The Cheese Fair Off the Square returned to Madison for its fourth year on Sept. 26, granting local businesses and cheesemakers exposure.
The fair took place around the State Capitol, and brought in cheeseheads from around Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland.
Among the enthusiastic cheesemakers and companies that took part in the event were Chalet Cheese, Ron’s Wisconsin Cheese and Renard’s Cheese.
One standout aspect of the event was the creativity behind the cheese Wisconsin is renowned for. Plenty of the cheesemakers who presented their craft have been in the business for over a decade and have artfully curated their own brands.
Huma Siddiqui, the owner of White Jasmine, told The Daily Cardinal she has been in the business for over 15 years.
“Because we live in the dairy land and we love cheese, I thought I wanted to make a cheese line that is a little bit different with my spices,” Siddiqui said. “My heritage is from Pakistan, so I wanted to use all my spices to blend Wisconsin culture and Pakistani culture and bring them together.”
Diverging away from the basic forms of cheddar and mozzarella, the Wisconsin cheesemakers use their years of expertise to bring forth a variety of flavors which leave local cheeseheads thoroughly satisfied.
The annual Cheese Fair sees new cheesemakers each year. However, some faces have remained constant for the last four years, coming every time the opportunity presents itself to bask in the joy of watching the people enjoy their craft.
“This is our fourth year here, ever since they started,” Michael Nelson, a cheesemaker at Chalet Cheese, told the Cardinal. “It’s really nice to see [costumers] try the cheese and enjoy it. Whenever we sample our cheese they just love it.”
He also emphasised giving rightful recognition to Wisconsin’s local dairy farms who enable them to produce such high-quality cheese.
“We are a dairy cooperative, not an internationally owned company, so it's all very local, and [local dairy farms] are very much involved in the operations,” Nelson said. “They provide excellent milk for us to make excellent cheese.”
Cheese production is not a one-man job, but rather a result of the collective effort of dedicated Wisconsin dairy farmers and cheesemakers.
A few patrons told the Cardinal they were walking through the Madison Farmers Market when they saw the Cheese Fair in action and decided to swing by.
While many vendors travelled across the cheese state for the exhibition, some carried on their operations from the heart of Madison, like Babcock Dairy.
“We are connected to Madison,” said Medhabi, a Babcock Dairy representative.
