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.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

2011 Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival

This past Saturday, while Lo was hanging out with the bears in northern Wisconsin, I spent the afternoon drinking beer at the Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival in Glendale, WI. The Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival is the premiere all Wisconsin craft beer and tasting festival, featuring selections from 30 breweries throughout the state. Local chefs created unique tasting portion designed to complement more than 100 unique beers from the state’s finest craft breweries.

One of the cool things about this festival is that most of the breweries were represented by the actual beer master. So it was a great opportunity to get to chat with them and hear about their craft and what they had in the works.

One of the more well known Wisconsin breweries is Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery. They were sampling my favorite brew, Fixed Gear, and my second favorite, Bridge Burner. Russ Klisch, brewmaster and owner of Lakefront, was there and mentioned to me that the Fixed Gear will soon be available in 6-packs which made me very happy. You see, although I don't mind the 22 oz. bomber bottle trend, I seem to be able to pace myself better if drinking out of the 12 oz. bottles. And truthfully, a 6-pack is easier to carry than 3 bomber bottles... I know... I know. Me and my first world problems, right?

There were a few breweries that brought some interesting creations along with them. The Delafield Brewhaus brought a Russian Imperial Stout that had been aged in whiskey barrels for 18 months. Even better, they were pouring the brew straight out of the whiskey barrel. Nice touch.

Vintage Brewing Company in Madison presented a lovely experimental brew -- a Saison style beer flavored with the habiscus flowers. Smooth, refreshing and pink it was a experiment well worth tasting.

There was also a newcomer to the festival. Starting his brew pub only 9 months ago, Woodman Brewery had a large selection of beers to choose from. I sampled the Jamarillo, a jalapeno blond ale, and was quite pleased with the result. It wasn't spicy, but it presented a nice strong green jalapeno essence. I could see drinking this beer with street tacos or other casual Mexican food. Their beer is only currently available at the brew pub and in some of the Woodman area bars, so if you happen to drive through the Southwest corner of the state, make sure to check them out.

I was able to taste a good variety of IPAs and other hoppy beverages. Angry Minnow (Hayward) brought a Tre Svends IPA that was quite delicious. The Hoppy Face from Fox River Brewing Company (Oshkosh), the Hop Farm from The Grumpy Troll (Mt. Horeb) and the One Hop Wonder from Titletown Brewing Company (Green Bay) were some of my favorites.

Finally, a few last shout outs go to South Shore Brewery (Ashland) for a tasty Honey Double Maibock, Potosi Brewing Company (Potosi) for a refreshing Steamboat Shandy Golden Ale that is infused with lemons -- perfect for a hot sunny day, and to Hinterland Brewery (Green Bay) for bringing their Door County Cherry Wheat.

I was a bit sad that I didn't make it to the Bull Falls Brewery (Wausau) tent in time to taste what they were offering. They ran out of beer by 3:30 (event went until 5pm) and they even brought more than they did last year. Glad that they were a hot spot, sad I missed out on it. Next year, they will be my first stop.

And for you cheeseheads out there -- I found out from Sartori Cheese that they are coming out with a Mediterranean Fontina and an Extra-Aged Fontina. Both should be available wherever Sartori Cheese is sold by the end of June. And if you haven't tried any of the BellaVitano line, you really need to do yourself the favor of getting some. I highly recommend the Raspberry BellaVitano, which has been soaked in New Glarus Raspberry Tart Ale. It's the perfect summer cheese for your next gathering.

Cheers!



©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Wine & Dine Wisconsin 2010

The foodies are alive and eating well here in Wisconsin. And we've got proof:  Wine & Dine Wisconsin.

In its second year, Wine & Dine Wisconsin features some of the best in wine, beer, food, and spirits in the area.  Interested onlookers can sample delicious creations, imbibe a variety of delicious drinks, and learn more about locally made products.

We managed to make it downtown for a few hours this morning to enjoy the festivities. And here are some of the highlights of our day.

First, there was plenty of wine.  But, it's "Wine & Dine Wisconsin" -- so you'd sort of expect that, wouldn't you?  What you might not expect to encounter is a whole line of libations produced in support of God's work. And I present: Holy Spirits: Great Wine on a Mission.

There were also plenty of Wisconsin Dairy products represented -- including a stunning array of Wisconsin cheeses like this Olive Oil & Rosemary variety from Sartori Foods and ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery.

As expected, there was also plenty of beer -- including a wide range of bottled brews for sampling, and a few from Stella Artois on tap.  Though the Stella Artois beer garden was quite impressive (and a variety of WI brews were represented among the 40 craft brews offered by greatbrewers.com),  we were a bit surprised that there wasn't more representation from our talented Wisconsin breweries.

 

Fortunately, we saw plenty of our favorite local artisans, including Scott from Bolzano Artisan Meats. In addition to some scrumptious charcuterie, Scott also has a pretty impressive moustache -- look at it in the photo below!  Rumor has it, he keeps up his snappy style with a bit of Elmer's Glue.  Scott -- fact or fiction?

Restaurants also offered impressive fare -- including this delicous seafood salad offered by Tutto.

