Summertime Means Cheese Curds!

What? You didn't know?
Well, you must not be from Wisconsin, then.

For those of us who live here in the cheese capital... dairy is an everyday treat. And cheese curds are the squeakiest of them all. That's why you've got to check out our article in the Summer issue of "Grate. Pair. Share." -- an online magazine showcasing the best of Wisconsin cheese.

Aside from our article, which includes a recipe for a delicious grilled chicken taco salad with seared cheese curds (which are ALMOST as good as fried cheese curds), there are plenty of other great recipes.

Here are a few on our list to try:

• The Berry Smash (a Bourbon-based drink which pairs well with Gorgonzola cheese)
• The Zucchini & Potato Rosemary Pizza (for when zucchini season hits)
• The Spicy Watermelon Salad with Queso Fresco and Tequila Lime Dressing (need we say more?)
• The Grilled Plum & Bread Salad with Fresh Mozzarella (grilled! plums! yum!)

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Wisconsin Classics Revisited: Grilled Chicken Taco Salad and Stuffed Burgers

When it comes to cooking, I really love a good challenge -- which is probably what makes me so fond of recipe development.

I love the tasting and tweaking.  I love trying new techniques to get different results. And I love searching for just the right balance of flavors and ingredients.

A favorite pet project of mine is recreating favorite dishes we've eaten at restaurants -- or thinking of creative ways to revamp recipes that didn't quite make the flavor cut (there's always a way to save a good concept, after all... you just need to bring a new eye to it).

So, this latest project -- creating recipes inspired by things we've eaten in Wisconsin -- was an incredible amount of fun.  Not only did we get to think back to all sorts of fun places we've been in our home state, but we got to create delicious food to go along with it.

Head over to Eat Wisconsin Cheese, and you'll find a deliciously fresh grilled chicken taco salad, embellished with creamy chipotle dressing and crisp, warm seared White Cheddar Cheese Curds. 

The curds have all the flavor of their battered, fried brethren; but, they're quick and easy to prepare, and they taste delicious when accompanied by the auspiciously fresh crunch of romaine lettuce, red peppers and the sweet kick of red onion.

Of course, if you're not in the mood for salad, we've got a solution for that too. 

How about a take on the classic cheeseburger for your next backyard barbeque? Our version pays homage to Mineral Point's Brewery Creek Inn "Stuffed Burger." Jam-packed with Blue Cheese and smoked bacon, and served with melted Colby Cheese, caramelized onions, and barbeque sauce, this delicious creation is a force to be reckoned with.

Recipes:

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad with Seared Wisconsin Cheese Curds

Burgers Stuffed with Bacon and Wisconsin Blue Cheese

Feeling inspired?  Check out the Traveler's Guide to America's Dairyland and plan your next vacation to Wisconsin!  (And don't forget to visit us while you're here! We'd love to meet you!)

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Spinach Artichoke Melts for Grilled Cheese Month

You know it's grilled cheese month, right?

It's the perfect time to take a moment of silence and truly appreciate the miracle that happens when you put great bread and delicious cheese together.

Living in Wisconsin, we're surrounded by mounds and mounds of delectable artisan cheese. And yet, sometimes we forget how lucky we really are. Grilled cheese month is a nice reminder that living in one of the cheesiest states in the union has its advantages.

This year, when we thought about concocting a sandwich to celebrate GC Month, we were looking to create something a little bit outside of the box. Two of our favorite things just happen to be grilled cheese sandwiches and spinach artichoke dip. So, as we puttered in the kitchen one day we thought, why not combine the two?

These delicious melts are the result of our experimentation. 

Deliciously cheesy, with all the flavor of a great spinach artichoke dip and the gooey cheesiness of the best grilled cheese sandwich you’ve ever made, they’re made even better by a crisp exterior created by grilling the sandwiches with real butter -- also a hot commodity here in the Dairy State :)

Spinach Artichoke Melts

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Our Trip to Widmer's Cheese Cellars

  
If you've been reading our posts for any length of time, you probably know one thing, above all. We. Love. Cheese. As a result, we've taken it upon ourselves to learn as much as possible about all the great cheeses made right here in Wisconsin.

Being the dairy state, we can lay claim to quite a number of original cheeses. One of these is Brick cheese -- a cheese that is made in a brick-shaped form, and pressed under the weight of a brick to form a medium-soft, creamy cheese that is well suited to slicing for sandwiches, making grilled cheese, and using anywhere a great melting cheese is needed.  The color of the cheese ranges from pale yellow to white, and the age of the cheese makes a huge difference in its flavor -- with young cheese tasting sweet and mild, and older cheese taking on a strong, ripened flavor with a bit of sharpness on the end.

Widmer's Cheese Cellars in Theresa, WI is the only factory left making real Brick cheese, and we had the opportunity to take a tour of the plant a couple of weeks ago. We got some great shots of the cheese-making process that we thought we'd share with you.

Some facts about Widmer's Cheese Cellars and Brick Cheese:

• Brick is an American original -- developed by John Jossi, a Swiss-born American cheese maker.
• Brick cheese may sound ordinary, but its flavor is enhanced by the same pleasantly pungent bacterial action that contributes to the flavor of the classic French cheeses like Pont I’Eveque, St. Nectaire, Reblochon and Livarot.
• Joseph Widmer represents the third generation in his family to run the cheese plant.
• Joe still uses the same bricks his grandfather bought back in 1922 to weigh down the curds in the cheese molds.
• For more history, visit the Widmer's Cellars web site.

Full Disclosure: The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board covered all of our expenses related to the tour of Widmer's Cheese Cellars.  However, all opinions expressed in this post are our own.

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