Did you know that National Cheese Day is just around the corner, on June 4? Whether you have a relatively neophyte palate or an experienced one, you can appreciate and celebrate the taste, texture, and versatility of cheese. If you take a trip across America’s Dairyland in Wisconsin, where over a quarter of the cheese in America is made, you’ll be rewarded with an experience much like wine tasting or brewery hopping.
It’s entirely possible to meet a Master Cheesemaker, taste the recommended samples, and walk away with a richer understanding of the cheesemaking process as well as how the trade often passes down from generation to generation in Wisconsin, with historic dairy farming roots dating back 175 years. The community pride surrounding cheesemongers and makers is palpable, which makes the tasting experience that much more gratifying.
Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, Kerry Henning of Henning’s Cheese, located in Kiel, says that a typical day for him begins at 2:45 a.m. The previous day’s cheese gets packaged at the plant and then more cheese is made. Everything then gets washed and sanitized and the work day finishes at 1:00 p.m. “It’s nice having the afternoon available to do maintenance or have fun,” says Henning. “Like a baker who has to get donuts out early, a cheddar cheese maker needs to get cheese curds out to the local stores as early as possible.”
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Forbes
