We have 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 the event you grew up within the ‘90s like I did, likelihood is excessive that you simply additionally watched the charmingly British sequence of brief movies that includes Wallace and his intelligent canine, Gromit. In an installment titled A Grand Day Out, Wallace and Gromit understand they’ve eaten by their cheese shops, in order that they embark on a quest to search out extra. Naturally, their journey takes them to the moon—that large, pale yellow orb within the sky with its Swiss cheese-like holes. Spoiler alert: Wallace and Gromit uncover that the moon is just not, the truth is, fabricated from cheese and return house with none extra curds in tow.
Wisconsin cheesemaker and Hill Valley Dairy founder Ron Henningfeld appeared to the moon with related tacky curiosity when making his first ever cheese, Luna—and the remainder is historical past. Right now, Ron and his spouse Josie churn out wheel after wheel of this celestial-inspired cheese together with a powerful lineup of cheddars, Goudas, and cheese curds, all made utilizing milk from his brother’s household farm. I sat down with Ron to study extra about his moon cheese, their milk-to-market mannequin, and what it means to be a cheesemaker in Wisconsin.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
MADISON TRAPKIN: Are you able to inform me who you might be and what you do?
RON HENNINGFELD: I’m a cheesemaker at Hill Valley Dairy and I make small batches of artisan cheese utilizing milk from my brother’s dairy farm
What does it imply to be a Wisconsin cheesemaker?
I feel to be a cheesemaker in Wisconsin means to be a part of a household, a part of a group. We’re all rooting for one another [and] making an attempt to make one of the best Wisconsin cheese that we are able to.
How cool is it while you get to really watch anyone take their first chunk of certainly one of your cheeses?
After I get to see clients strive [our] cheeses for the primary time and I get to see the response, it is rewarding simply to see them smile or nod or give this notion [that] they’re having fun with it. That is the rewarding facet of cheesemaking. When individuals ask me what I like about being a cheesemaker, in fact I like beginning with our household’s milk and making cheese, however I additionally get pleasure from that cheese makes individuals joyful. I like making a product that makes individuals joyful.
What does “milk-to-market” imply?
What we do at Hill Valley Dairy is just a little bit distinctive [in] that we’re in a position to make use of milk from solely our household’s farm to make the cheeses we produce. It makes me consider that first day after I began Hill Valley Dairy and we acquired a load of milk, a small truckload from the farm, and introduced it to the creamery. I might already been a cheesemaker for a number of years, however this was the primary time I used to be making cheese with milk from our household farm. That was simply actually, actually particular. It was particular to make that product, share it with the household, and finally promote it to clients. So milk to market is a direct line. It is not a advertising and marketing ploy—it’s extremely tangible, particularly with shoppers desirous to know the place [things] are from. It’s [about] figuring out. Realizing the farm very personally, figuring out my brother runs a unbelievable farm and takes care of the animals—wholesome animals and high quality feed produce high quality milk, which is finally what we’d like for producing nice cheese.
Picture by Dusan Harminc
How does Hill Valley Dairy construct group by cheese?
I feel the group of cheese lovers existed for a very long time and Hill Valley Dairy, however now [we] play a job in that. Our position is to maintain producing nice Wisconsin cheese. Whether or not it is the farmers markets or the cheese store or the cheese occasions, we offer a spot for a group of cheese individuals to return collect, get good cheese, and speak about cheese. I feel we additionally supply an entrance level for individuals who may not know but how a lot they do admire cheese. After we can put some actually good cheese in entrance of them that has a narrative and has a taste and style and profile to go together with it, then we’re rising this group to do extra.
Let’s discuss cheese—inform me concerning the origin story for Luna.
I have been a cheesemaker for about 12 years now and it’s develop into an enormous a part of my life and my household’s life. My spouse, Josie, and I are at all times speaking about cheese. Everyone knows [the story] of [how] the moon was fabricated from cheese, and [Josie and I] at all times took that dialog additional. If the moon was fabricated from cheese, what would it not style like? So we’d at all times have that banter concerning the moon and cheese and finally sort of having this concept of like, we should always make a cheese that tastes just like the moon.
When Hill Valley Dairy was youthful, I used to be making some trials of cheeses that will be originals for [us]. There was a day that I introduced three or 4 samples of cheeses to the kitchen desk with Josie. We sat down and tasted a few varieties, and we acquired to this one. We tasted it and we have been like that is Luna as a result of [of] its crumbly texture, its saltiness, its tanginess, its nuttiness. It simply sort of struck [us] that that is what the moon would style like.
Picture by Dusan Harminc
You’ve made some award-winning cheeses over time—what are a few of the awards you’re most pleased with?
During the last two years I’ve submitted Luna and a few different cheeses into the World Cheese Championship competitors and so they’ve finished very properly. Luna has taken third in its class and fourth in its class in numerous years and its accomplice cheese, Alina, has taken fourth in its class as effectively. So these are, these are some awards we’re very pleased with. In a world championship competitors the place there [are] over 3,000 entries and our does okay, that is fairly spectacular, actually.
Your operation is exclusive in that your cheeses are made with milk from your loved ones’s dairy. Do you’re feeling that this lets you be extra nimble in your cheesemaking course of?
I feel having a relentless supply of milk from a single household farm really results in extra consistency. I do know that milk very personally [even as] it adjustments all year long. I feel nimbleness comes from making small batches of cheese and having the ability to be hands-on with it.
If we have to make changes or need to make changes, we are able to. We are able to as a result of it is only a small batch and we are able to tweak issues come what may if we’re making an attempt to be in step with the cheese or if we’re making an attempt to alter cheese, and particularly if we’re making an attempt to make a brand new cheese. Our batch sizes are actually cheap to play with and check out some enjoyable issues and see what comes from it.
What does the longer term maintain for Hill Valley Dairy?
We’re fairly excited proper now. It was simply months in the past after we acquired our personal micro-cheese manufacturing unit. We’re excited for our workers to ramp up the cheeses we already make, get extra of these into the market and to clients who’re in search of it and actually asking for them. So we’re excited to deliver extra milk from the household farm to the cheese manufacturing unit, make extra cheese, and attain a bigger area. [We’re] additionally enthusiastic about the opportunity of making a few new cheeses as a result of we have now management of our manufacturing facility on this house.
Our new manufacturing facility in Milwaukee has a entrance finish that we’re going to revamp into good cheese retail, but additionally [as] a gathering place for individuals who love cheese.
What’s your favourite Hill Valley Dairy cheese? Inform us within the feedback under!
Our mates at Wisconsin Cheese are dedicated to showcasing all of the wonderful cheeses the state has to supply—and there is a variety of them. Wisconsin has extra flavors, varieties, and types of cheese than anyplace 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 website.