Best WI cheese and butter winners noted

WEST ALLIS

Dairy manufacturers from throughout the state submitted 340 entries for the 2016 Wisconsin State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest, which took place June 23 at Wisconsin State Fair Park. The contest featured 28 classes.

The 2016 Grand Master Cheesemaker, along with this year's other winning cheesemakers, will be recognized during the Blue Ribbon Cheese & Butter Auction on Thursday, Aug. 11 at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

The Blue Ribbon Cheese & Butter Auction, which features the sale of the blue-ribbon entries, is a fundraiser for the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board. Auction proceeds fund scholarships for students pursuing dairy-related degrees and support the House of Moo dairy education center, as well as the Wisconsin State Fair Milking Demonstrations.

The top entries in each class include:

Mild Cheddar —Dan Stearns, Agropur, Weyauwega, mild cheddar; Timothy Stearns, Agropur, Weyauwega, mild cheddar, second; Luke Kopecky, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, mild cheddar, third.

Aged Cheddar —Luke Kopecky, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, aged cheddar; Terry Lensmire, Agropur, Weyauwega, aged cheddar, second; Dale Schmidt, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, aged cheddar, third.

Colby, Monterey Jack —Team Alto, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, colby jack; Marieke Penterman, Marieke Gouda Creamery, Thorp, colby, second; Team Alto, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, monterey jack, third.

Swiss Styles —Joey Jaeggi, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, baby swiss block; Neal Schwartz, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, baby swiss wheel, second; Mike Nelson, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, baby swiss block, third.

Brick, Muenster —Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, brick; Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, brick, second; Gary Grossen, Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, Madison, brick, third.

Mozzarella —Pat Doell, Agropur, Luxemburg, low moisture, part-skim mozzarella; Roger Krohn, Agropur, Luxemburg, low moisture, part-skim mozzarella, second; Terry Lensmire, Agropur, Luxemburg, low-moisture mozzarella, whole milk, third.

String Cheese —Burnett Dairy Team, Burnett Dairy Co-op, Grantsburg, string cheese; George Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, farmer's rope, second; Cesar Luis, Cesar's Cheese, Columbus, hand-stretched string cheese, third.

Blue Veined Cheese —Team Salemville, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Salemville Reserve Blue Cheese; Mike Berg, Imperia Foods, Montfort, blue veined cheese, second; Team Salemville, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Salemville Vintage Blue Cheese, third.

Feta —Steve Webster, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, feta in brine; Jim Demeter, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, feta in brine, second; David Lindgren, Lynn Dairy, Granton, feta loaf, third.

Flavored Pepper Cheese —John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, chili pepper muenster; John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, chili pepper quesadilla, second; Andy Koenig, Burnett Dairy Co-op, Grantsburg, pepper string cheese, third.

Flavored Soft Cheese —Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, mediterranean feta; Jim Demeter, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, tomato & basil feta, second; Steve Webster, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, peppercorn feta, third.

Flavored Semi-Soft Cheese —John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, caraway brick; John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, caraway muenster, second; Gary Gosda, Lake Country Dairy, Turtle Lake, tuscan hand-rubbed fontina, third.

Smoked Flavored Cheese —Maple Leaf Cheesemakers, Monroe, smoked gouda; Andy Koenig, Burnett Dairy Co-op, Grantsburg, smoked string cheese, second; Chad Duhai, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, smoked brick, third.

Flavored Hard Cheese —Team Henning, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, blueberry cobbler cheddar; Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Sartori Reserve Chipotle BellaVitano; Team Black Creek, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, cheddar parmesan, third.

Smear Ripened Cheese —Marc Druart, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Roth Private Reserve; Marc Druart, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Roth Pavino, second; Myron Olson, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, liederkranz, third.

Cold Pack Cheese, Cheese Food —Team Pine River, Pine River Pre-Pack, Newton, swiss & almond cold pack; Team Pine River, Pine River Pre-Pack, Newton, aged asiago cold pack, second; Team Pine River, Pine River Pre-Pack, Newton, horseradish cold pack, third.

Pasteurized Process Cheese, Cheese Food, Cheese Spread

Team AMPI, Associated Milk Producers, Portage, pasteurized process American; Team AMPI, Associated Milk Producers, Portage, pasteurized process monterey jack & American with red bell peppers and jalapeño peppers, second; Team AMPI, Associated Milk Producers, Portage, pasteurized process cheese food with jalapeño peppers, third.

Reduced Fat or Lite Cheese —Team Clayton, Foremost Farms USA, Clayton, reduced fat provolone; Team Clayton, Foremost Farms USA, Clayton, reduced fat provolone, second; John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, reduced fat muenster, third.

Open Class – Soft and Spreadable Cheese —Lactalis American Group, Lactalis, Belmont, triple cream brie; Fred Wolff, Lake Country Dairy, Turtle Lake, mascarpone, second; Team Pine River, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, extra sharp cheddar spread, third.

Havarti —Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, havarti; Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Havarti, second; Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, havarti, third.

Flavored Havarti —Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, dill Havarti; Ron Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, dill Havarti, second; Luke Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, dill Havarti, third.

Open Class — Semi-Soft Cheese —Maple Leaf Cheesemakers, Monroe, fontina; Maple Leaf Cheesemakers, Monroe, mild gouda, second; Gary Grossen, Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, Madison, gouda, third.

Open Class – Hard Cheese —Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Sartori Reserve BellaVitano Gold; Maple Leaf Cheesemakers, Monroe, aged gouda, second; Kerry Henning, The Artisan Cheese Exchange, Sheboygan, Deer Creek 'The Fawn', third.

Flavored Goat Milk Cheese —Team Woolwich, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, cranberry cinnamon; Team Woolwich, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, honey vanilla chevre, second; Aurélien Jolly, Montchevre-Betin, Belmont, blueberry vanilla, third.

Natural Goat Milk Cheese —John Slawinski, Clock Shadow Creamery, Milwaukee, chevre; Aurélien Jolly, Montchevre-Betin, Belmont, mini bucheron, second; Jean Rossard, Montchevre-Betin, Belmont, crumble plain, third.

Latin American Cheese —Dennis Schliem, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, queso para fundir; John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, queso para fundir, second; John Lewis, Chula Vista Cheese, Browntown, chihuahua cheese block, third.

Sheep & Mixed Milk Cheese —Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Sartori Limited Edition Pastorale Blend; Robert Wills, Cedar Grove Cheese, Plain, Donatello, second; Robert Wills, Cedar Grove Cheese, Plain, Montague, third.

Butter —Foremost Farms 3rd Shift, Foremost Farms USA, Reedsburg, salted butter; Foremost Farms 1st Shift, Foremost Farms USA, Reedsburg, salted butter, second; Team Chaseburg, CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley, LaFarge, european-style cultured butter, third.