Chef Michael Symon Tip – “When you’re roasting meat, after you cook it, let it sit for a couple of minutes. Let those juices rest.” Letting the meat rest keeps the meat from drying out once it is cut.

This week’s recipe on Favorite Foods with Chef Michael Symon is a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Wisconsin Gouda, topped with pickled chilies, cilantro, and, the star of the show, Wisconsin Smoked Cumin Gouda.

“I love this sandwich because the cheese does all the work for me,” says Michael. “I love smoked and pulled pork (but it takes time), but with Wisconsin Smoked Cumin Gouda I can get all those great smoky flavors that I love by quickly grilling tenderloin, and topping it off with this cheese.”

To watch Favorite Foods with Chef Michael Symon and for this week’s recipe and recipes from weeks past, visit EatWisconsinCheese.com. A new episode in the 12-part cooking series will be posted weekly.

Hungry yet? Imagine preparing Chef Michael Symon’s favorite foods with new, free Viking appliances. Enter weekly for a chance to win a 3-piece Viking Professional cutlery set, and a chance for the Grand Prize, a Viking range and refrigerator.

Can’t get enough of Chef Michael Symon and Wisconsin Cheese? Follow Wisconsin Cheese on Facebook and Twitter for exclusive photos and updates.

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Fried Egg Sandwich & Wisconsin Aged Gouda

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
Pinch of cayenne
1 cup Wisconsin Aged Gouda cheese, grated
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
5 ounces baby spinach leaves
12 eggs
12 slices whole grain bread, toasted

Mornay Sauce

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in medium saucepan. Add diced onion, salt and pepper. Sweat the onions on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Add flour and stir to form a paste. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Stir in nutmeg and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese until melted. Remove from heat; set sauce aside to cool.

Vegetables

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large sauté pan. Add sliced sweet onion; cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in salt and pepper to taste and mushrooms; cook about 2 minutes or until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted.

Final Preparation

For each sandwich, fry 2 eggs to desired doneness. Spread a generous tablespoon of the sauce on each of 2 slices of toast. Top each with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vegetables. Place the cooked eggs over vegetables on one slice and flip the other slice on top of eggs. Serve immediately.

For all-new breakfast recipes featuring Wisconsin Dairy products visit WakeUpWithDairy.com.

Wisconsin cheese fans, devotees, aficionados—Welcome to Wisconsin Cheese Talk, the new Wisconsin Cheese blog—a place to share Wisconsin’s unique cheesemaking heritage and express your Wisconsin Cheese pride. There’s always so much going on in the world of Wisconsin Cheese, so we’ll be using this blog to bring Wisconsin Cheese into your world more often. We’ll have guest blog posts by your favorite foodies, cheesemakers, and restaurant chefs, and we’ll give you behind-the-scenes footage of some of the most delicious Wisconsin Cheese events.

To celebrate the recently launched Grilled Cheese Academy, we’re kicking off Wisconsin Cheese Talk with a guest blog post by Shane from the grilled cheese–dedicated blog, Grilled Shane, describing his rendition of The Benedict. In conjunction with the launch of Wisconsin Cheese Talk, Grilled Shane is hosting a Grilled Cheese Academy recipe contest—head over to Grilled Shane for more details.

Again, welcome to Wisconsin Cheese Talk—join the conversation and the celebration of Wisconsin Cheese!

With spring in full-stride and summer just around the corner, it’s time to bring back those backyard barbecue beer and cheese pairings that we all love and crave during the cold winter months. Thus, without further ado, we present a tall pint of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and an array of distinctive Wisconsin semi-hard cheeses as your Cheese Cupid pairing this week. Enjoy!

Produced by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a prominent classic-style beer. Made with top-fermenting ale yeast and brewed with Magnum, Perle and Cascade hops, this beer is known for its high notes of maltiness and superior hoppiness. It has a deep amber hue, a full-bodied taste and spicy after-notes, which have lead to several national brewing awards. Pair this brew with BelGioioso Small Style Provolone, Castle Rock Organic Farms Raw Milk Cheddar and Roth Käse Van Gogh Smoked Natural Gouda at your “cookout season opener.”

