany and Norway. In order to preserve the Master Cheesemaker certification that's a European tradition, the University of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board developed the nation's only Master Cheesemaker Program in 1994. Applicants must have at least ten years of cheesemaking experience before participating in the rigorous threeyear curriculum that closely matches the European training. Upon graduation, the skilled artisans are awarded the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certificate, which certifies them in up to two of the specialty cheeses that they have studied, and permits their employer to stamp specialty cheeses with the Wisconsin Master's Mark emblem. To date, the program has graduated 24 Master Cheesemakers

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Growing up in "motor city" Detroit, I was indoctrinated at an early age by my father to buy American. When it comes to cheese, especially, I must agree with dear `ol dad. Wisconsin cheese is as good as, if not better than, many of the imported European cheeses I've tried. By supporting our local family dairy farms and specialty cheesemakers, not only do we avoid the tasteless, plastic-packaged cheeses available in supermarkets, but we also help to preserve the centuries-old artisan cheesemaking tradition.

COUNTRY SKILLS:

REALLY EASY CHEESE

QUESO BLANCO

Queso blanco (white cheese) is a sweet, mild cheese that's great for crumbling on top of tacos or, if you add some fresh herbs, for spreading on crackers or toast. This LatinAmerican cheese is similar to panir, a cheese made in India that is cut into cubes and added to cooked spinach and other vegetarian dishes. If you live near a dairy farm, milk straight from the bulk tank is sure to be fresher, more nutritious and better-tasting than supermarket milk. Otherwise, try to use organic. This recipe yields a 3/4-pound ball of cheese, but can be easily doubled if you want more.

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