Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kristine Hansen has created a noteworthy new cookbook centered around all things cheese from the capital of America's cheese industry, Wisconsin. She has divided book into regions through out the state and then focuses on a handful of creameries in each area. She gives a great introduction to the people and history of each cheese maker and then follows up with a handful of recipes utilizing that maker's cheese. The recipes are enticing and easy to follow and are paired with a photograph for each dish. The recipes range from the more traditional: cheeseboards and mac-n-cheese to the more unique items like chimichurri sauces and desserts using blue cheese.

This is a great cookbook addition for all cheese lovers.

Since I live in Wisconsin this looked like a perfect book to check out. I loved reading about familiar places/events that I have been to. Great pictures and recipes with the local cheeses in them. I look forward to having a hard copy when released!

I grew up in Wisconsin, and although we ate cheese often, the many varieties that are pictured here took my breath away!
You will learn that 96% of all cheese produced in Wisconsin is grown on family farms, and that each cheese is influenced by the soil and the family’s herd of cows.
There are many recipes for macaroni and cheese and cheese curds, each one more delectable than the next!
Many of the dairies have tours and restaurants, so that you could eat your way across Wisconsin!
Some dairies even use sheep and goats to produce their cheeses, there are recipes for Pappardelle and Truffled Goat Cheese Fondue, Layered Chèvre Torte, and even Goat Cheese Brownies!
You will enjoy your culinary tour of Wisconsin!

You would have to look hard to find someone who does not love cheese. We all have our favorite cheese and our favorite cheese recipe...mac and cheese anyone...but as a home cook I'm always looking for a new recipe to brighten up my family's mealtime. Not only does this book give you recipes, it gives you the history behind the cheese varieties.
Wisconsin is synonymous with cheese. I cannot imagine anyone writing a book on cheese set any where else.
A great cookbook for any cook looking to increase their skills and cook some quality meals for their family.

Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook is an encyclopedic look at artisan cheeses from Wisconsin creameries along with a generous selection of recipes for using them.

Due out 1st March 2019 from Rowman & Littlefield on their Globe Pequot imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a nicely arranged atlas split into regional chapters. Each quadrant of Wisconsin is treated separately with a good introduction to the specialties of the region, individual dairies and the cheese makers who drive them. Along with the descriptions are included recipes from the fromagier and chefs. There are many elegant recipes, designed to impress, along with the simple comfort food standards, mac&cheese, onion soup, among others.

One thing I really liked about this book is the idea of going directly to the creators of the products to know how best to utilize them. They KNOW their cheeses, they've often developed them over generations (there are multi-generational fromagier here). They know the terroir and what drinks & menus compliment their cheeses.

In addition to the bios of the creameries themselves, there are appendices which cover prizewinning cheeses and their creators, a comprehensive calendar of annual cheese/foodie events, followed by a spiffy listing of retailers for purchasing and sourcing the cheeses in the book.

It ends with a cross referenced index listing all the recipes alphabetically.

Well written book, meticulously researched, appealingly presented.

Five stars. Superlative!

Generally food companies present recipes using their products so that consumers will continually purchase them. So it stands to reason that the recipes these companies present showcase their products to the upmost advantage. Kristine Hansen has collected recipes from creameries and some restaurants all over the state of Wisconsin and compiled them in Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook: Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes from the State’s Best Creameries. These recipes definitely showcase the unique, excellent cheeses produced in Wisconsin.

The first chapter of the book outlines information on cheese production, as well as ingredients used in the best cheeses. The remaining chapters cover creameries in every region of Wisconsin and present recipes using the excellent cheeses produced in Wisconsin. There are recipes for appetizers, breads, salads, soups, main dishes, and desserts, all made with Wisconsin cheeses. Some of the mouthwatering recipes include Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts, Wisconsin Poutine, Quick Cheddar Garlic Biscuits and Three-Ingredient Cheese Biscuits (extra easy), Gougères (a favorite), Five-Minute Homemade Cheese Sauce (very good), and Smoked Cheddar Cheese Frittata with Broccoli & Sun- Dried Tomato. Others include Renard’s Cheesy Potato with Bacon Soup, Chocolate Ravioli with Chocolate Ganache, Goat Cheese, and Raspberry Coulis (perfect for a fancy dinner party), and a gorgeous Layered Chèvre Torte.

