Cook's Country's Deputy Food Editor Bryan Roof explores the communities and cuisines that define the American dinner table on his show, On the Road. Along the way, he has developed a deep appreciation for the State of Cheese and the dedicated cheesemakers behind its award-winning craft. We caught up with Bryan to hear what he thinks makes Wisconsin cheeses so special.
Coming Soon!
Bryan heads to Wisconsin for a behind-the-scenes visit with the cheesemakers at Marieke® Gouda in Thorp and Chalet Cheese Cooperative in Monroe, home of Chalet Swiss and the only limburger made in the U.S. Catch the full series of On the Road with Bryan Roof on Netflix this summer. In the meantime, check out his trip to Wisconsin today on WisconsinCheese.com.
*Recipes and photos courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen.
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When Wisconsin Cheese teams up with America’s Test Kitchen, delicious things happen, including irresistible recipes home cooks and cheese lovers can trust. America’s Test Kitchen backs the dishes on the following pages with its famously rigorous testing process. More than 14,000 recipes have been tested dozens of times by test kitchen staff and 70,000 at-home testers. The result is proven, science-backed recipes—all designed to inspire confidence in the kitchen.
Dive into this sampling to discover your next favorite dish and read on to learn how to access the entire flavor-packed collection.
Q: What’s your impression of the Wisconsin cheese scene?
Bryan: Wisconsin boasts a remarkably expansive and progressive cheese scene, producing world-class cheeses that leave a clear mark on the local dairy and restaurant industries. It's rare to find a Wisconsin restaurant menu without at least one—and often several—mentions of local cheese. Thanks to the exceptional craftsmanship of the state’s cheesemakers, even the simplest cheeses are remarkably complex.
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Q: Why does Wisconsin cheese stand out from the rest?
Bryan: The world of Wisconsin cheesemaking is incredibly diverse, offering everything from bold classics like limburger to delicate, nuanced varieties like Marieke® Gouda, with a vast range of flavors and styles in between. With its sheer variety and the skill of its cheesemakers, Wisconsin stands out as one of the world’s preeminent cheese producers.
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Q: Would you share a few of your favorite ways to cook with Wisconsin cheese?
Bryan: I’ve recently taken to shredding Marieke® Gouda over tacos and arepas. I’m also a big fan of grilling ribeye—or any go-to steak—and topping it with a generous slice of Carr Valley’s blue cheese. Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong when cooking with Wisconsin cheeses.
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Q: What’s one thing you wish more people appreciated about Wisconsin cheese?
Bryan: I don’t think people fully appreciate the variety of cheeses or the skill of Wisconsin cheesemakers. Too often, Wisconsin is left out of the cheese conversation as praise turns to Europe. But once you dig into what Wisconsin has to offer and start seeking out those cheeses, you quickly realize the state is making some of the best cheeses in the world.
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