When
Larry Ehlers bought the former Brown Deer Food Market in 1970, most
grocers’ knowledge was limited primarily to colby and cheddar. Today
Larry’s Market offers more than 200 varieties of cheeses — many of
them Wisconsin made — mirroring the expansion of the cheese industry
in the state. According Patty Ehlers-Peterson, who runs the store with
her brother, Steve Ehlers, and dad Larry, Wisconsin dairy products
bring more financial return to the state than potatoes to Idaho and
oranges to Florida. "Wisconsin is truly at the forefront of
creating quality cheeses and the state is proactive in promoting
them," Ehlers-Peterson says.
State cheesemakers, a select few being certified masters, produce
more than 2.4 billion pounds of cheese each year, making 25
percent-plus of all domestic cheese. Many offerings are blue ribbon
winners at the Wisconsin-hosted United States and world cheese
competitions and other contests, according to international judge
Steve Ehlers, a board member of the prestigious American Cheese
Society.
In addition to more traditional varieties, the state has become a
major manufacturer of Italian, French and Hispanic cheeses. Wisconsin
is also experiencing a creative renaissance in innovative artisanal
varieties, now totaling at least 16 percent of the state’s
production. Another fast-growing segment in this market are farmstead
cheeses, which are handmade products made in small amounts, from cows,
goats or sheep from a single farm.
"A Traveler’s Guide to America’s Dairyland," courtesy
of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, is a handy reference when
looking for cheese plants and retailers to visit. Among them is the
Chalet Cheese Cooperative of Monroe, the only plant in the country
creating Limburger.
