Cheese Tour Part 1 of 4: Tour Introduction

If there is one thing everyone knows about Wisconsin it’s that there is a lot of cheese in this state — and that we eat a lot of cheese. So as a Wisconsinite through and through, I am, of course, mildly obsessed with cheese. I love just about all types, and there is always something new to try.

So when Nate and I were invited to be part of a creamery tour, sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, to check out three creameries and stay the night in Madison and sample delicious food, we said, “Sign us up!”

And so we begin.

First, some fun cheese facts courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing board:

·         Wisconsin makes about 26% of cheese in the United States, making it the No. 1 producer nationwide.

·         Wisconsin leads the nation in specialty cheeses, including Asiago, Provolone, Aged Cheddar and Gouda.

·         As you’ll find out in other posts, Wisconsin is the only producer of Limburger in the country.

·         Wisconsin has more than 12,000 dairy farms.

·         Did you know it takes 10 pounds of milk to make just 1 pound of cheese? Incredible!

·         Colby cheese comes from … wait for it … Colby, Wisconsin.

·         Since the 1930s, Wisconsin has officially been known as “America’s Dairyland.”

In subsequent posts, you’ll learn more about the three creameries we visited and see some of the many photos I took. Do yourself a favor and check look for the cheeses we tried at area stores.