Located in Denmark, Wisconsin, BelGioioso Cheese has specialized in all-natural, award-winning Italian-style cheeses for more than 20 years. BelGioioso Small Style Provolone is made from whole cow’s milk and aged at least 60 days. Closely related to Mozzarella, Provolone is distinguishable by its fuller flavors that intensify with age. It goes well with cured meats and the sweetness of tomatoes and late-harvest fruits. These smaller cuts of Provolone are great for gift-giving or snacking on with a cold brew in hand.

Settled in the lush green valleys in Osseo, Wisconsin, Castle Rock Organic Farms concentrates on sustainable artisan cheeses, including Blue Cheese, Colby, Cheese Curds, Cheddar and Raw Milk Cheddar. Castle Rock Organic Farms Raw Milk Cheddar supports key consumers who have a passion for environmentally conscious products and it comes in an array of flavors. Try the Spinach Leek Garlic, Lemon Thyme Ginger, or Black Bean Salsa varieties. If you’re looking for something more traditional, these cheeses also come in Mild, Medium and Sharp. Pair any of these flavors with a pint of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale this week. Don’t forget the crackers!

Originally from Switzerland, the Roth family moved to America in 1911 to start crafting Eurpean-style cheeses in Green County, Wisconsin, now often known as “Little Switzerland.” Roth Käse Van Gogh Smoked Natural Gouda is made by aging the Gouda for six months and then smoking it, which adds the quintessential savory flavor to the cheese.

Make Tavern Beer Cheese with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and one of these delicious semi-hard Wisconsin Cheeses for your first outdoor affair this summer.

Our pairing this week is a 2007 Newton Chardonnay from Newton Vineyards in Oakville, California.

This 2007 chardonnay vintage is delicate, with aromas of crisp apple, pear and toasted bread. Upon tasting, flavors of peach, clove and fresh tangerine balance out this bright and richly textured wine. Very versatile, this wine is a great choice for many foods and goes well with a variety of cheeses, from the fresh and mild, to the aged and complex.

Pair this chardonnay with Crave Brothers Cheese Fresh Mozzarella, Bleu Mont Dairy 10-month Aged Gouda and Gingerbread Jersey Monterey Jack.

Noted as Mozzarella Fresca in Italy, its origin, Fresh Mozzarella was first made with milk from the water buffalo. In Wisconsin, it is most often made with cow’s milk. This cheese is known as a Pasta Filata cheese, which means that the curds are kneaded, then stretched and formed into balls or logs. Moreover, this cheese is not cured in brine or aged like the low-moisture Mozzarella that many are familiar with in the Midwest. Instead, Fresh Mozzarella is eaten when only a few days old, and to keep it fresh, the cheese is submerged in water. Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella is a delicate, young, milky cheese that comes as ciliegine (cherry size), bocconcini (ball size) and ovoline (egg size), or in eight-ounce balls and one-pound logs. Fresh Mozzarella is great when served in the traditional Italian manner, caprèse style – with sliced tomatoes and chopped fresh basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with ground pepper – a great dish with a glass of this week’s chardonnay.

Bleu Mont Dairy, in Blue Mounds, produces uniquely aged Cheddar and Gouda cheese from organic milk of pasture-grazed cows. Bleu Mont Dairy 10-month Aged Gouda is a sweet and nutty cheese, which holds up well in a robust fondue dish, as an appetizer or even as a savory dessert aside a glass of Newton Chardonnay. Notably, Gouda is traditionally pronounced “khow da.”

Monterey Jack is the perfect versatile cheese. It can be flavored with almost any herbs, spices or food profiles. Gingerbread Jersey Monterey Jack comes in several unique flavors, including “Taste of Athens,” “Taste of Bangkok” and “Taste of Sicily.” These different cheese flavors are delicious on inventive pizza and sandwich recipes.