And uber fresh oysters on the half-shell from our friends at Molly Cool's Seafood Tavern. (Incidentally, Molly Cool's will be serving up some of their delicious fare at the Gumbo Git Down next weekend... you won't want to miss it!)

While the beer wasn't particularly local, some of the spirits were -- and we were happy to see the Great Lakes Distillery serving up some of their finest vodka, gin, and their newest release -- Roaring Dan's Rum -- deliciously smooth stuff with a hint of Wisconsin maple syrup.

We were also pretty stoked to have the opportunity to meet Nick & Ira, the master minds behind the Bittercube brand.  These amazing mixologists showed us how to brew up our own nifty homemade bitters and flavored liquors.  In addition to being clever, they also mix up a pretty mean Whiskey Old Fashioned (a recipe they actually call the "Old Double Gold" so as not to confuse WI folks who think an old fashioned needs mashed up orange & maraschino cherry).

We were also happy to find mixologists of another type at the event -- employees of Oro di Oliva oil & vinegar shop -- mixing up delicious blends of olive oils and vinegars for sampling.

 Of course, there was no better way to finish our field trip than with a few sweet treats.  First, we sampled deliciously smooth gelato from our neighbors at Cold Spoons Gelato.  First, we tried the amazing salted caramel gelato... and we cleansed our palates with some of their amazing lemon sorbetto. YUM.

But, no foodie adventure would be complete without Peef's favorite indulgence -- a bit of chocolate. And so we'll leave you with something smooth and spicy -- a bit of chocolate from Indulgence Chocolatiers in Waukesha, Wisconsin.  Truly exceptional stuff.   The Mayan Spice bar is fantastically rich, with an amazing kick from cayenne pepper.  And the milk chocolate sea salt chocolate... well, you've just got to try that to believe it.

 

Wine and Dine Wisconsin runs through tomorrow, October 3rd.  Tickets are $49 at the door.

Cheers!

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Summer 2010: It's All About the Pig

What do you like best about summer?
If you'd have asked me that question a number of years ago, my answer may have been "not much."

I'm not a fan of the heat. Or the humidity. Or the mosquitoes. I have a tendency to be light sensitive, so exposure to too much sun generally results in a monster of a headache. And the notion of running around in a bikini (or being scantily clad in any way) is as scary for me as it would be for everyone else if I actually made a habit of it.

Nah... I live for the crisp autumn days when I can throw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. I long for deceptively sunny days. And chilly nights. For crisp leaves and apple pie.  It's the one time of the year when yard work doesn't make me sweat. And I can think of nothing more exciting than putting something into the oven for a nice slow braise while I sit with a cup of tea and catch up on my reading.

That said, I will concede that I've grown increasingly fond of summer as I grow older -- in part because I've grown to more closely appreciate my food and where it comes from.  Eating more locally has given me an uncanny affection for blisteringly hot summer days and humid evenings because I know that they will beget me plenty of delicious produce to get me through the long, cold Wisconsin winter.

Of course, it helps that I also get to look forward to events like the Braise on the Go annual pig roast (see footage from past roasts in 2008 and 2009).  This year, the event was held at LOTFOTL, a certified organic community farm in East Troy, WI.  We've gotten to know Farmer Tim Huth over the years (in fact, he's the one who generously bestowed us with those fantastic rat tail radishes -- and seeds to grow our own -- two years ago when we belonged to his CSA), and he's a great guy.  In his own words, the philosophy on his farm can be summed up this way:

To “live off the fat of the land” [...] is to bask in your role in a system which feeds you so long as you feed it. It is the celebration, and the recognition that you cannot be you without these systems, without other beings, sentient and otherwise. Farming practices that are land abusive will inevitably lead to land that is lifeless, just as a household filled with anger and violence will cease to feel like a home.

We strive to apply systematic thinking to the farm, treating the land like the vast and complex space that it is. In building our relationship to the soil  we are placing our bets that if we fulfill the role of stewards and caretakers of this supercomplex set of interactions, this system will reciprocate and care for us. But even if it doesn't, even if waves someday wash over our fields, or the sun bakes Earth's flesh to a crusty and crumbly and lifeless space, we will have acted from this place of intention, and will be better for it. To Live off the fat of the land, then, is simply to live.  -- LOTFOTL Community Farm

Unlike years past, the weather this year was pretty sticky. Rain was in the forecast, but the humidity hadn't quite broken.  So, we were relieved to see that our dinner this year would sheltered from both the heat of the sun and the threat of rain. The mosquitoes were also pretty nasty, thanks to all that rain we got in July; but the Braise folks managed to cover that base as well, passing out bug spray to anyone who needed it.  They also set a mighty pretty table.

Before they seated us, we were encouraged to take a trek around the farm. To sustain us, they supplied us with a bit of wine (there was also the option of chocolate milk from Sassy Cow Creamery for anyone who felt the desire to turn down a bit of locally produced wine from Stone's Throw Winery)

And delicious bite of pork confit on a whole grain cracker with Wisconsin cherry (Many thanks to Adam Lucks).

