• 1 cup Butter
• ½ cup Flour
• 2 quarts Whole Milk.
• 1-2 Tbl Tabasco Sauce*
• 2 Tbl Worcestershire
• ¼ cup Chicken Soup Base
• 12oz Beer**
• 1cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Tbl Onion Powder base
• 1 Tbl Garlic Powder
• White Pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• ½ lb Shredded Wisconsin Colby
• ½ lb Shredded Swiss
• ½ lb Shredded Pepper Jack

In a large skillet or saute pan, melt butter. Add flour and whisk until incorporated. The consistency should be like wet sand.  Cook over low heat, stirring, until just golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat milk in a large soup pot and add Tabasco, Worcestershire, soup base and beer. Incorporate well with a whisk. Add the cream and seasonings, then heat to almost a boil. Make the roux by slowly incorporating small amounts of the butter & flour mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. Cook for 10-15 min.

Gradually add the cheese in small handfuls making sure to thoroughly melt and incorporate each handful before adding more. Do not let soup reach a temperature of more than 150 degrees or it will separate. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, then Serve immediately with crusty bread.

* The Tabasco is optional. I used 1 tbsp, but I really liked 2 tbsp.

* * I use Fat Squirrel, a delicious nut brown ale from New Glarus Brewing Co.

Kert Henning was our tour guide and family historian for the Henning’s story and cheese making tour. The factory was purchased by Kert’s grandparents, Otto and Norma Henning, in 1914. As you can imagine, the work was hard and the family labored long hours to make quality cheeses. They purchased milk from local dairy farms and this practice is continued today.

Kert told the story of his father, who got a good union job when he was just a little boy. After his grandfather passed away, Kert’s father, Everett, came home from this good union job and told his wife, Jellane, that he was going to quit and make cheese. Now there is every wives dream! This was when Kert, along with his brother Kerry and his sister Kay, started working with their parents to continue the tradition of making the excellent Cheddars that helped make Wisconsin’s reputation of being the nation’s Cheese Capital.

Today, Kert continues to support the family business with his sales and marketing expertise. He visits our Sendik’s Cheese Department often, making sure we have the products that we need and are informed of what is new at Henning’s. His brother, Kerry, is the Master Cheesemaker for Henning’s. Wisconsin has set the highest standards for cheesemaking in the nation. This is one very important reason as to why Wisconsin continues to place as the number one cheesemaker in the nation and is competing “toe-to-toe” with the Europeans. The honors are astounding.

Kay is the sister of the family and she runs the business end by taking care of the office and ordering. When I call Hennings to order my mammoth wheels for our store, it’s Kay that I talk to – what a doll! She is always cheerful- wait a minute… now that I think about it the whole family and extended family of employees that we met that day were all very, very happy people. California may have “happy cows,” but here in Wisconsin we have the nicest cheese makers!

Henning’s Cheese primarily makes Cheddar, Colby, Farmers and curds. Each of these cheeses uses the same technique for making cheese. Cheese factories must decide what type of cheese they are going to produce and stick to that type. For example: it is not possible for a cheesefactory to produce cheddar one day and blue cheese the next.

The making of Cheddar involves a lot of very hard, hands-on work. I think that is what struck me the most. I had assumed that a lot of the manual labor was done with machines. But not so, it takes strong backs to make hundreds of pounds of cheddar daily. It starts with milk being delivered to the factory directly from the farms. Pasteurization is done immediately and the milk is transferred to the large stainless steel vats and stirred as it is cooling with two huge mixing arms that move back and fourth along the tubs. Soon the curds start to form and this is when the hard work starts. The workers use long handled wooden rakes to pull the curds to the outside edge from the middle of the vat, forming a river of whey down the middle. They keep pulling and working the curds into large valleys of curds. The switch is flipped and the whey is drained out of the vat. Now the men start dividing the curds into loaves and they start “cheddaring”. This process is done all by hand. The workers reach into the vats, pick up a large section of the curds and begin flipping the sections over and over again, compressing the curds tighter and tighter. The next step is stacking the cheddar loaves on top of each other, flipping them over and over all the while, compressing the curds tighter and tighter and working more of the whey out of the curd. By the time they have finished this process the curds have compressed into a large block of fresh cheddar. This is the way Hennings has been making their famous cheddars since 1914.

Today, the Henning family is the only producers of Mammoth Cheddars and Colby in the United States. Mammoth wheels range from 20lb “Daisies” to 1000lb Cheddar Wheels! Many companies from across the USA order huge mammoth wheels a year or more in advanced so that they may have a specific flavor or age of cheddar.

