Here’s a huge shout out to Wisconsin Cheesemaker Marieke Penterman, her amazing family and all the staff at Marieke Gouda for making Cheesetopia possible this year in Milwaukee.
What is Cheesetopia, you ask? It’s a festival I organize with the goal of bringing some of the best artisan cheesemakers from the Midwest to the heart of a different city every year. This year, Cheesetopia calls Milwaukee home, and thanks to the sponsorship of Marieke Gouda, the event is sure to be a success.
Already, the event is nearly sold out, with little to no publicity, thanks to the hundreds of loyal members of Wisconsin Cheese Originals. Today, less than 100 tickets remain on sale. Act quickly if you’re interested in attending.
Here’s the scoop:
Cheesetopia Milwaukee 2018
Presented by Marieke Gouda & Wisconsin Cheese Originals
April 8, 2018
The Grain Exchange, 225 E Michigan St, Milwaukee, WI
Noon – 4:00 PM
Cheesetopia 2018 returns to downtown Milwaukee in the historic Grain Exchange room of the Mackie Building. Finished in 1880, the room was built as a sunken trading pit, where traders set the price of wheat. It was considered to be the most lavishly decorated public space of its time. The walls are adorned with large murals depicting the themes of transportation, agriculture, trade and commerce. Colossal faux-marble pillars boast carved depictions of locomotives and steamships. It is inside this room that 40 of the best artisan cheesemakers from across the Midwest will sample and sell more than 150 artisan cheeses.
Tickets
$35. Includes appetizers & samples of 150 cheeses. Cash bar. Click here to purchase.
More Information
Cheesetopia brings a star-studded line-up of award-winning cheesemakers and artisan food producers to a unique venue in the heart of a different city every year. A cheesemaker, company owner, farmer or senior representative is required to be present for each company, ensuring attendees meet the makers of their favorite cheeses.
Here’s the line-up in 2018:
- Alemar Cheese Company, Mankato, Minnesota – Cheesemaker Craig Hageman sampling Bent River, Blue Earth Brie & Good Thunder
- Ames Farm Honey, Delano, Minnesota – Artisan Sarah Mogilevsky sampling Single Source Raw Honey
- Caprine Supreme, Black Creek, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker and Owners Todd & Sheryl Jaskolski sampling Goat Milk Cheese Curds, Feta, Lavender Jack, Brie, Cheddar & Chevre
- Carr Valley Cheese, LaValle, Wisconsin – National Sales Director Dave Christoff sampling Marisa, Black Sheep Truffle, Porto Duet, Billy Blue, Cocoa Cardona, Menage, Mobay, 6-Year Cheddar, Wildfire Blue, Penta Creme, Fontina de Provence, Cheese Stix & Flavored Butters
- Caves of Faribault, Faribault, Minnesota – Head Cheesemaker Rueben Nilsson Cheese Plant Manager Jill Ellingson sampling St. Pete’s Select Blue Cheese, Jeff’s Select, St. Mary’s & Smoked Amablue
- Cedar Grove Cheese, Plain, Wisconsin – Master Cheesemaker Bob Wills sampling Olive Cheese Spread, Quark with S.A. Braai Chutney, Montague, Extra Sharp Organic Cheddar & Ovella
- Cosmic Wheel Creamery, Clear Lake, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Rama Hoffpauir sampling Circle of the Sun, Antares & Moonglow
- Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, Wisconsin – Owner George Crave sampling Fresh Mozzarella, Marinated Fresh Mozzarella, Part-Skim Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Cheese Curds & Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Curds
- Deer Creek Cheese, Sheboygan, Wisconsin – Representative Kayla Immel sampling The Doe, The Rattlesnake, Vat 17, The Blue Jay, 5-Year Cheddar, Stag & Moonrabbit
- Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Wisconsin – Master Cheesemaker Bruce Workman sampling Grass Based Raw Milk Aged Gouda, Havarti, Dill Havarti, Butterkase & Tuscan Dream
