Good Cheese Makes for a Good Read
Are you going local? Looking for a Christmas present for the “foodie” in your life? A new book by cookbook authors Joan Peterson and Terese Allen can help with that; it’s all about Wisconsin’s favorite local food: Cheese. The third edition of the Wisconsin Local Foods Journal: Cheese and Cheesemakers Edition is a unique resource for cheeseheads and fans of local fare.
The multi-functional book is: a cookbook; an engagement calendar; a resource for selecting, storing and serving cheese; and a guide to what’s in season each month and the cheeses to pair with it. The Journal also offers a glossary of cheese terms, interviews with Wisconsin cheesemakers, and a special essay by Jeanne Carpenter, founder of Wisconsin Cheese Originals. A very special feature is a full-color map and travel guide for locating cheese factories and cheese shops across the state. Regional businesses listed include Schoolhouse Artisan Cheese in Ellison Bay and Egg Harbor, Renard’s Cheese in Sturgeon Bay and Algoma, Wisconsin Cheese Masters in Egg Harbor, Scray Cheese in De- Pere and Nala’s Fromagerie of Green Bay.
The Journal is supported by grants from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Organic Valley/ CROPP Cooperative. All profits benefit REAP Food Group’s food and sustainability programs.
“Looks good, tastes good, does good,” says Mary Bergin, author of Hungry for Wisconsin, about last year’s Journal. Matt Feifarek, the leader of Slow Food Madison called it “a great resource for cooks and eaters [because it] teaches us how to start with our finest ingredients and learn to cook with what we have.”
Author Terese Allen will be featuring the Wisconsin Local Foods Journal and her other cookbooks at the Washington Island Literary Festival, October 5-6.
On Saturday, Oct. 5, “Celebrating Local Foods: Wisconsin’s Culinary Traditions, Past and Present” will take place at the Island Dairy, 1309 Rangeline Road, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
“Wisconsin is a region of rich ethnic and agricultural diversity, boasting an amazing cornucopia of crops, products, dishes and culinary traditions both past and present,” explained Allen. Her tour of the state’s food culture explores the pleasures and benefits of local foods, revealing why Wisconsin is at the forefront of today’s locavore movement, and celebrates eat-local initiatives throughout the Door County region.
She’ll follow up her talk with a cooking demonstration of Apple Cider Cheddar Fondue, a recipe from her Wisconsin Local Foods Journal that features Island Orchard Brut Apple Cider, Renard’s cheese and breads from the Island Bread Company. A book signing and cheese tasting is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 6, from 9:30- 11:30 a.m. at Islandtime Books, 1885 Detroit Harbor Road, Washington Island. For more information on the festival visit truebloodpac.com.
The Wisconsin Local Foods Journal is available at bookstores, cheese shops, and other stores along the Door Peninsula. For a list of locations or to order copies, visit wisconsinlocalfoodsjournal.com. For more information, call 608-244-2342.
