It’s that time of year when our favorite symphony of flavors come into play—apple, cranberry, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and more. Always innovating and inspired, Wisconsin cheesemakers haven’t missed a beat using them to craft seasonal treasures you can’t help but fall for. Pair their autumnal cheeses with in-season accompaniments and libations or compose them together on a cheese board that’s as beautiful as it is bountiful.
Make it:
Fall Flavored Cheese Board
Easy As Apple Pie
Why This Combo Works: This easygoing medley is as autumn as apple pie! Fresh apple slices are stacked on crispy ginger cookies, creating that familiar apple pie base we all know and love. Perch mellow Springside Apple Cinnamon Monterey Jack cheese, studded with dried apples and spiked with cinnamon, on top for a creamy mouthful of fall flavor in every bite. And that smear of caramel apple butter? It adds just the right amount of sweet on the finish. Pair this treat with a dry hard apple cider cherished for its just-picked pucker.
About The Cheesemaker: Celebrating a fourth generation of cheesemaking, Springside Artisan Cheese continues to carry on a family legacy steeped in the tradition of handcrafting award-winning cheeses. The Hintz family offers over a dozen flavored monterey jack cheeses, along with a collection of aged and flavored cheddars. Their apple cinnamon monterey jack is buttery with amazing melting properties; add slices atop of warm bagels and pie or press them in a panini to discover its gooey goodness for yourself.
Perfectly Balanced
Why This Combo Works: Sweet and savory flavors come together in sublime harmony. Mouthwatering Renard’s Cranberry Cheddar cheese has medium sharp, tangy notes that are delicately balanced by sweet cranberries. Buttery shortbread cookies and bits of sticky honeycomb pleasantly contrast the savory notes in the cheese and draws out its sweeter flavor. A sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves adds an earthy touch. And for the grand finale, pair these stacks with harvest sangria—hints of cinnamon bring the bite to a crescendo.
About The Cheesemaker: Renard’s Cheese has been making flavor magic with artisan cheeses in the Door County peninsula since 1961. Master Cheesemaker Chris Renard’s father and grandfather perfected the family recipes that have been passed down and are still used today. Chris extends their legacy by thinking outside the cube on flavor profiles with over 50 flavor-infused specialty cheeses. Taste award-winning cheddars to cheese curds, flavored farmers cheese to mozzarella strings, Renard’s is a can’t-miss stop for cheese lovers looking to explore one of Wisconsin’s most scenic and delectable destinations.
Tastes Like Fall
Why This Combo Works: Creamy, mild Cello® Pumpkin Spice Fontal cheese is hand rubbed with the quintessential flavors of fall—cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and a touch of honey—and then skewered with maple-bourbon glazed capicola and fresh pear to amplify all of those cozy flavors. An exhilarating trio of taste and texture, savor each yummy morsel separately or enjoy in one bite for a salty, sweet and creamy combination that will have you singing autumn’s praises. Match it with Wisconsin’s sweetheart, a brandy old-fashioned.
About The Cheesemaker: From classic Italian cheeses like piquant romano to their rich, nutty Copper Kettle cheese with a caramel finish, Cello® Cheese handcrafts exciting and award-winning artisan cheeses for every palate. Cello also offers fontal and 11 versions of this cheese with colorful rubs and diverse flavors. Fontal is the more modern cousin to fontina. It has a smooth, creamy texture with mellow, slightly sweet and buttery flavors. And since it’s mild, the cheese is like a blank canvas that’s ideal for adding different seasonings. Try your favorites melted in a recipe or displayed on a cheese board.