essential food & beverage
Dream Cheeses from Four Chefs and a Writer by Anna Thomas Bates
Wisconsin produces more cheese than any other state. Six hundred varieties are crafted here, double that of runner-up California. Ninety percent of the state’s milk is turned into cheese, and not only has Wisconsin won more cheese awards than any other state, but it has won more cheese awards than any other country. It’s not surprising that chefs have strong opinions about the cheeses they eat and serve their customers. Here are the dream cheese boards of four chefs and a writer who specializes in cheese. Maggie Roovers is the general manager at Fresco and was previously the head chef at Forequarter. Maggie’s dream cheese board? “I prefer softer cheeses for a cheese board. I like things that I can 14 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s
spread on a cracker with some sweet stuff. One of my favorite pairings that I’ve done in the past was Petit Nuage (Landmark Creamery) with rhubarb jam. “At Forequarter, Mel Trudeau encouraged me to make dishes that highlighted cheeses in ways that didn’t always fit the traditional cheese board format. This made me think about the seasonality of cheeses themselves. I associate fresh sheep- and goat-milk cheeses with spring, so I love to pair them with things like asparagus, spring onions, basically anything green. “Ricotta and any form of mozzarella are my summer cheeses. My most popular cheese dish at Forequarter had to be the marinated summer squash with
stracciatella. We served it with the most delicious sourdough from Origin Breads. The way that the cream and the sunflower oil from the squash marinade combined made for the best bread dipping. I don’t know if I’ll ever beat that dish. Alpine cheeses are my go-to for fall, and I love them with all of the winter squash. Bleu cheese is my choice for winter. Working a creamy bleu into a root vegetable puree (especially rutabaga) takes it to another level!” Jon Rosnow is the chef and owner of Common Pasta and formerly of Heritage Tavern. Jon’s dream cheese board? “Mine has more cheeses on it than I could certainly eat in one sitting. I would have a bit of each though: Landmark Creamery Rebel Miel, Emmi Roth Surchoix, Dreamfarm Roseblossom, Uplands Cheese’s Rush Creek Reserve, Milton Creamery Prairie Breeze,