And before we knew it, it was time for dinner.  There were four delectable courses in store for us -- each one containing some form of pork (including dessert).  The porky bits were all derived from a 200lb Berkshire pig from Golden Bear Farm, an organic farm in Kiel, WI owned and operated by by Steve and Marie Deibele.  We couldn't wait to dig in!

By this point, we couldn't wait to see what we were having for dessert. Fortunately, the chefs were kind enough to let us take a peek at the delicious things they were prepping.  And once we found out there would be PIG FAT CARAMEL involved, we became seriously drool-laden.

Mosquitoes?  Humidity? Bah!
Give me food like this -- in the company of good friends -- and I'll put up with quite a bit.  It might even make me like summer :)  Cheers!

Sorry you missed the pig roast?  Why not sign up for the Braise Tour de Farms event coming up on Sunday, September 12, 2010.  Looks like it's gonna be a blast!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Wisconsin Cheese Goes Upscale: Our Cheese Dinner at Bacchus Milwaukee

Did you know that Wisconsin produces more cheese than all of Italy?

And that it takes nearly 10 pounds of milk (just over a gallon) to make 1 pound of cheese?

It's true. Wisconsin dairy farms produce more than 23 billion pounds of milk every year. That's about 14% of the country's total milk supply.As the nation's leading producer of cheese, Wisconsin has a long and productive history, which hearkens back to the mid-1800s.

We were fortunate to have been invited to a special tasting of some delicious Wisconsin cheeses at Bacchus restaurant in downtown Milwaukee. With an emphasis on fresh seafood, exquisite handmade pastas, and perfectly grilled meats, Bacchus serves up some of the best in high end dining in Milwaukee. They also happen to serve an amazing selection of Wisconsin Cheeses.

Among the cheeses we sampled were:
Dunbarton Blue, Roelli Cheese, Shullsburg, WI

Four-Year Aged Cheddar, Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Theresa, WI

Gran Canaria, Carr Valley Cheese, LaValle, WI

Marieke’s Raw Milk Gouda, Holland’s Family Cheese, Thorp, WI

Shaft Bleu Cheese, Emmi-Roth Käse, Monroe, WI
Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Uplands Cheese, Dodgeville, WI
Ahh, cheese...

Our cheese plate was served with fabulous acacia honey, imported from Germany, and a delicious fig preserves -- both of which were perfect when served with the creamy blue cheese.

As we noshed on each delicious variety of cheese, we chatted with one of the dinners hosts, Heather Porter Engwall of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. She had plenty of great stories to share -- both about the history of Wisconsin cheeses, and about the phenomenal cheese-makers whose ingenuity has helped Wisconsin to become the overwhelming leader in artisan cheese. She pretty much has the coolest gig in the world.

One of our favorite cheeses, Bandaged Cheddar, hails from Bleu Mont Dairy, where Willi Lehner, a Swiss-American cheesemaker brings astounding creativity to the art of cheese.

His modest farm operates solely on solar- and wind-power. His bandaged cheddar, which as the name suggests, is wrapped in bandages, then spritzed with a mixture of water and previous rinds before being aged on special spruce boards in an aging cave. The cheese is unlike many other cheddars you've probably tasted. The flavor is curiously gamey -- and yet it offers up plenty of welcome buttery nuttiness and a very clean finish.

In addition to our cheese plate, we were delighted to sample a selection of tapas, including a delicious toasted brioche with maple braised pork belly.

We sampled a delightful veal ravioli with spinach, toasted pine nuts, and buerre fondue.

A chilled corn soup was garnished with Maine lobster, creamy avocado, and sweet piquillo peppers.

There was also beet and watermelon salad with crisp proscuitto, arugula, Marcona almonds, and a delicious sampling of Hidden Springs goat cheese.

And we both delighted in a farm-fresh string bean salad featuring Salemville blue cheese, frisee, radishes, and toasted hazelnuts.

For dinner, I ordered the Strauss free-raised veal chop, which came with a baby potato salad dressed in a rustic mustard vinaigrette and served with veal jus.

Lo was delighted with her seared sea scallops, which were served on a bed of caramelized fennel and sauteed spinach, and dressed with a honey-red wine sauce and red grapes.

It's difficult enough to describe the incredible satiety one feels after imbibing in such a delicious array of food and drink, but we were also privileged to enjoy great conversation with a wide array of great people.

We had the incredible good fortune of being joined by a variety of other Milwaukee foodies -- including Mel from A Taste of Life, Stef and Katie from Haute Apple Pie, and the crew from Eating Milwaukee. We were able to chat briefly with Executive Chef, Adam Siegel, who spoke honestly about both the wonders and limitations of his efforts to source as many local foods as possible to accommodate his dinner guests at Bacchus.

Thank you, thank you to Adam Siegel, Chef de Cuisine Andrew Ruiz and all the others on staff at Bacchus who made our dinner truly memorable. And we send a very special thanks to everyone at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board who made this dinner possible. Heather and Megan -- it was great to meet you both! And we look forward to many more years of supporting (and eating) delicious Wisconsin cheese.

Full Disclosure: Although we received our meal and drinks free of charge, we were not paid to advertise for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board or any businesses mentioned in this article. All opinions expressed in this blog entry are our own and are reflective of our experience.


©BURP! Where Food Happens