Learn To Make Cheese

Beyond the cheese making process, many cheeses pleasantly evolve with age. Cheddar cheese curds are not one of them. Cheese curds
typically should be eaten within one day of making. This beloved squeaky cheese snack originated in Wisconsin and it’s hard to find in less dairy-centric parts of the country. (Though we did just spot some in Toronto. Go figure!). If your friends and family are wary of your homemade cheesemaking efforts, this is one crowd pleasing snack that everyone will enjoy.

We were were delighted to come across this comprehensive guide to cheese curds on The Nibble. In addition to the history and how cheese curds are made, the article includes wine pairings for cheese curds. Ready to get started?

From what we hear, strangely, regular folks don’t make cheese curds. They buy cheese curds from farms and creameries and local grocery stores in the northern Midwest. Hence, it’s hard to find a specific recipe for making them. But this presents a welcome challenge to the enthusiastic cheesemaker. To make cheese curds, we suggest you proceed as you would any cheddar or monterey jack cheese, curdling the milk until curds form, draining the whey, and drying the curds for several hours until they are ready to eat, making sure they are uniformly bite sized. Once salted, the curds can be eaten as is, bearing a signature squeak and unique texture. They can also be flavored with garlic, jalepeno, or spices like paprika. Coat with breadcrumbs and deep fry any that are still around after a day.

Not ready to make your own cheese curds yet? Check out Cheese Curds and Batter from the Wisconsin Cheeseman, which includes yellow, white and garlic dill cheese curds.

An engaging read for any cheese enthusiast, Isthmus has a review of The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin Press, 2009).  This book by Becca Dilley and James Norton provides a glimpse into the lives of Wisconsin’s famed cheesemakers through engaging storytelling and imagery.  It’s a highly personal look at some of the country’s finest artisanal cheesemakers.  We’re looking forward to checking it out ourselves!

“What Dilley does in her photographs, Norton does in his writing, creating intimate scenes rather than lists of facts. The reader follows Cedar Grove’s Robert Wills into his living wastewater treatment plant (it looks like a lily pond) and learns about his annual curd-fattened bluegill fish fry. Doug Peterson, of Mazomanie, talks about how he left a large dairy cooperative in order to develop a cheese for high-temperature pizza ovens. What this book does, unlike other primers and atlases I’ve picked up, is connect readers to the impassioned few who dream up cheeses like Faarko, maple leaf cheese, and cinnamon-rubbed butter jack.”

Be sure to check out the book’s website.

Madame Fromage: The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin is worth checking out – Isthmus | The Daily Page.

If you find yourself in Wisconsin’s cheese country, be sure to visit the National Historic Cheesemaking Center, located a couple of hours north of Chicago.  It has exhibits on the history of cheese with fascinating photos and imagery, as well as a focus on the Wisconsin dairy industry.  It helps put cheesemaking in cultural and historical context.  Funny how so many of the tools are exactly the same as a century ago!

“The cheesemaking museum offers visitors a unique look back at the history of cheese making in Wisconsin and the Green County area. It showcases artifacts and information about the area’s rich cheese industry, area farmers, and the history of cheesemaking in southern Wisconsin. The museum offers visitors a glimpse back at an 1800’s era model cheese factory and offers visitors a wide variety of facinating exhibits from “an era that once was….but will never be again.”

via The National Historic Cheesemaking Center — Home.

Ever think about taking your home cheesemaking pastime to the next level?  This self-proclaimed Wisconsin “cheese geek” gives a wonderful, video-enhanced description of her day working at a cheese shop.   Kudos to Jeanne for sharing her efforts and for the store Fromagination for allowing this dedicated cheese lover a shot behind the counter. (more…)