We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series referred to as Meet the Makers, that includes a sampling of the state’s best cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
In 2019 I used to be fortunate sufficient to attend the annual American Cheese Society Awards, hosted that yr in Richmond, Virginia. Of the numerous fond recollections I’ve from that journey, there’s one specifically that tends to rise to the highest of my thoughts each time I’m reflecting on it: an enormous sea of proud Wisconsin cheesemakers cheering one another on because the state took house win after win for its unbelievable cheeses. I misplaced rely of the variety of awards that the state’s cheesemakers took house for cheddars and cheese curds—I’d anticipated them to shine in these classes. What I wasn’t anticipating was for a Wisconsin cheesemaker to take house not one, however two awards for Gouda, a cheese I’d lengthy related solely with Europe.
That yr, Marieke Gouda took house 1st place within the Worldwide-Model with Taste Added class for his or her Bacon Gouda and 2nd place in that very same class for his or her Foenegreek Gouda. However how did award-winning Gouda make its approach to the midwest? I sat down with Marieke Penterman, founding father of Marieke Gouda, to search out out.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
MADISON TRAPKIN: What introduced you to Wisconsin?
MARIEKE PENTERMAN: I grew up on a dairy farm within the Netherlands on a 60-cow farm. Holland could be very small, it matches about 5 occasions within the state of Wisconsin, and now we have about 18 million folks, which makes [farming] fairly difficult and really costly. So to ensure that [my family] to proceed dairy farming, we needed to look overseas and the place else are you able to go should you love cows and good cheese? Wisconsin, after all.
Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland, in order that is smart! How did you make your approach to the cheesemaking facet of issues?
I’ve [always been] very proud to be a dairy farmer right here in Wisconsin, however after a short while, I used to be lacking my good kaas from Holland. I’d go to the shop right here and I’d discover fantastic, lovely cheeses, however I could not discover good Gouda. [I had a] loopy thought to begin making [it] as a result of we had good Wisconsin milk proper right here on the farm and it appeared like an ideal thought. The one drawback I had was that I didn’t know learn how to make cheese.
Ah, a minor element.
I had to return to high school right here in Wisconsin to get my cheesemaker’s license, which I did in October 2006. However that didn’t imply that I knew learn how to make Gouda. So, I needed to [go] again to Holland [where I] labored with a girl who had 10 cows and a dairy farmer that had 200 cows and it was actually fascinating to see what the distinction between a smaller and an even bigger Gouda producer was.
Picture by Dusan Harminc
What are a very powerful issues to think about while you’re making Gouda?
As a Gouda cheesemaker you’ll be able to play together with your cultures, after all, however [you can also play with things like] your water—how a lot water do you add? And [what’s] the temperature of it? How lengthy do you wash it? These are all essential elements [that go] into creating your individual recipe. I made my very first batch of Gouda in November of 2006.
What makes Marieke Gouda so distinctive?
Initially, I am very happy with our cows. They produce a really prime quality of milk and [we are] a farmstead creamery, which implies that now we have cows proper right here on the farm. When the cows are being milked, that milk goes straight by means of a pipeline underneath the bottom into our cheese vat, so brisker than you may get it [from elsewhere]. It’s the prime quality of milk and the actually fast approach of us having the ability to make it right into a scrumptious wheel of Gouda ([which happens] inside 5 hours) that makes our cheese actually distinctive.
How does your Gouda examine to Dutch Gouda?
We do import a few of the cheese tools from the Netherlands simply to return as intently as attainable to the Dutch approach of constructing it. A few of our elements come from the Netherlands, like our cultures and a few of our herbs, however we’re not as adventurous within the Netherlands as we’re right here in america. [At Marieke Gouda], we’re a bit extra extravagant with our flavors.
That jogs my memory of your Foenegreek Gouda—the place did the thought for this taste combo come from?
The primary time that I used to be cooking the [with this] herb it made my entire kitchen odor horrible, to be sincere. It smelled just a little bit bitter and I used to be undecided if I needed so as to add it to it, however we did not need to waste it both, so we added it to our very first batch of Foenegreek Gouda. [This cheese] makes use of a seed that tastes just a little bit nutty, however smells like maple syrup. It’s very expensive to me as a result of it is one among our signature cheeses.
Since making that first wheel in 2006, your cheeses have received fairly a number of awards! Are you able to inform me about a few of these accolades?
We received a golden award straight away with our Foenegreek Gouda, which was tremendous thrilling. At the moment we had been simply with three folks, and now we’re [a] group of fifty folks…a group coming collectively [and] engaging in nice issues [in order] to make the best of tremendous Gouda. We simply received extra awards and that will put us [at] round 250 [awards]. In 2013 we had been nominated [as] the very best cheese in america. I additionally name it my inexperienced card as a result of at that time my immigration lawyer mentioned, “Let’s qualify you for the extraordinary potential route,” which they authorized.
Picture by Dusan Harminc
What an incredible inexperienced card story!
I am really the primary cheesemaker that obtained her a inexperienced card that approach.
I imagine it.
In 2011, I used to be nominated because the Grand Grasp Cheesemaker within the Wisconsin State Truthful. [I was] the primary girl to have ever completed that, so it was actually an honor. And I sort of like successful.
It looks as if there’s fairly a little bit of successful happening for you. What’s it prefer to be a part of the Wisconsin cheesemaking neighborhood amongst so many different winners?
I began my profession as a result of I used to be lacking Gouda from my house nation and I needed to begin a enterprise earlier than I turned 30. I stumbled into this trade [filled with] camaraderie and I fell in love with the folks. I am a really proud cheesemaker, particularly [in] Wisconsin, as a result of the individuals are fantastic. They share their ardour, and I feel that is one thing that bonds us usually on this trade. Wisconsin is chilly, however the folks within the trade are very heat and passionate.
I hear you’re working in your Grasp Cheesemaker Certification. What’s the method like?
Sure, I am very proud to say that they accepted me within the Grasp Cheesemaker program. Ten years after you will have your cheesemakers license, you’ll be able to apply for the Grasp Cheesemaker program, which is a tricky approval course of. I sort of [wanted to] postpone it as a result of I used to be just a little bit nervous and once I lastly went by means of the entire course of they usually authorized me, I used to be very joyful.
I’ve realized a lot and it reveals how a lot Wisconsin cares and the extent of information that’s required to make actually good cheese. If every thing goes effectively, then I hope to have the ability to get my certification in 2025, which might make me the fourth girl Licensed Grasp Cheesemaker in america.
That will be actually unbelievable! I’m positive you’ll make it to that stage. What else does the longer term maintain for Marieke Gouda?
A number of thrilling issues. We began mainly with nothing 17 years in the past, and I can not wait to see what we’ll do in 5 years, ten years, and even 15 years down the street. One factor that’s for positive [is that] we need to make the very best Gouda in the entire huge world.
What’s your favourite taste of Marieke Gouda? Inform us within the feedback under!
Our associates at Wisconsin Cheese are dedicated to showcasing all of the wonderful cheeses the state has to supply—and there is a whole lot of them. Wisconsin has extra flavors, varieties, and types of cheese than wherever else on this planet. From Italian classics like Parmesan and ricotta to Wisconsin Originals like Colby and Brick, this cheese-obsessed state has just a little one thing for everybody. Discover out extra about Wisconsin Cheese by visiting their web site.