Master Cheesemaker, Kerry, is also very busy creating new methods and flavors of the famous cheese. The Heritage White Peppercorn Cheddar is one example of his talents. The cheese won top awards at this year USA Cheese Championships it is“bandaged wrapped aged cheddar” meaning that it is wrapped in cheesecloth before the wheel is waxed and then aged. If you have not had an opportunity to try the cheese, please ask your Sendiks cheesemonger to give you a taste. This cheese almost has a parmesan mouth feel and is great as a table cheese or uses it as parmesan in your recipes. Another new cheddar that you are going to see soon is Roasted Garlic White Cheddar. This cheese offers a wonderful balance of cheddar and the wonderful taste of roasted garlic. I am looking forward to using this cheddar in my recipes.

Our morning at the Hennings Cheese Factory was fun and educational. Seeing Kerry, Kert and Kay was great. This is a family that really loves creating cheese and working together as a family. The best news is that new generations of little Hennings are learning the business; ensuring this family’s strong work ethic, commitment to creating quality Wisconsin cheese and dedication to Henning family values is preserved.

BEEF BURGUNDY

KAT-N-CHEESE, GT

SERVES 6

PREP TIME: 1HR

COOKING TIME; 8HRS

• 7 Strips bacon
• 3 med onions, minced
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 5 lbs cubed beef, browned
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• ½ cup burgundy
• 32oz Beef Stock
• ¾ cup flour
• ¼ cup grated carrots
• 8oz small mushrooms or sliced mushrooms
• Grapeseed Oil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbl fresh Thyme
• 1Fresh Bay Leaf
• You’re Choice of fresh grated Saxon Big Ed, grated Fontinella or crumbled blue Cheese

In a large pot, fry bacon until crisp. Set off to side and cut into ½ inch pieces.  In the bacon fat sauté onions and garlic, remove onion/garlic mixture.  Set skillet off to side saving bacon fat.  In a clean pot heat app. 3 tbl of *Grapeseed oil.  Brown beef, caramelizing exterior.  Add bacon, pepper, herbs, onion/garlic mixture, burgundy and one cup of beef stock.

Using the skillet with the remaining bacon fat, on medium heat, add flour a small amount at a time until all of the fat is absorbed into the flour.  Slowly add remaining beef broth, creating a thick sauce.  Add Gravy to the beef mixture.  Slowly cook in a low temp oven (250 degrees) or in a crock pot on low for at least 8 hours.  I typically use the crock pot and cook over night.  Serve on egg noodles or rice.  Topped with your choice of grated cheese, I recommend Saxon Big Ed, Fontinella or Crumbled Blue.

• Grapeseed oil requires only about one half as much to achieve the same results as other oils.  It has a much higher smoke point, as much as 400 degrees, creating browning at a faster rate without smoking or burning.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been in a real slump.  Not much cheese drifting between my ears.  But alas…. today the brain turned to cheese once again. I started thinking about BLT’s and how can I use cheese with this American favorite.  Ahhahhh…. Layered BLT Dip.  It was an instant hit in our Germantown Sendiks and I hope you and your family will enjoy it too!

Recipe Original: Kat-N-Cheese

Serving: 8

Time to prepare: 15 minutes.

LAYERED BLT DIP

• 1 Container of Alouette Garlic Herb Spreadable Cheese
• 1 Box Grape Tomatoes, chopped
• ½ English Seedless Cuck, finely chopped
• ½ Orange Sweet Pepper, finely chopped
• 2 Green Onion, finely chopped
• 3oz Bottle Hormel Real Bacon Bits
• 1 Bottle Sendiks Vidalia Onion Creamy Ranch Salad Dressing
• 1 Cup Shredded Mild Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese

Using a large platter; spread the container of Alouette Garlic Herb evenly

On platter.  Then layer chopped vegetables onto of the Alouette, in order given.

Sprinkle the vegetables with Hormel Real Bacon Bits.  Drizzle with Salad Dressing, amount to you preference.  Top with shredded Cheddar Cheese.

Serve immediately with Fritos Scoops.

Here in Germantown I have been ordering curds in bulk.  I get these huge 20lb bags of cheese curds and break them apart and package them for our customers.  We offer Pizza flavored, Onion Chive, Tomato Basil along with Garlic Dill, Cajun, Jalapeno, Ranch, Colored and White.

One day while packaging curds I started daydreaming about what I could do with a curd that was different than just opening the package and eating them.  I have been known to throw curds into casserole, cheese soups, mac and cheese, pizza’s anything that needs some cheese.  But I wanted to create something with the curd in mind.  Hummmm…….think…think…think.  After the dust settled, this is what I had created:  I call them “Cheesehead Balls” I offered sampling in the cheese

Department and everyone said they were a hit.  The thing that I like about this

idea is that it uses inexpensive everyday items that easily creates

a fun and surprisingly elegant ohrderve.

