‘Tis the season for cheese

It’s time to get serious about finding the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list — especially those who are just about impossible to buy for. There’s that friend or family member who has it all, and then there are the even tougher folks who don’t want it all. Our solution for both: consumable gifts. They’re ideal for the recipient who has everything, because they aren’t redundant; that’s part of the reason food and drink gifts are a growing trend. And for the people on your list who chafe against materialism, clutter, and waste, consumables are welcome because they’ll get used.

For the holiday season, Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery is upping the ante. Our artisan, Guernsey-milk cheese has always been a go-to for gift giving and entertaining, but it’s more than what we deliver: it’s how we deliver it. Our handcrafted, made-in-Wisconsin wooden boxes are keepsake-worthy reminders of the deliciousness that was nestled inside, and they can be repurposed and displayed — a bonus that will please the reduce-reuse-recycle recipients on your list. And the variety of cheese options we offer to fill said boxes means satisfaction guaranteed:

Doubles variety box: two each of our Cheddar, Gouda, Sark Butterkase, and Port-Salut-style Belaire.

One of Each variety box: Cheddar, Gouda, Sark, and our Camembert-style St. Saviour.

Wheel of Belaire: 5 pounds of our creamy, mild, and universally loved cheese nestled into that handmade wooden crate. Share it, hoard it, make it the centerpiece of your holiday charcuterieboard. If the wheel isn’t enough to go around, you can add four additional 7-ounce cuts.

Loaf (or two) of Sark: Each loaf is 5 pounds — if you’re ready to celebrate the holidays in rich, decadent style, this buttery, spreadable cheese is the way to go. 

6-count of St. Saviour: Can’t get enough of Camembert-style cheese? Here’s the solution — if you gift this box with 6 rounds of our St. Saviour, maybe the recipient will offer you one.

For other laser-focused cheese fans, we also offer straight-to-the-point six-count boxes of Belaire, Sark, and Cheddar. (If you know what they like, and they know what they like, we say cut to the chase).

If you want to curate a consumables gift on your own, we also offer the option to purchase the wooden box itself. Visit our website at https://www.hoardscreamery.com/store/p/round-gift-boxes-n2n22 for more details.

Recipe: Lemon-St. Saviour Pasta

We’re at the time of year when tradition calls for rich, decadent dishes and lavishly filled buffets —all the more reason to have recipes on hand that offer lighter flavor profiles. Citrus always comes in handy to cut through and complement more indulgent ingredients; here, we’ve combined our sumptuously creamy Camembert-style St. Saviour with bright, acidic lemon. Served with your favorite pasta and set off with garlic, cream, and white wine, this dish comes together quickly. Combined with a mixed-greens salad and a fresh baguette, you’ve got a dinner worth gathering at the table for. 

Lemon St. Saviour pasta

Ingredients

2 rounds Hoards St. Saviour cheese, rind removed and cubed

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 fresh garlic cloves, crushed

⅓ cup white wine

Juice from 1 lemon (Meyer or standard)

Grated lemon peel from one lemon (organic if possible)

1 teaspoon instant vegetable broth

8 oz pasta, cooked and drained but not rinsed. (Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water to thin sauce if needed.)

Grated lemon peel or fresh thyme to garnish

Instructions

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the heavy cream, instant broth, wine, lemon juice and zest. Whisk until well combined.

Heat until mixture start to bubble but not boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium low. 

Add the cubes of St. Saviour cheese, a few at a time and whisk into the mixture. After all cubes are incorporated finish with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Mix in pasta. Add pasta water if sauce is too thick for your liking. Add more lemon peel and or fresh thyme as a garnish.

Cheese Feature: Gouda

This 6 month old Gouda will be a welcome addition to your next cheese board and you’ll also find it melts beautifully, opening up endless possibilities for dining and entertaining.

Very few wines will miss when paired with our Gouda, but try a Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling or even your favorite champagne to start. For beer, an ale is a sure bet. Try serving on a cracker with a small wedge of pear or apple. Or slice a baguette and melt your Gouda over thin sliced tomatoes and top with a sliver of capicola or Canadian bacon to experience a little piece of cheese heaven on earth.

Gouda was developed centuries ago in the southern region of the Netherlands and is known for its solid texture and complex character. Young Gouda starts out with an aromatic and sweet, caramel-like flavor that becomes more savory and nutty with age.