Almost everyone loves cheese, and these recipes are very hard to resist. The recipes are easy to follow and turn out perfectly. The only negative in this book is that there are dozens of pictures of cheese and not enough pictures of the actual recipes.

While it is best to use the specific cheeses named in the recipes, cooks who live outside of the state of Wisconsin will have to substitute if the specific cheeses aren’t available in their area. However, the specific creameries and their websites are included, so that the cheeses can be ordered online.

Cheese lovers everywhere will love cooking and eating the recipes in this cookbook.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This book was received as an ARC from Rowman & Littlefield in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to our Cooking Demo program, we are always on the lookout for new exciting cookbooks. When I first saw this, our favorite recipes involve lots of cheese and there is nothing like Wisconsin cheese so I had to preview this cookbook and I am so glad I did. All of the recipes look absolutely delicious and I was surprised in a good way that some of them were not cheese forward. I can not wait to try the Supreme Mac and The Wisconsin Poutine and so many delicious looking recipe to try for the demo.

We will consider adding this title to our Non-Fiction collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Amazing photography, great writing on creameries, specific regionals, types of cheeses and also amazing recipes to coincide and restaurants to try some recipes at. This definitely is a great one for any Wisconsin cheese lover.

The art of cheese making has been described as “taking science and being artistic about it”. After reading the Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook, I have a new appreciation of the culture, traditions, history and (especially) the hard work that goes into making one of my favorite foods.

The state of Wisconsin produces some of the best cheese in the world. Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook is a tour of 28 Wisconsin creameries, complete with a variety of recipes and beautiful photographs. The recipes range from simple (grilled cheese sandwich with pesto) to more complex, such as chocolate ravioli. In addition, there are lists of retail locations (by region), a complete index, a list of award-winning cheeses, and a comprehensive list of festivals that are held throughout the state. Part cookbook, part travelogue and part history lesson, this book has it all.

Since I love cheese of all kinds and I’ve been lucky enough to spend time in Wisconsin over the last ten years, I particularly enjoyed reading about some of my favorite cheese shops; not to mention that I’ve taken note of some that I plan to visit the next time I‘m there. And, yes, that does make me a bit biased in my review of this book. However, anyone who likes cheese will enjoy this book.

My only complaint? I wish this book came with samples!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Having a cabin in WI has allowed me to be blessed with many WI cheese stores. This book compiles so many good recipes for cheese lovers everywhere. Truly awesome recipes and I can not wait to share with family and friends.

An excellent guide to Wisconsin cheeses, and cheese making! As a born and raised Cheesehead myself, it made me very homesick for my native land.
A delightful read, the book has broken the state down into regions, discussing the cheeses of each area. And what a variety of cheeses. Did you know that there are 600 cheese varieties, types, and styles of cheese made in Wisconsin? And 3 BILLION pounds produced annually! The author also discusses cow's milk cheese, goat's milk cheese, and sheep milk cheese.
Beautifully photographed, wonderful little human interest stories, and even recipes are included.
My heart was especially warmed to read about Carr Valley Cheese. My wife's family were dairy farmers, and sold their milk to Carr Valley. She tells me stories about how, as a child, she used to ride along with her Grandpa to deliver milk (in the big old stainless steel milk cans), and how she could get some fresh curds at the factory for her help.
This book will definitely be finding it's way into many of my relative's presents this next Christmas!

This was a very informative book with lots of useful tips about wine and cheese pairings. I liked the recipes as well as the background on certain cheeses.

A cheese cookbook? Did someone have me in mind when they wrote this book? I mean . . . cheese!

I didn’t expect a schooling on the Wisconsin dairy trade when I started the WISONSIN CHEESE COOKBOOK, but I’m impressed with what I learned. Things like, there are “six hundred cheese varieties, types, and styles”. And that “three billion pounds of cheese are produced annually”. There is also information on the regions of Wisconsin, and the dairies that make what is easily on of my favorite foods.

