Happy cows come from California.... (campers, move, pollution)

[JoshB]

Lookout Kid, I know what you mean! It's getting ridiculous.

[aussiegal]

My husband and I kind of snicker when we see California touted as where happy cows reside = good cheese. We of course know better since we lived in Wisconsin for so long. Colby was just down the road. Great cheese. Wisconsin doesn't have to "come back". They already know how great their cheese is. And I suspect the rest of America isn't fooled. Just because California proclaims it loud and clear doesn't make it so. But then I'm biased.

[gallon]

Madison Friday morning March 14 2008

The 27th Biennial World Cheese Competition was held this week.

The world champion cheese is a Gruyere by Michael Spycher of Wasen, Switzerland.
Second place was a Gorgonzola from Bologna, Italy.
Third place was an Emmentaler from Guntershausen, Switzerland.

A total of 77 categories were judged.

First place was Wisconsin, with 27 gold medals.
Second place was New York state, with 5 gold medals.
Tied for third place were Idaho and California, with 3 gold medals each.

This is hard proof that the best cheese comes from hard working, on the job, no nonsense, midwestern cows from Wisconsin.
If California got to be twice as good, they would still be in second place, and Wisconsin would still be 4 times as good.

California, you can sniff our dairy air.


http://www.pbase.com/gallon/image/89993382/large.jpg


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[gallon]

Originally Posted by KateDaum

Happy Cows live in WI. We have lived all over and Wisconsin has some of the best cheese we have ever tasted. And the biggest variety too. I love Colby. Vermont chese, yuck no comparison.

Kate, I think part of it is the particular variety, the aging, and the particular cheese maker. I have had the misfortune to live out east for 20 years ( DC area, defense work). Out there, the best I could convieniently find was cheddar by Cabots of Vermont. Canadian 3 yr cheddar, and the original English cheddar were also to be had, but expensive. Wisconsin cheddar was very difficult to find. Cabots 3 year was really good, I would call it
excellent. The local wide-aisle supermarkets carried bulk Maryland cheddar. I only had to try that stuff once, it was unrecognizable to me as cheddar, really.

I have also been out to California, and took the time to sample the cheddar. Cal cheddar was merely tolerable to me. In the upscale kinds of stores, there was a lot of
Tillamook brand from Oregon, which was satisfactory.

But that's just my overall take. I am mostly a cheddar guy, but can also go for a Stilton blue. For me cheddar doesn't become interesting until it has aged 3 years.

Gary, off soap box for awhile

[KateDaum]

Took a long walk this afternoon and saw lots of happy cows out enjoying the sun. Wisconsin did great in the cheese competition. I read New York was behind them but not even close. We lived in NY and I was never impressed with their cheese.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by dreamhunter65

Wisconsin does not have to bash back as ask people all over where the best tasting cheese comes from they will tell you!

Yeah... Europe. Then Vermont. Though I'm still loyal to Wisconsin producers as a matter of principle.

[dreamhunter65]

Originally Posted by Drover

Yeah... Europe. Then Vermont. Though I'm still loyal to Wisconsin producers as a matter of principle.

Figure alot of cheesemakers in Wisconsin originated from european countries and brought the skill and handed down to family and such and where Wisconsin such a variety of ancestry,German and such only goes to say Europe agreed then Wisconsin.

My eyes Happy cows get great feed and water, not in extreme heats, not locked in one small area where go through 3 time a day milkings so never get to graze.

Some cheese makers getting to big and trying to make to many varieties the ones that stick to a small amount of specialty cheeses do the best.

[susancruzs]

I've traveled in Europe, had good wine and cheese but nothing I'd rave about or want to carry back home. My friend from Colorado was buying all this vacuum packed cheese and wondered why I wasn't. I told her why would I, I'm 10 miles from Wisconsin I can get great cheese!

[KateDaum]

Even when we lived out east we still brought back WI cheese. One of the families my husband is helping relocate had to bring back east colby and limburger. I don't like limburger but they love it with red onion on rye bread. I can't get past the smell.

[susancruzs]

When I worked at VW, we'd go to Kuhn's Deli and my boss would always get limburger, if we took our sandwiches back to work, he'd have his by himself in his office! :-) I could never get past the smell either but that was their favorite cheese!