Try making one of these pizza recipes with this week’s Wisconsin Cheese pairings – don’t forget the glass of chardonnay:

Flatbread Pizzas with Wisconsin Mozzarella and Gouda

Mediterranean Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella

Spicy Pepper Jack and Chicken Pizza

Grilled Pizza with Wisconsin Three-Cheese Blend

The New Year has officially begun. Resolutions are top of mind. Promise of good fortune is ringing throughout ears.

Start off the year on the right note, with this week’s Wisconsin Cheese Cupid pairing, Anchor Porter, by Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, California.

Anchor Porter is a dark brew made with specially roasted dark malts and top-fermenting yeast. This porter is medium-bodied, highly hopped, and has a thick, creamy head. It has notes of chocolate and coffee. Pair this beer with strong, bold-flavored cheeses. Try Burnett Dairy Cooperative Alpha’s Northwoods Aged Cheddar, Chalet Cheese Cooperative Limburger, or Holland’s Family Farm Marieke Italian Herb Gouda.

Cheddar is a rich cheese that becomes sharp and assertive with age. Burnett Dairy Cooperative Alpha’s Northwoods Aged Cheddar is a full-bodied yellow Cheddar that is naturally aged. It is a delicious snacking and serving Cheddar.

Limburger is often known as “stinky” cheese for its pungent aroma and strong taste. It was originally produced in Belgium, but is now associated with German origins. Chalet Cheese Cooperative in Monroe, Wisconsin is the last producer in the United States of Limburger. Chalet’s Limburger is buttery, and varies with age. When young, it is crumbly and Feta-like. At two months the cheese is smooth, creamy, and sweet. Aged, Limburger is intense and musky.

Holland’s Family Farm Marieke Italian Herb Gouda is a flavored, specialty Gouda from Holland’s Family Cheese in Thorp, Wisconsin. Made with whole milk, rich, smooth and creamy, Gouda is known as a “sweet curd cheese.” Gouda develops more complex caramel flavors and a firmer texture when aged.

It’s time to ring in the New Year once again. Celebrate in style with the Wisconsin Cheese Cupid “Pairing of the Week” – champagne with semi-soft and soft Wisconsin Cheeses.

Brut Yellow Label by Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is a balanced champagne blend of reserve wines from as many as 50 to 60 different crus. The champagne’s grape varietals include pinot noir, pinor meunier, and chardonnay. Golden yellow, Brut Yellow Label yields a nose of white fruit and raisin, with a toasty vanilla finish. Pair this champagne with Holland’s Family Cheese Marieke Gouda, Roth Käse Vintage Van Gogh Gouda, Arla Foods’ Dofino Edam, or Président Brie.

Gouda is a smooth, nutty cheese that originated in Holland. Marieke Gouda is Holland’s Family Cheese’s signature cheese with equipment, cultures, and herbs imported from Holland. The Gouda is available in 13 flavors. Year-round flavors include Italian Herb, Onion & Garlic, Smoked, and Foenegreek. This Gouda is perfect for a cheese plate.

Roth Käse Vintage Van Gogh Gouda is produced in small batches with full-cream milk. This cheese is aged for six months, during which it develops a creamy texture and caramel undertones. A good serving or cooking cheese, Vintage Van Gogh is delicious in omelets and quiches.

Edam is a savory, mild cheese traditionally from Europe. The name “Edam” comes from a town of the same name in southern Holland. Arla Foods’ Dofino Edam is subtle, with a nutty flavor. It goes well with fruit, baked foods, and Carribbean-style dishes.

Brie is a rind cheese – with white mold growth on the exterior of the cheese – traditionally from France. It has a soft, creamy interior, thin edible rind and a rich, earthy mushroom flavor. It is often paired with crackers or crusty bread. Président Brie, from Belmont, Wisconsin, is buttery, creamy, and comes in several serving sizes. Serve it with fruit, nuts, or olives.

A toast to good fortune. Good bubby. And Wisconsin Cheese.