WESTBY, Wis. – Wisconsin Cheesemaker Brenda Jensen once again swept an entire category at the World Championship Cheese Contest this spring with her fresh Driftless sheep milk cheeses, prompting the owners of Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese to create a new dish honoring her award-winning creation.
Since launching Hidden Springs Creamery, near Westby, Wisconsin, 12 years ago, Jensen has earned more than 80 awards for her original sheep milk and mixed-milk cheeses. Driftless is a perennial winner. Deliciously simple and crafted from fresh sheep’s milk, it is wonderfully light, creamy and spreadable. It is also available in array of flavors, including Cranberry, Honey and Lavender, and Sundried Tomato, each of which took first, second and third place at the World Championship Cheese Contest in March.
“To have my cheeses consistently earn awards in the same realm as some of the greatest cheeses and most famous cheesemakers in the world is an honor,” Jensen said. “We are especially grateful to everyone for supporting our signature Driftless cheese – a cheese we simply made up 12 years ago – and today are lucky enough to have featured in specialty shops across the nation.”
One of those shops is Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese in downtown Oregon, Wisconsin. Owners Uriah and Jeanne Carpenter are long-time supporters of Wisconsin artisan cheese, and Jeanne is one of a handful of American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals in the state. After Jensen’s sweep at the World Championship Cheese Contest, the Carpenters added a new menu item to feature Driftless cheese. The Firefly Avocado Toast is a simple, yet delicious take on a timeless favorite, featuring two pieces of Madison Sourdough bread, fresh avocado, and a healthy dose of Driftless cheese. Simple, yet delicious, the item has proven so popular that Jensen often has to make special “emergency cheese” deliveries to the café.
“Wisconsin is home to so many amazing cheesemakers, and Brenda Jensen is one of the best,” Jeanne Carpenter said. “For 12 years, Brenda and her husband, Dean, have dedicated themselves to growing their farm and improving the genetics and milk quality of their sheep. They reap the rewards from that hard work with award-winning cheese.”
To learn more about Hidden Springs Creamery farmstead cheeses, contact Jensen at 608-606-3840 or email hiddensprings@mwt.net .
— Photo attached of Avocado Toast featuring Driftless Cheese at Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese.
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Hidden Springs Creamery handcrafts award-winning farmstead cheeses in the heart of Wisconsin’s Amish country. After starting with 50 sheep in 2006, Cheesemaker Brenda Jensen and her husband Dean today milk more than 750 sheep to craft artisan sheep’s milk and mixed-milk cheeses nearly year-round. For more information, visit www.hiddenspringscreamery.com
Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese is an independent coffeehouse and cafe in Oregon, Wisconsin and is owned and operated by Jeanne and Uriah Carpenter. Affectionately known as “Oregon’s Living Room,” the Firefly is known for its in-house scones and coffee cakes, breakfast sandwiches featuring local eggs, cheese and meats, daily lunch and dinner specials and innovative grilled cheese sandwiches. For more information, visit www.fireflycoffeehouse.com
Source: Hidden Springs Creamery
