More on my Wisconsin trip

So I left of towards the end of the raw milk cheese discussion. Here's how the rest of the day went.

During the discussion I'd raised my hand to chime in multiple times. The coordinator never seemed to see me. At the end he called on me. It was more of a gesture really. That's when I realized that he didn't remember my name, and that even though I was wearing a name tag it's an unusual name to pick up "on the fly". I spoke. I didn't want to. I gave in to peer pressure. I'm not a public speaker. Not in front of a room of virtual strangers who don't know me, and have years, decades and generations more experience than I do. It felt like I was talking for an hour although I'm sure it was about 20 seconds. I was so embarrassed.

If you've never seen a brown girl turn bright red you should have been there, it's quite a sight to behold. It's happened to me twice in my life. I think the first time was when I was in junior high and a boy I liked asked me to the dance in front of everyone. I wanted to pour my water over my head while simultaneously burying my head in the sand . When the session was over I scurried downstairs, splashed water on my face and high tailed it to Madison.

Why Madison? Because that's where Fromagination is. They closed at 6pm so I had to book it. Luckily I have a lead foot and a GPS unit. The owner, Ken was there and gave me a tour of the place. Everyone was really nice, even though they were close to closing and it had been a busy Bastille Day for them. The store is beautiful. Set on the square of downtown Madison the interior is so much bigger than it looks. The chotchkies in that place are stunning. I want them all. They have a pamphlets on perfect pairings along with a great selection of sandwiches, books, cheese accessories, pasta, and of course cheese. So, let's talk about the cheeses.

We're going to start at 12noon on the plate. That square piece of cheese is one of the best things I've tasted in a long time. Raspberry Bella Vitano from Satori in Wisconsin. It is a parmesan/cheddary cheese that's rubbed in a raspberry ale. It is fruity, floral and sweet smelling. The taste is mild with some salty, yeasty and almost-ripened berry flavor coming in. I don't normally buy pre-packed cheese, but this is a tasty exception.

Next up is the orange cheese. Yes, I know. As a rule I don't believe in dyed cheeses. Milk is not orange I am always willing to try new cheeses, so here it is, the 10 yr Cheddar from Hook's. Very nice cheese. Smooth texture, nice sharp bite to it. I am used to the wildness you get from Cheddars from the east coast, or the UK and no matter how long you age it, WI Cheddars don't have that. Did someone say terroir? Even at 10 yrs. this Cheddar was smooth and creamy with a slight crystallization. If it weren't so expensive I might have made macaroni and cheese out of it.*

The orange wedge with flecks in it is the aged Marieke Gouda. Aged for at least two years this cheese is starting to develop a deep caramel flavor profile. Similar to a young scotch. I love aged Gouda and this is a good representation of the cheese.

The yellow wedge is Dante made by the WSDC-Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative. This is a nutty cheese with hints of pasture and a lovely rich, round feeling in the mouth. Sheep's milk cheese is so good. Higher fat content, higher protein levels and easier for even the most afflicted lactose intolerant person to digest.

The blue in the middle is also a sheep milk cheese. This is Bohemian Blue from Hidden Springs Creamery. Actually it's a joint venture. Brenda Jensen of Hidden Springs and Tony Hook from Hooks Cheese Company come together and make this cheese. Lovely little cheese. Sheepy, salty and creamy. Brenda's flock are the same type of sheep used in France to make Roquefort, so there are some similarities in the flavor. This cheese isn't nearly as strong, or peppery as Roquefort and so in my opinion, it is the tastier snack.

While there I managed to find a nice little hunk of Vermont. Ascutney Mountain was nestled in the case. Just waiting for my tummy. Two cheeses didn't make it here. One of them was cut and paid for, but never made it into my bag. I didn't realize it until the next day. The other one I said I wanted, but it must have been forgotten also. Oh well, that just means I have to go back to Madison soon. This time I'm bringing a cooler, and a driving buddy. I put about 400 miles on the rental car that day and was tired beyond belief that night. A 14 hour day with driving, tasting, discussion and cheesy goodness. Not a bad way to spend a day off.





*Yes, 10 year Cheddar is expensive. When a cheese is made it sits and is aged until the maker determines that it's ready. If it's cheese ready in one year, it's less expensive. Why? The cheesemaker can move that cheese off of their shelves and put something new on. The rotation of product has a good flow. When the cheese is aged for 10 years it just sits. It takes up space in the aging room and space=money. The cheesemaker is paying to store that cheese in the hopes that when the correct time for aging and affinage has happened they will end up with a great product. Imagine holding something for 10 years, not having any guarantee that the end result will be what you want or something the public will buy. That is one of the reasons that aged cheeses can be rather pricey.