Cheesehead Balls

Makes apx 3doz balls

• 1 pkg of Wisconsin Cheese Curds, flavor of your choice.  I used our Pizza Curds
• 2- 13.2 oz tubes Pillsbury Country Italian Bread
• Sendik’s Pure Olive Oil
• Sendik’s Fresh Grated Asiago
• Morton & Bassett Italian Seasoning
• Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Open Pillsbury Italian Bread tube and slice dough into apx. 1 inch thick slices.

And cut each slice into half.  Flatten with your fingers and place a curd into the

Center then squeeze the bread dough around the curd forming a ball around the curd. Make sure the ball is sealed.   Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake apx. 10-15 min, just until top browns.  When done bring out of oven and brush with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with Italian Seasoning and Grated Asiago.  Serve with Marinara Sauce for dipping.

Shepherd Salad

• 1 sm Cucumber
• 1 small Sweet Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbl Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
• ½ cup Crumbled Feta, (I recommend Hidden Springs Creamery Fresh Sheep Feta in Brine)

Coarsely chop veggies, transfer to bowl.  Add Vinegar and Oil, toss well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with Feta and serve.

Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza

• 1 Boboli Whole Wheat Crust
• 1 Lemon
• 4oz Chevre, room temp.
• few leaves fresh Basil, cut in thin slivers
• ½ med Yellow Zucchini, sliced thin
• ½ med Green Zucchini, sliced thin
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Oven temp: 450

Stir together chevre with juice of half the lemon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread over pizza crust.  Scatter with fresh Basil slivers over cheese.  Arrange zucchini in circles on crust, overlapping slightly.  Squeeze juice of second half of lemon on top of zucchini , drizzle olive oil over zucchini and finish with salt and pepper to taste.  Bake 8-10minutes, until edges start to brown and zucchini looks roasted.

Crisse adds on the recipe that this makes a nice light lunch with a tomato salad and a white wine.

Saute of Zucchini & Toasted Almonds

• 2 Tbl Olive Oil
• 2 Tbl Thinly Sliced Almonds
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 or 2 small Zucchini, julienned
• few ounces of fresh grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

Heat Oil on high in a large skillet.  Once hot, not smoking, add the almonds to the pan.  Cook stirring constantly until golden brown, apx. 2min.  Add zucchini, toss it with oil and almonds until to begins to glisten, (1 min) Just warm the zucchini….do not cook it to mush!  Season with Salt and Pepper, top with freshly grated cheese and serve.

Last month he asked for several different cheeses in small quantities.  We got to talking and I learned that he was going to make some Mac and Cheese. He told me that he got the recipe for the Food Network, it had been the winner of a cook-off.  The recipe is called Delilah’s 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese, courtesy of Delilah Winder.

This last weekend my husband and I went camping with friends and I made this mac and cheese.  It almost filled my Nesco!  It was creamy and amazing….comfort food extraordinaire.   The only change that I made was using mascarpone (8oz) in place of the… (dare I say it…..velveeta) the mascarpone brought the smoothness to the mixture, I believe that cream cheese would also work just fine.

Delilah’s 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese

Recipe courtesy Delilah Winder

• 2lb Elbow Macaroni
• 12 eggs (I used large)
• 1 cup velveeta….again I used Mascarpone
• ½ lb (2 sticks) butter, melted
• 6 cups half-and-half, divided
• 4 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar, divided
• 2 cups grated extra sharp white Cheddar
• 1 ½ cups grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated Asiago
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
• 1 cup shredded Muenster
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cook macaroni to al dente, about 10 min.  Drain and set aside to keep warm.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until frothy.

Add the velveeta (or mascarpone), butter and 2 cup of half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs.  Add warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Ad the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow cheddar, and the remaining cheeses, salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl.

Pour the mixture into 9×13 casserole or baking dish and bake 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.

• Cooking, baking, and heating flavored cheddar cheese enhance flavors.

• Cheddar is a firmer cheese which gains flavor by aging.  It is best when aged over 3 months.

• Mold may develop on the surface of cheese– cut mold away 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the cheese on all sides containing mold.

• The best cheese flavor is when cheese is at room temperature, remove from refrigerator 1-2 hours before serving.

I am not a native to Wisconsin so when I moved here from Michigan I had no idea of what a cheese curd was.  Soon when I got to try my first curd I wasn’t too impressed.  But then I got to try fresh curds and learned about the importance of the squeakiness, which is the sure indicator of it’s freshness.