The recipes included are from those regions and dairies. Recipes such as, Fried Potato Chips with Spicy Blue Cheese Sauce, Apple Pie with Sharp Cheddar Crust, Standard Wisconsin Poutine, Lemon Mascarpone Tarts, Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Havarti, Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Pizza, Three-Ingredient Cheese Biscuits, Roasted Cherry-Tomato Salad, Red Rock Ham Salad Canapes, Five-Minute Homemade Cheese Sauce. That handful of recipes is just from the first half of the book!
Lisa’s note: A lot of these recipes recommend using cheeses that come from the dairies and/or regions that produce them. I’m pretty sure you can replace them with brands of cheeses available in your area.

The WISCONSIN CHEESE COOKBOOK is a tasty treat that cheese fans just can’t beat. (Sorry for the cheesy rhyme. Okay, and the bad pun). Delicious recipes with some lovely photos (not as many photos as I would like) made me so hungry for cheese that my stomach was growling as I wrote this review!

This book showcases Wisconsin's chesses. It makes me want to hope on a plane and go on a tour and try them all. Do not worry if you can't make it to Wisconsin, although it will not be the same , you will probably find the type of cheese they describe in most states.

The pictures are lovely. The recipes are not complicated. It is all about the cheese and how you can show off the flavors. Each chapter talks about the cheese makers, who they are, their cheeses, their process. It was very interesting.

Living in the midwest, I was excited to see the Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook by Kristine Hansen. It features recipes from the state’s best creameries. What better source for the best cheese recipes than from the people that make Wisconsin’s wonderful cheeses. The book is divided into the 4 parts of the state; southeast, northeast, southwest and northwest.

Wisconsin is the only state that requires cheesemakers to have a license. It is also the only state with a Master Cheesemakers program offered through the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Center for Dairy research. So you know the cheese that you get from Wisconsin is going to be something special.

It is also important to note that 96% of Wisconsin’s dairy farms are family owned, and almost all of the creameries are also family owned. In addition to cow milk, the cheeses discussed in this cookbook also include sheep and goat varieties.

The Creameries
One of the wonderful things about this cookbook is the amount of background you get on the featured creameries. Take for example, Hollands Family Cheese located in Thorpe (Northwest WI) and specializing in Gouda cheese. I had the pleasure of visiting Penterman’s farm and tasting their food in the cafe, shopping in their store and best of all taking a tour. This book tells the story of how Marieke started on her path to award winning cheesemaking. By learning about each of the creameries you have a real tie to the recipes that follow.

The Recipes
There are so many unique cheese recipes in this cookbook. For example, in the Hollands Family Cheese section, you can choose from Foenegreek Gouda Grilled French Toast or Ultimate Marieke Gouda Smoked Nachos. Some of the recipes are things that you can make at home with cheeses that are available in your area such as French Onion Soup or Lemon Mascarpone Tarts. Other recipes really call for the featured creameries cheeses such as Roth House Fondue that uses Grand Cru cheese and Grand Cru Reserve Cheese. The cover tagline is definitely correct as the options in this book feature everything from “Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes”.

So whether you are picking up Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook as an addition to your collection, or if you are purchasing it as a souviner from your trip to Wisconsin, this cookbook has a lot to offer. Now I’m going to make a batch of those Ultimate Marieke Gouda Smoked Nachos featuring fresh pineapple! Yum!

First off I love cheese. I totally requested this because this was a cookbook with cheese as the main ingredient. Awesome. Second I am from Wisconsin so it was an extra bonus.

This cookbook was cool to find out the history of where the recipe was coming from. There were a bunch of recipes some simple to do and some were so far out there I was not going to try. I think that makes it a good cookbook. There was something for everybody to try.

I would recommend this for a cheese lover to explore some new recipes.

A worthy, beautiful cookbook is worthy of your kitchen and your coffee table for all to see!! Wonderful recipes and beautifully photographed, this book doesn't disappoint. The only thing I didn't like, is it ended too soon! I could've gone on and on!

I received a galley of this cookbook via NetGalley.

If the denizens of the internet know anything about me, it's that I love cats, sloths, baking goodies, and CHEESE.

