We’ve been told repeatedly that Wisconsin is “America’s Dairyland.” As if that very phrase weren’t tattooed on every license plate, tourism brochure, and hand-painted cow statue in this state by way of a reminder. As a matter of fact, the ‘Sconnie love of cheese is so great that every exit on the interstate abounds with stores boasting a wide selection of the stuff.

Our wine, on the other hand, is pretty bad. So bad, in fact, that vineyards have to import soil and/or grapes just to yield decent table wine. Disappointing though the local vino may be, there is much wine in the world to appease me, and I may never try them all, but I’ll have fun trying!

The Craft Beer industry also flourishes here and there is no shortage of ales, lagers, bocks, and pilsners to sample. Ken will give his accounts of bountiful beer offerings, as well as details on his own contribution to this category.

And so we’d be remiss if we didn’t make it a point to try a little of everything, good or bad.

 May 8, 2011: Sartori Pastorale Blend Cheddar

After spending a long, hard, yet satisfying day of running back and forth to every garden center in the city, there wasn’t a lot of drive to cook. So, cheese and crackers. Seems like a good excuse for breaking into a new brick of as yet undiscovered Wisconsin Cheese.

Today we have the Sartori Reserve Pastorale Blend. It’s a blend of cow and sheep milk, smoked and hand dusted with Paprika.

Mandi: Nice, subtle smoky flavor. A little on the dry side, but it has a mildly sharp bite at the end that would go really well with fruit.

 Ken: It’s very dry. Sharp. Crumbly a little bit.

 I don’t know if that was a seal of approval or not, but I liked it…

May 1, 2011: Marieke Honey Clover Gouda

 

A raw cheese from Wisconsin Cows. Has actual shavings of honey clover mixed in.

Mandi: Has a delicate slightly nutty flavor at first bite. After that, you can definitely taste the sweet, almost syrupy honey flavors. There’s a faint, lingering, almost grassy finish from the pieces of clover, but it all comes together really well. It definitely grows on you, and it would probably be great melted on crusty bread.

Ken: I burned my tongue drinking coffee this morning, so it’s hard to taste it. Definitely tastes like it’s got some herbs in it. Kind of a weird aftertaste, but it’s not super strong. I don’t really like it. I guess you could serve it with vegetables.

Otter Creek Spring Cheddar

 

 Each season’s cheddar has a unique flavor and fat content—they are all very different. In the spring, the herd is grazed on pastures of clover, rye and young grasses; in Summer, the pasture is full of orchard grass, young corn, and sorghum. Fall brings mature rye, alfalfa, and clover. In Winter, the pasture is full of snow, so the herd eats sileage and bailage, made of fermented alfalfa and grasses cut from the farm’s pastures. It’s not just the feed—the milk changes in fat content and hormones based on the season: lower fat in thewarmer months, and higher fat in colder months.

 

Mandi: This is a sharp one. But it’s definitely got a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Quite powerful with a tangy, almost sour finish. Pairs very well with peppercorn poppy seed crackers.

Ken: It’s good. It’s tangy. Melts in your mouth. It was good with apple.

The man has a way with words…