- Hidden Springs Creamery, Westby, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Brenda Jensen sampling fresh Driftless in various flavors, Wischago, Ocooch, Vernon Renegade & Bohemian Blue
- Hook’s Cheese, Mineral Point, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Tony Hook and National Sales Manager Sara Hill sampling Colby, 5-Year Cheddar, 10-Year Cheddar, Galway Bay, Triple Play, Goat Pepper, Sheep Milk Cheddar, Sheep Milk Butterkase, Blue, Blue Paradise & Little Boy Blue
- Jacobs & Brichford Farmstead Cheese, Connersville, Indiana – Owner Matthew Brichford sampling Everton, Everton Premium Reserve, Tomme de Fayette, Briana & Ameribella
- Kettle Range Meat Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Artisan Mark Bearce sampling Kettle Range Cured and Charcuterie products including Guanciale, Pancetta, Summer Sausage, Snack Sticks, Bacon Jam, Nduja & Smoked Sausages
- LaClare Farms Specialties, Pipe, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Katie Fuhrmann & owners Larry & Clara Hedrich sampling Evalon, Martone, Cave Aged Chandoka, & Raw Cheddar
- Landmark Creamery, Albany, Wisconsin – Cheesemakers Anna Landmark and Anna Thomas Bates sampling Petit Nuage, Aged Anabasque, Samwell & Pecora Nocciola
- Maple Leaf Cheesemakers, Monroe, Wisconsin – Owner Shirley Knox & Cheesemaker Jake Huffman sampling English Hollow Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Jalapeno Jack & 10-Year Cheddar
- Marieke Gouda, Thorp, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Marieke Penterman sampling Belegen 4-6 month Gouda, Marieke Golden, Foenegreek Gouda, Truffle Gouda & Summer Fields
- Potter’s Crackers, Madison, Wisconsin – Owner Nancy Potter sampling crackers, crisps and oyster crackers
- Quince and Apple, Madison, Wisconsin – Owners Clare & Matt Stoner Fehsenfeld sampling a variety of small-batch preserves
- Redhead Creamery, Brooten, Minnesota – Cheesemaker Alise Sjostrom sampling Lucky Linda Clothbound Cheddar, Little Lucy Brie, North Fork Whiskey Washed Munster & Cave Aged Garlic Cheddar
- Renard’s Cheese, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin – Master Cheesemaker Christopher Renard & Sales Director Samuel Perlman sampling Farmers Cheese with Pesto, Sriracha Cheddar, Legacy, Morel & Leek Monterey Jack
- Roelli Cheese, Shullsburg, Wisconsin – Master Cheesemaker Chris Roelli sampling Dunbarton Blue & Red Rock
- Sartori Company, Plymouth, Wisconsin – Master Cheesemaker Pam Hodgson & Master Cheesemaker Apprentice Jeremy Werdeo sampling Black Pepper BellaVitano, SarVecchio Parmesan, Merlot BellaVitano & MontAmore
- Saxon Creamery, Cleveland, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Eric Steltenpohl & Anthony Servais sampling Saxony Alpine, Snowfields, Asiago Fresca, Big Ed’s Gouda & Various Spreads
- Sheep Dairy Association of Wisconsin – Sheep Dairy Farmer Laurel Kieffer sampling a variety of Wisconsin sheep milk cheeses
- Shepherd’s Way Farms, Nerstrand, Minnesota – Cheesemaker Jodi Ohlsen Read sampling Friesago, Big Woods Blue, Hidden Falls, Shepherd’s Hope, Friesago & Sogn Tomme
- Tulip Tree Creamery, Indianapolis, Indiana – Cheesemaker Stephanie Montalban & Sales Director Laura Davenport sampling Trillium, Tigerlily, Foxglove, Fromage Frais, Nettle & Dutch Tulip
- Uplands Cheese, Dodgeville, Wisconsin – Cheesemaker Andy Hatch sampling Pleasant Ridge Reserve
- Vermont Creamery, Websterville, Vermont – Representative Molly Browne sampling St. Albans, Bonne Bouche, Cremont & Fresh Chevre
- Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Theresa, Wisconsin – Master Cheesemaker Joseph C. Widmer, Sr. and Cheesemaker Joseph C. Widmer, Jr. sampling Aged Brick, Mild Brick, 4-Year cheddar, 12-Year Cheddar, Caraway Colby & Brick Spread