Therefore, I read this new <i>Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook</i> in a constant state of giddy delight. This encyclopedic text breaks Wisconsin into regions and talks cheese on an intimate level with the families who run the creameries and who live, breathe, and bleed cheese. Not only does the cookbook come across as a work of love, but love for cheese production and place come across loud and clear, too. The recipes in the book are from families sharing their own personal favorites, and wow, do the recipes look and sound good. There's a wide variety of kitchen inspiration to be found here, from multiple ways to prepare and enjoy cheese curds (of course!) to biscuits and scones to main dishes like pizza to lush desserts like goat cheese brownies. You could do multiple cheese-based three-course meals out of this book. I think the one fault I found (and mind you, I was reading an early galley in ebook form, so this criticism may be obsolete in regards to the print version) is that I wanted more and larger pictures of the recipes. To me, that was more important than the photographs of cows (though they were nice, too).

I loved how the book emphasized terrior, that flavor of a food that can only be found in a particular place. Every page celebrated Wisconsin and the terrior of its cheese. Not only does the back of the book contain a nice index, it also has a series of appendixes that describe the awards won by each dairy (there are a LOT), annual cheese events throughout the state (I want to goooooo), and cheese retailers and creameries. Therefore, this book breaks down the full life cycle of Wisconsin cheese: how and why it achieves its unique flavors, who makes it, where to try it and buy it, and how to eat it.

I can easily see this cookbook as a nostalgic read for a cheese-lover from Wisconsin. For me, as a passionate cheese-eater who has never even been to the state, the book was a kind of torment. It truly made me want to go there and Eat All the Cheese, right from the source. The Wisconsin tourism board really should utilize this cookbook in that way. I'm off in Arizona and many of the cheeses mentioned aren't available to me (woe!) but I have had several in the past and even have a few big blocks of Sartori varieties in my fridge right now, thanks to my local Costco. Because of this cookbook, I now have more ideas of what to do with that cheese... though I gotta say, I'm pretty happy eating it straight and in salads as I have been, too.

I highly recommend this cookbook to all cheeseheads and passionate cheese lovers.

Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook by Kristine Hansen is a comprehensive and delightful look into Wisconsin farms and cheesemakers. Currently living in Wisconsin, I have heard of many of these farms and cheesemakers and look forward to tasting cheeses from several more. The recipes are easy to follow and the story behind each cheese simply fascinating. I appreciate that this cookbook also has a list of all the award-winning cheeses, festivals, and fairs that one may taste a sample, and references to websites where out of state readers may order some of Wisconsin's finest. I enjoyed reading the Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook and highly recommend it to anyone who loves to eat and cook with cheese.

TITLE: Page after page, makes my mouth water and pulls me towards Wisconsin

This book highlights Wisconsin creameries with an essay and pictures for each on a page or two page spread. Then the author provides a recipe from a chef who showcases that creamery’s cheese at his/her restaurant. There are pictures of finished dishes and enough information to pique the reader’s interest. Time after time, I came away from an essay highlighting a creamery, cheese, chef or restaurant and felt the need to make a road trip!

So, if it is your intent to learn more about Wisconsin creameries and their cheeses—whether just to expand your cheese knowledge or maybe trying to plan a trip to the state, this book will be helpful to you. If you want to relive some memories, this book is for you. If you only want recipes with cheese as the main ingredient, (not just garnish or toppings), and you want to have in depth knowledge on cheese substitutions, then you may have misgivings with this book. In that case, check it out of your library first. But, definitely be aware, Wisconsin cheese is becoming more and more important as an ingredient. And—as an American--Wisconsin cheese is worth reveling in. And the Wisconsin hand-craft cheese industry is a sophisticated one. If you are a foodie, and want to be in the know, this is an important reference book.

Wisconsin has always been a favorite state of mine, and I have so many wonderful memories from vacations there. Since I was five, I either traveled to or through the state on the way to some great fishing spot. It’s what our family did for pleasure during the summer. A half-century later, I still have my child’s memory of the “must-stop-for-cheese-curds” storefront and gas station, right along the main road through Crivitz. And how we all loved the squeaky sound the curds made as we bit into them. (And the kids in the back seat got their own bag. I think that happened so that Dad could have his own bag….) And after I grew up and started taking my own road trips, I spent memorable Saturdays hunting down different Wisconsin creameries, coming away with—at the very least--a big hunk of brick cheese.