Today master cheesemakers are crafting our Gouda from the legendary Guernsey milk that comes exclusively from the Hoard’s Dairyman Farm. Experience the art of cheese in its finest form.

Quiz Time!

Which cheese is named after a Dutch city?

a.          Havarti

b.          Cheddar

c.          Camembert

d.          Gouda

Answer: d

Paying homage to fromage

City of Lights…city of cheese? Paris, France, offers travelers the chance to experience history, architecture, romance, and of course its famous food and libations, but for cheese lovers, there’s now a place that formally pays homage to fromage. The Musée Vivant du Fromage — Living Cheese Museum — opened in mid-2024 and is enticing visitors away from more established must-sees like the Notre Dame Cathedral in the same neighborhood. The museum’s interactive and educational format includes a portion dedicated to the history and culture, geographic distribution and types of cheeses, as well as a look at the onsite dairy where cheese is produced daily (and of course, once you’ve worked up an appetite, the staff offers tastings). Round out the experience by browsing through the cheese shop and the gift boutique, and you’ll be well fortified for continuing your Parisian adventure.

But you don’t have to cross the pond to experience the history and legacy of cheese; there are plenty of sites in North America to get your fill. Wisconsin, fittingly, is home to the National Historic Cheesemaking Center. It’s located in Monroe, a small town known for its master cheesemaking ties in the heart of America’s Dairyland. And you don’t have to hit the road to shop for great cheese, either: also from Wisconsin, Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheeses are available online to ship right to your door.

Leftover cheese? Unlikely — but here are some just-in-case ideas

Two words you don’t often hear together are “leftover” and “cheese.” While the concept is unfamiliar to most cheese lovers, there are times when you find yourself with odds and ends in the cheese drawer (everyone has one of those, right?). And while we’re not opposed to snacking while standing at the open refrigerator door, “leftover” cheeses can be put to more elevated purposes. The next time you find yourself with a little extra Gouda, Cheddar, Brie, Camembert, or Manchego, augment your dishes or create some flavorful specialties:

Mashed potatoes. You’d have to look pretty hard to find a cheese that won’t complement a batch of creamy mashed potatoes, but there are some choices that take the combo over the top. Grate or chop a Camembert-style or Gouda cheese and blend in while the potatoes are piping hot for a side dish that’s so rich and flavorful you’ll likely pass on the gravy.

Cheese straws. These classic appetizers look impressive, but you can take a shortcut and use puff pastry and whatever semi-firm to hard cheeses you feel like grating (we especially like Gouda). Keeping the dough chilled, spread it out, brush one half with melted butter, and sprinkle your cheese medley on top. Fold the plain side on top of the cheese mixture. Use a pizza cutter to cut long strips of the dough and twist them into spirals to capture the cheese. Brush with an egg wash and bake in a 400-degree oven until golden brown and puffy, about 15 minutes.

Cheese crisps. Want an even easier way to impress? Cheese crisps have one ingredient: whatever firm cheese you have a hankering for. Cheddar is classic here. You just place shredded or sliced cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet in 1-½ inch portions, allowing an inch or two of space between. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 6 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and turns slightly golden around the edges.

Mac and cheese. No matter how much cheese the recipe calls for, there’s always room for more. An ovensafe dish, some grated leftover cheese (soft, semi-firm, and hard all fit the bill), and a few minutes in a 350-degree oven make this popular classic even more of a hit.

English potted cheese. This is a rich, traditional dish that’s based on ratio rather than specific amounts, so it works great for leftovers. Two parts cheese (Cheddar is classic, but feel free to mix and match) to one part butter, salt and pepper, and an optional splash of sherry is all it takes to make this tasty spread. Shred or chop the cheese, then whiz it in the food processer, adding the room-temperature butter and other ingredients as you go. When it’s smooth, put it in a crock or ramekin, chill, and serve with your favorite crackers and fresh fruits.

Cheese Feature: Havarti Dill

The addition of real dill fronds among our Island Havarti’s little holes is a classic complement to the cheese’s soft tang and the serious Unami qualities it gathers from our farm’s milk. It really goes well with just about anything on a cheese board, melted, or in cooking. Medium wines like Pinot Grigio or Merlot, or European style beers are favorites with this cheese. Try it with pickled vegetables and herring, smoked salmon, and other Scandinavian delicacies.

Quiz Time!

