Cheese

The magic of cheese

Here's to you, cheese. You wonder of wonders, you fountain of flavor, and chameleon of texture. We are in awe how, with three simple ingredients – milk, salt, and culture – you transform into more than 1,800 different cheese experiences. Everything you touch turns to gold. Baked dough becomes pizza, plain pasta becomes beloved mac and cheese, and bland bread becomes the best-grilled cheese sandwich ever. Grating and sprinkling you adds flavor to any dish. Warm you and you grace any beer cheese dip or fondue recipe. All-powerful cheese, is there anything you can't do?

In Wisconsin, we know the magic of cheese quite well – we've been under its spell for generations. You won't find a bigger champion of cheese anywhere in the world or cheesemakers who have won more championships than ours. Most importantly, you won't find tastier, higher-quality cheese than in Wisconsin. No need to thank us – it's our humble contribution to the world of cheese.

Let's hook your cheese up

Cheese is amazing on its own, but pair it with wine or charcuterie and you've opened the door to a whole new universe of flavor.

Here are a few tips for making the perfect match for your favorite cheese.

When pairing cheese with wine:

• Match intensity. Big, bold, wines need big-flavored cheeses, while younger and lighter varietals do best with younger milder cheeses.
• Complement or contrast textures. A rich, creamy cheese blends nicely with a buttery, oaky white wine, but the acidity and effervescence in sparkling wine can create a welcome contrast.
• Mix salty and sweet. The high salt content in cheeses like ricotta salata, blue cheese, or an aged gouda can be balanced nicely by a sweet wine.
• Keep it close to home. Wine and cheese made from the same region often pair well.

When pairing cheese with meats:

• Start close to home. Pairing cheese with meat from the same region is a good place to start. For example, parmigiano reggiano pairs well with prosciutto di parma.
• Contrast textures. A soft or spreadable cheese pairs more easily with a hefty cured sausage than with a thin, buttery slice of meat. A great example of this is, burrata with salami.
• Contrast acidity. A nutty creamy cheese will pair nicely with a tart and citrusy cut of meat, like a cured sausage.

In Wisconsin, we speak cheese

Cheese may have originated in countries all over the world, but no one speaks the language of cheese better than Wisconsin. Cheese is in our DNA – we've been making cheese here since before we were even a state. Cheese is in our hearts, too – as a state, there's nothing we love more than eating cheese with our meals, unless it's eating cheese between meals. And cheese is in our heads – we're obsessed with finding more ways to make it, cook it, and consume it.

So, whether you're a lover of cheese looking for the best cheese on the planet, or a dabbler looking to expand your horizons, in Wisconsin, we have the perfect cheese for you.