Okay, so thinking back to those memorable days, I can say that Wisconsin cheese was not so well known, and definitely not so sophisticated, as it is now. This book shows just how wonderful and important Wisconsin cheese is these days. And if you are not aware of the spectacular cheeses coming out of Wisconsin, you really should be. Foodie or not, you need to patronize Wisconsin cheese. And that is what this book is ready and able to teach you.

This book is a definite “must” if you love food and if you are contemplating a trip to Wisconsin. If you are looking for a destination that offers something more than a pretty landscape of rolling hills, fresh, crisp air, beautiful greenery, more beautiful bright, startling blue skies, and rich dark earth—check out this book. You will want to visit these creameries and these restaurants and hotels in Wisconsin. You will want to cram a cooler full of the cheeses highlighted here, and you’ll want to hurry home to try out the recipes.

The book logically divides creameries by area, cutting the state in half both vertically and horizontally. But, because recipes are tied to creameries, you won’t find soups with soups or sides with sides or mains with mains or all the deserts lumped together. So, the only “utter fail” in this book (in my opinion) is that the index does not help you to find recipes by type or category, only by creamery name or ingredients.

There are three appendices: Two are really great to help you plan a trip to the state, listing annual cheese events and listing cheese retailers and creameries. If you can’t take a road trip through Wisconsin, the list of retailers at least allows you to find the cheeses that are used in the book’s recipes. Unfortunately, the retailers listed are all located in Wisconsin…… (But I’ve found Wisconsin cheeses in Kroger stores, Whole Foods, Central Market (in Texas). So, if you patronize a large, quality, grocery store, I think chances are that you will be able to find some of these cheeses without going out of your way or trying too hard.)

So, the majority of us, who don’t live in Wisconsin, may or may not be able to find the exact cheeses called for in some of the wonderful recipes in this book. But I think, with the assistance of a decent cheese counter and a knowledgeable person behind the counter, you can find substitutes to use in the recipes. Sometimes, like with the French Onion Soup recipe, the cheese is well-known with lots of choices. In this case: Gruyere. Or, a mac n’ cheese that uses a certain creamery’s fontina and aged cheddar, which, of course, you can find substitutes for.

Some recipes are very sophisticated: Right off the bat, there is “Kale Ddeokbokki” from a restaurant in Madison. It calls for rice logs, perilla/shiso leaves and lap cheong/Chinese sausage. On top of the dish, goes a garnish of shredded bandaged cheddar. But the majority of recipes have more familiar names and ingredients.

Sometimes, a special cheese is used as a garnish or topping on a very familiar or simple dish—and it is the pairing of flavors that is important. For instance there is a straight-forward recipe for roasted root vegetables, which has shaved white goat cheddar sprinkled on top after the veggies come out of the oven. And there is a special mozzarella that tops a beef burger or a marinated tomato salad.

The book is put together well, and the editing is professional. Plenty of beautiful photography, (although it’s not consistent), and page layout is easy on the eyes. I’ve not found any mistakes in the ingredient lists and ingredients are decently defined, and instructions easy to understand. Page after page, makes my mouth water.

There is a mix of appetizers, main courses, sides, soups, salads and desserts. But you are going to have to go searching for them in the index by ingredient or recipe title or creamery name.

A great book for all those cheese lovers out there. This book is about Wisconsin, the capital of cheese. There is lots of information about different types of cheese, how it's made and some tasty looking recipes.

Absolutely love this book and will be a great read for all the cheese lovers out there. It is very informative with how different cheeses are made and regional information. Along with many recipes with wine pairings and even places to visit. The pictures are excellent and really showcases the recipes.

This cookbook made me immediately go out and buy all sorts of cheeses (which sometimes were eaten before they got put into the recipes, so then I of course went out and bought yet more cheese!) It is filled with mouth-watering recipes (of course, everything tastes better with cheese!)