What is the title of Wisconsin’s reigning dairy ambassador?

a.          The Dairy State Queen

b.          Alice in Dairyland

c.          The Cheese Chief

d.          The Milk Monarch

The correct answer is d. Alice in Dairyland

Recipe: Belaire grilled cheese with blackberry-jalapeno compote

We’re always thinking of new ways to combine cheese and fruit — it’s a perfect combo to fill out a bento box, an appetizer spread, a midnight snacking session. But the fruit-cheese pairing can be leveraged for mealtime, too. This quick, tasty grilled cheese comes together quickly, so it’s great for weeknights. We settled on our Belaire cheese because its rich, creamy texture and flavor offset the sweet-spicy blend of the compote. Be sure to use an artisan bread, and you’ll create a sandwich to remember!

Belaire Grilled Cheese with Blackberry Jalapeno compote

Ingredients:

I wedge of Hoards Dairymen Belaire cheese cut into 8 slices

2 tbsp butter for sauce

4 tbsp butter for bread slices

8 small slices of good bread (like a farmers’ rye or sourdough)

1 container blackberries

2 sliced jalapenos seeds removed (if you want to go full throttle, keep the seeds)

1tsp sugar

How to make it:

For the compote:

In a small saucepan melt the butter, then add sugar, blackberries and jalapenos. Slightly crush

blackberries to release juice. Add up to 2 TBS of water depending on the juiciness of the berries. Heat

until thick and bubbly. Set aside.

For the grilled cheese:

1.) Use a very large or two smaller pans to make all 4 sandwiches at the same time.

2.) Butter all 8 slices of bread and brown on one side.

3.) Flip 4 bread slices over and top with Hoards Dairymen Belaire cheese slices. Low and slow is the way to go. When the cheese starts to soften add the berry mixture on top of the cheese.

4.) Top with the remaining bread slices, browned side down and carefully flip the sandwiches over.

5.) Brown for another 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is completely melted.

Butterkäse basics and the Isle of Sark story

If you’ve ever checked out our cheeses, you’ll know that some of them are instantly familiar favorites: Cheddar, Gouda, and Havarti need no introduction. On the other hand, our Sark Triple Cream Butterkäse might call for one — Butterkäse, while it’s a cheese rooted in Old World history, doesn’t get quite the same marquee space as its European peers. But this rich, ultra-soft cheese deserves a closer look — as does our version’s namesake, the little Guernsey island of Sark. 

As our friends over at Wisconsin Cheese point out, the first order of business is learning the right way to say it: it’s booter-ke-zuh, not butter-case. In German, it means butter-cheese, and it’s an apt description: it’s creamy, buttery, and often can even be spread rather than sliced. Because it’s fairly new to the European cheese scene (it first showed up in Germany in the 1920s as their take on a similar Italian cheese), Butterkäse has had only about a century to build a fan base. But it’s universally appealing, with a mild, smooth flavor that sidesteps objections from those who “don’t like cheese.” These days, Germany still produces most of the Butterkäse eaten in Europe, and in the U.S., Wisconsin-based companies — like Hoard’s — offer it locally as well as nationally. 

Our version — Sark Triple Cream Butterkäse — is made with Guernsey milk, famous for its rich, golden quality. Guernsey cows originally came from the Channel Islands between England and France, and was the breed selected by our founder W.D. Hoard to form the basis of his Wisconsin herd in 1899. And while the Island of Sark’s Guernsey herds are a thing of the past, our contemporary Guernseys are descendants of the original Hoard’s herd. 

Sark, with a population of only 500 or so, had a long legacy of Guernsey dairy farming, but they just said farewell to their only dairy farm in April of this year, when the owners retired. The Sark Dairy Trust website notes that the island once “was self-sufficient in milk and cream,” and with a goal to recapture that magic, in 2019 the Trust and like-minded residents put out a public appeal for funds to build infrastructure and attract a dairy farmer or two back to the Island after a long absence. Now, with the retirement of their latest farmers, they’re on the lookout again, hoping to bring dairy — and Guernseys — back to Sark. 

This tiny island caught our eye when we first crafted our Butterkäse: we knew that this cheese variety doesn’t have the huge presence of some of our more well-known cheeses, but its straightforward, timeless appeal reminded us of the beauty and simplicity of the island Sark. The island is a throwback to a simpler time: cars aren’t allowed on the roads, only bicycles and horse-drawn conveyances, and the lack of urban sprawl has earned the island a Dark Sky Community designation. The people of Sark make it easy to enjoy the simple things — and we’re all for celebrating that.