Well I'm at Wisconsin Dells...

Beeautifull weather too!

Kids wanted to go there one more time. I'll be glad when they out grow it. Not that it isn't fun for me as well. this morning the youngest and I tried zip lining, and had a blast!

My legs hurt from hours pounding the concrete, but hey I am keeping up. Need different shoes soon!

Pretty expencive place to hang out for too long. But unique for sure.

Regards, Kirk

Been many years since I've been there.

I hope you post lots of photos, I'd love to see the place again.

Eating fried cheese curds and other Wisconsin delicacies?

I'm not much for Wisconsin, but while you are here, if you like a strong cheese, please find a small dairy somewhere and buy some 12-16 year old cheddar. You can't come to Wisconsin and not try the cheese!

I'll see what I can do with the pics, I have not taken any yet. We do have many from past years.......Yes to the cheeze curds though!
We'll be stopping in Plain Wis. on the way home to buy cheeze. Have for years at the same place. They make the best Jarlsberg, a type of Swiss, that I love.......

Looks like an interesting place to check out in the winter. I am in the process of contacting the owner of a "ducks" fleet about perhaps bringing the ST4 up here to run on his trails.... Out back he has a collection of military vehicals. I asked, and one of his employes to googled snow trac, and he agreed his boss would love it! So I am hopefull to hear back from him. It's about a 6 hour drive from my home to here. Last year they had alot more snow than we did as well. Lots of other trails too. The locals say it's a much smaller crowd than in summer, but many water parks have indoor facilities, and are open now year around. Google "Mt. Olympus Wisconsin Dells" to see where we are staying. Big park, the largest here according to the literature.

Lots of beautifull county side here I enjoy seeing. I could see myself farming here if only.....

Best regards, Kirk

Oh jeez, I forgot to mention Cheese Curds!

My God, if you never had fresh cheese curds, you have no idea what you are missing. There';s a small dairy nearby, Pine River Dairy, and every so often, they'll have bags of fresh never refrigerated cheese curds they pulled out that day.

Squeeky little suckers! Man, now I am hungry....

When you stop at that dairy, ask if they have any fresh cheese curds. Much better than refrigerated!

I'll do that. Fresh curds for sure.....

I'll also ask about chedder as old as my youngest daughter! Didn't know that they aged it this long.

Best regards, Kirk

Here's the webpage with all the cheeses they sell. I suspect many Wisconsin old-money dairies have similar offerings.

http://www.pineriverdairy.com/

waybomb said:

Oh jeez, I forgot to mention Cheese Curds!

My God, if you never had fresh cheese curds, you have no idea what you are missing. There';s a small dairy nearby, Pine River Dairy, and every so often, they'll have bags of fresh never refrigerated cheese curds they pulled out that day.

Squeeky little suckers! Man, now I am hungry....

When you stop at that dairy, ask if they have any fresh cheese curds. Much better than refrigerated!

Click to expand...

I used to eat 'em right out of the vat, when I hauled milk to cheese plants. Right after they stirred the salt in, after the whey was drained out.
Pretty good stuff!

Well I "viewed some 14 and 16 year old chedder in Plain Wis. today. I bought the 10 year old XXXsharp. The change in color at those later ages, well left me cold. Not a bad color, mind you, but the fading of the yellow to a darker less yellow colr left me wondering. Probably passed up soething really special, don't know

Kirk

Sharp cheese does not even start to get good till it is at least 8 years old. I have had some wonderful 12 year old down in Rusty's hometown. I can get 7 year right down in our local town. They don't have enough room to hold it longer and folks buy it up as fast as they release it.

So what is the best way to enjoy them? I hope at 10 years the cheeze I bought is at least "on the map" of sharps. I want to use the whole brick before it goes bad, or is it "immune" at 10 years..

No I know you wash the tainted out side off and trim to get to eddible cheeze.....

I have crackers and some fix'ins for over the top of the cheeze. Room temp I assume.

Regards, Kirk

I dug into the 10 year old tonight. Good stuff there. I like it alone, and it's not nearly as sharp as I would have though. Nice and mellow actually. Slightly soft, but still firm texture. Very smooth with a lot of depth of flavor. Thanks for recommending this to some one who did not know. Now I get it.

Best regards, Kirk

Now you have me wanting to go get the piece I have in the fridge and eat some. I have a few homemade beefsticks also.

waybomb said:

Oh jeez, I forgot to mention Cheese Curds!

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I discovered plain cheese curds last year Fred.
Couldn't believe they had fresh ones right in the dairy case!
Poutine.. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! lol

I don't understand the color change you saw - maybe they cut the pieces and air got to them? I'm sure the inside is good. I buy a few pounds at a time, and cut into smaller pieces, then vacuum bag them.

Pine River recently had some 16 year old cheddar. Man, it was like butter. The other day I bought 3 pounds of 12 year old, and some 3 year old Swiss. I've never tried an older swiss yet. I'll let you know what I thought.


PG - in the dairy case isn't as fresh as you can get. There is a huge difference. Find a local dairy that makes cheese and get some fresh out of the vat. They squeek when you eat them.

One of my favorite cheeses though is an Italian cheese called Crucolo. Maybe because I know the owner's son, but it is soooo good. If you ever run across some in a cheese shop, buy a small piece and try it. Goes so well with a Cab, Merlot, Syrah, Zin, or a Pinot Noir.

Waybomb,

I think you'll like the 3 year old swiss. It has an almosty nutty flavor, and is very firm, low in moister. I know I do, and have been passing up this old cheddar for the swiss! I know I like them both now, thanks, as it was your post that had me wanting try the sharp cheddar.

The color change I saw in the 14 year and 16 year olds was slight, but there. The blocks were well sealed in parriffin wax, so I don't think contamination was ever an issue. The annatto that is used to color cheddar is simply fading a bit I am sure. I was just a bit scared to pay well for some thing this old and eat it! The 10 year old was $15 per pound as it was! Next time I gotta get some of the 16 year old stuff!

Best regards, Kirk

My source of the cheeze is a store in Plain Wisconsin, the first town south of one of Frank Loyd Wright's homes, Talliassinn (spelling?) Very nice area, and a very nice town as well. The name of the store is "The Cheeze Maker" and I don't think they are on the net'. But they have and make some mighty fine cheese's, as well as some imports. I just thought I would make them a little internet pug here....As I nibble on some of that cheddar....

Also like their Tomato basil cheeze curd...Great stuff!

They do have a web site!
http://www.cheesemaker.com/gift.html

Kirk

waybomb said:

PG - in the dairy case isn't as fresh as you can get. There is a huge difference. Find a local dairy that makes cheese and get some fresh out of the vat. They squeek when you eat them.

Click to expand...

I know about that squeak lol

Fred, I sampled some of the "squeaky" cheese at the place in Berne, Indiana a couple of years ago.
The first time I ever tasted a cheese curd, fresh.. was at the Cheddar Gorge cheese factory in Somerset, England.

I just had a piece of Cabot seriously sharp. It is commercial but will do till I hit the local cheese place again. Their 7 year is really good.