Wisconsin is the only state which has laws on the books regulating the sale of fresh curds.  When we receive the curds they are coming directly from the cheese factory.  These one pound bags are brought to the cheese department and are kept at a demo station. According to Wisconsin law we are not permitted to refrigerate the fresh curds!  Each bag of curds are dated with the current date and labeled as “Fresh” on the front of the bag.  We are only permitted to sell those curds for twenty-four hours.  At the end of the twenty-four hours any remaining curds are set aside and returned to Malcore.   And just so you know I had to ask what Malcore’s do with the returned curds.  I was really glad to find out that they become a special treat for a local pig farm.

Malcore’s also provides us with refrigerated curds.  These curds are kept in the cheese coolers.  They are the same exact curd but  must be kept refrigerated as indicated by Wisconsin law.  There is also a date on these bags, but this date indicates the expiration date.    These curds have the same quality as the “fresh” curds the only difference being that they are kept refrigerated.  Often if you let refrigerated curds set out at room temperature they will become squeaky, but you will not experience the tell tail sign of squeakiness of fresh curds with a cold curd.

After living in Wisconsin now for the last 12 years, I have grown to love curds as much as any native Cheese Head.  And since  introducing them to my family I am welcomed back home…..only I must bring with me fresh curds!

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting with Mary Wilhelm at Germantown.  She was shopping for bakers cheese to make her family’s favorite torte. She not only shared the recipe with me, but also the story of the recipe. Mary also graciously agreed to allow me to tell you the story and print the recipe.

Mary’s Grandmother, Eleanor Wilhelm, as a young wife, was expecting company and decided to make this “Refrigerator Torte,” a recipe that the family believes she found in a magazine. Mary’s father, Jerry, was 7 years old the first time Eleanor made
this and he loved it. In fact, it became his favorite.

Jerry always asked for the torte on his birthday. When he became an adult, his bride, Charlotte, learned how to make the torte.

Charlotte continued the tradition of making the torte for Jerry’s birthday every year until the year of his passing at age 72 years old.

Mary told me that her Mom always makes a “triple” batch because everyone knew that there would be torte for Jerry’s birthday and friends would stop by to get their piece of the treasured treat. Charlotte and Jerry owned “Jerry’s Beer and Liquor” in West Allis, and many of their customers became dear friends.

Today, Jerry’s family and friends continue to celebrate his birthday on July 25th with a triple batch of this Refrigerator Torte when they all get together.

A treasured gift was created within this family thru a recipe, a
simple torte that had been printed in a magazine many decades
ago. I am sure that the author never imagined how this recipe would impact a family. Isn’t that what is so amazing about the art of cooking? Food brings families together and creates traditions and memories that last generations. In today’s hectic world, it’s such a gift that we can use cooking and food as the glue that holds our families’ spirits and minds together, providing treasured memories for future generations.

WILHELM FAMILY REFRIGERATOR TORTE

1 sm pkg Lemon Jell-O (The original recipe called for pineapple Jell-O, Jell-O brand has a pineapple flavor that will be available at Sendik’s )
1 sm can crushed pineapple– drained, reserving juice in measuring cup. Add enough water to equal 1cup of liquid.
1/2 cup milk; use whole or 2%
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1 lb Sendik’s Bakers Cheese
2 egg whites
1/2 pint whipping cream

Crust:

2 cup gram cracker crumbs
1/2 cup to 1/4 cup Sugar (original recipe used 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup melted butter (Charlotte says “No substitutes. Must use butter!”)
Mix together gram cracker crumbs and sugar; add melted butter. Mix well.
Place in either a spring form pan or a 9×13 pan. Reserve some of the crust crumbs for the top.
On the stove top bring the pineapple and water mixture to a boil. Add Jell-O and stir until all dissolved. Cool
In a second pot on stove top; Bring milk, sugar, salt and beaten egg yolks, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from stove and allow to cool.
When both the Jell-O mixture and the milk mixture are cool. Add the milk mixture to the Jell-O mixture beating with electric mixer. Add Sendik’s Bakers
Cheese and continue beating until smooth. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until very stiff. Gently fold beaten whites into the Sendik’s Bakers
Cheese mixture using a hand whisk, be very careful not to over mix and break down the egg whites.
Now in another chilled mixing bowl using chilled beaters; beat the whipping cream until stiff. Now fold this in to Sendik’s Bakers Cheese mixture again
being very careful not to over mix, causing the whipping cream or egg whites to break down.
Now assembly: Spread crushed pineapple evenly in pan on top of gram cracker crust. Pour Sendik’s Bakers
Cheese mixture onto of the pineapple, spread evenly. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Refrigerate to set overnight.