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The Cheese Insider

Wisconsin has been a leader in the development of sheep milk cheeses here in North America. The Wisconsin Sheep Dairy co-op is one of the nation’s largest sheep organizations, pooling its milk from sheep farmers throughout the state. There are currently 16 co-op members milking over 400 sheep. The co-op does not make cheese; they have a few talented cheesemakers that craft the cheeses marketed under their label. They also sell their milk to a number of other cheesemakers that make cheese under their own label.

In 2006 the co-op won the top prize for its “Dante” cheese at the American Cheese Society Competition. Dante is an aged, dry, European style cheese loaded with flavor. The cheese is made at Cedar Grove Cheese Company in Plain, Wis. It has a firm, dry texture with a rich nutty flavor. The cheese is made during the grazing season, when the sheep are eating the rich sweet grasses and wild flowers. It is then cave aged for at least six months. Many of the wheels that we purchase for our shop are over a year old, the older the better.

Dante was created with the help of the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison which has the only dairy sheep research program in North America. The researchers produced a new crossbreed of East Friesian and Lacaune Sheep. This sheep has now become the most popular milk producing stock.

The Wisconsin Sheep Dairy co-op and Cedar Grove Cheese also produce a mix milk cheese called Mona. They combine the sheep milk with grass fed cows milk. This cheese is a bit milder and creamier than its big brother, Dante. It is also cave aged for more than six months.

Another of my favorite cheeses are the farmstead, sheep milk cheeses made by Brenda Jensen at Hidden Springs Creamery in Westby, Wis. As a reminder, a farmstead product means that it is made on the same farm where the animals are. This method of cheesemaking means that the milk used is not mixed with other milks and is never transported in a can or milk truck. Brenda and her husband Dean have a beautiful farm located in the Driftless region of western Wisconsin. Brenda makes a variety of sheep milk cheeses including her award winning fresh cheese, “Driftless,” as well as some fantastic cave aged, harder cheeses. She won a number of ribbons at the recent American Cheese Society Competition held last month in Madison. Her fresh cheese, Driftless is a soft, creamy, spreadable cheese that can eaten with a spoon or spread over bread or a cracker. I love to spread some on a fresh baguette, then drizzle a little balsamic over the top. It comes in a Dixie cup style container and I will tell you it is hard not to eat the entire container in one sitting. She also makes this cheese with a variety of flavors including lavender, honey, raspberry and few others.