Wisconsin Cheese

We have just returned from a few days of fun and sun in Wisconsin!

I know, I feel like Tina Fey raving about fabulous Cleveland when talking about a Wisconsin vacation (any 30 Rock watchers out there?). Wisconsin is best known for cheese, beer, brats, and overzealous football fans; not really a vacation paradise. However, we did have a great time, and now I can attest to at least one WI hallmark: Wisconsin knows cheese.

Sometime between the waterslides and the Frank Lloyd Wright tour, I found this map of all the Wisconsin cheeseries. Look at that! Every cheese slice on the map is an individual cheese factory or shop.

We were lucky enough to stop by Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain (yup, the town is named Plain). Cedar Grove is a great cheese stop because a) they make great cheese (duh), b) they are super friendly, and c) they have strong environmental principles, with all the waste water from the cheese making process flowing through the "Living Machine" before going down the drain.


On a very basic level, the Living Machine is a waste water treatment process. The water is cleansed by a series of natural filters along with enormous tropical plants in large vats. The roots of these plants act as filters, taking impurities out of the water while providing nutrients to the plants, with some plants growing nearly 6" a week.



Some Wisconsin cheese facts that may come up in your next round of Trivial Pursuit:

• The average American eats 31 lbs. of cheese each year.
• 25% of all cheese sold in the US is made in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin's dairy industry is twice the size of Florida's citrus industry
• 99% of all Wisconsin dairies are family owned

If you ever plan on visiting Wisconsin, check out the Wisconsin Dairy site to find a cheese factory tour along your route. Plus, there are plenty of breweries and wineries in Wisconsin. Leinenkugel's brewery in Chippewa Falls is always fun, and my friend Amber recommends the Wollershiem winery in Prairie du Sac. I haven't visited Wollershiem, but Amber was generous in sharing their River Gold wine with me. I have fond memories of that bottle...