How Is Cheese Made?

SUZANNE: In Wisconsin, we’ve been making cheese longer than we’ve even been a state, and we’ve won more awards for our cheese than any other state or country. And our cheese-making heritage comes from the European immigrants who brought their centuries old skills to our rich farmland. SUZANNE: When I think about Wisconsin’s dairy farmers, they’re up before dawn, and they’re working through all kinds of weather, caring for their animals, caring for the land, and they’re really feeding the world. These family businesses are, like, passed down through generations. Suzanne’s job is to advocate for these generational talents—including guys like Ron. RON: When I grew up on the farm, I just loved working with the plants, animals, the farm equipment and working with my family. RON: Both of my grandparents grew up on farms. When they got married and were looking for a farm of their own, they bought the current family farm that we have. So that was back in 1942. They farmed it, and my dad grew up there. Ron manages the cheese-making operation at Hill Valley Dairy, and his brother manages the farm of 50 cows. RON: Fifty cows make about 2,500 pounds of milk every day. It’s a 10 to 1 ratio for cheese, so it’s 250 pounds of cheese RON: First thing we do is pasteurize the milk, and then we fill our cheese vats with that milk. RON: The first thing we put into the milk is the cultures, which are the bacteria that drive the cheese-making process and create flavor in the cheese. RON: The next thing we put in the milk is a coagulant. Some people also call it rennet. And what it does is it gets the proteins in the milk to all stick to each other. RON: What we do with that coagulated milk is we cut it into little half-inch cubes. RON: These cubes are little squares that are called curds. The curds release moisture called whey. RON: What we do with the curds and whey is we gently stir them over a couple hours. RON: Those curds keep getting smaller and a little bit drier. Once the curds are dry enough, they’re salted and pressed into a mold to make a big wheel or block of cheese. Cheese is then aged accordingly. Cheese makers are always experimenting with new flavors and types of cheeses. RON: It’s a blend of science and art because we’re working with milk and we’re working with microbes and all these things are fluctuating and changing. Making cheese is a serious craft, especially in Wisconsin. SUZANNE: We’re the only place outside of Switzerland with a master cheese making program. We’re the only state that requires a license to make cheese. SUZANNE: Cheese just makes people happy. You know, it’s comforting, it’s celebratory, it’s real, and it’s made by people who pour their hearts into it SUZANNE: I want people to realize it’s not just a product. I think it’s an entire culture of Wisconsin, an entire obsession.