Across the country, the signs of spring are slowly starting to show up. This week I came across some fresh asparagus in the grocery store and though it may not be local, it will certainly help hold me over until the local asparagus arrives.

I have been experimenting with pesto grilled cheese sandwiches for a while now and when I saw the asparagus I was reminded of the asparagus pesto that I made last year and I thought that an asparagus pesto grilled cheese sandwich would be the perfect way to welcome in the first of this year’s asparagus.

The asparagus pesto is pretty tasty all by itself but when you smother it in melted cheese and wrap it in crisp buttery bread it is truly something amazing!  With the strong flavor of in the pesto, I was going to need a cheese that could stand on its own two feet and I figured that a Wisconsin Gruyère would go perfectly with the sweet and juicy asparagus.

One problem with pesto grilled cheese sandwiches is that pesto generally has a lot of moisture so I like to use bread that is a day or two old and I like to lightly toast it first. This way the bread will be able to withstand the extra moisture better. Even with the pre-toasting, this is a pretty messy sandwich but, if a sandwich isn’t messy, is it really worth eating?

Chef Michael Symon Tip – “When you’re chopping herbs, you want to do a single pass with your knife. One pass. That’s it.” If you chop herbs too much it releases all of the flavors onto your cutting board instead of into the food.

Bacon Mac & Cheese with Wisconsin Gruyère is the highlight of Favorite Foods with Chef Michael Symon this week and combines the flavors of smooth Wisconsin Gruyère, rosemary, and heavy cream.

“Is there any greater comfort food in America than macaroni and cheese?” says Michael. “It is loved by people of all ages. This recipe is a grown-up version but kids love it too. It is the most requested dish by all my young nephews.”

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

June is National Dairy Month and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a cheese sandwich. Give me a loaf of bread and a few hunks of cheese and I am one happy girl. I like my cheese strong and my bread doughy – the perfect blend of texture and flavor.

Luckily there’s an easy way to carry the pleasures of this combination into everyday life: the cheese sandwich. With so many sandwich variety these days, there’s no need to settle for turkey and mustard.

From Fontina to Camembert to Edam, Wisconsin has been making outstanding cheeses for more than 160 years. I haven’t met a Wisconsin cheese I haven’t liked – and there are 600 varieties, types and styles! Step outside of the cheese cube and try a new variety.

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:

Smoked Salmon + Wisconsin Havarti Quesadilla

On a whole grain tortilla, layer some wild Alaskan smoked salmon with slices of your favorite Wisconsin Havarti – flavored or traditional – and a tablespoon of capers. Sprinkle on some dill or your favorite fresh herbs. If you’d like, grill it in a skillet until the cheese begins to melt – but it tastes great cold too! Cut into wedges and nibble away.

Fried Egg + Wisconsin Fontina

Eggs are often forgotten on sandwiches, but they make for a simple and inexpensive protein source. Cook an egg in a skillet, breaking the yolk early so it cooks flat. Top with a slice of Wisconsin Swiss cheese just before removing from the skillet and slide between two slices of a seedy whole wheat bread. Garnish with baby spinach, avocado or oregano.

Tomato, Basil + Fresh Wisconsin Mozzarella

A summertime favorite when the maters are sweet and the basil blooming! Serve mini tomato, basil, Mozzarella sandwiches on rolls at your next cookout. Or layer thick slices of Wisconsin Fresh Mozzarella onto a portabello mushroom, top with basil and tomato and add a second mushroom for a vegetarian shroom sandwich.

Grilled Wisconsin Blue + Herbed Turkey

To make every bite of cheese as delicious as the next, choose Wisconsin Blue cheese. You’ll be able to taste it on this sandwich! I always buy Wisconsin Blue cheese in block form, as I find it much more flavorful than pre-crumbled. And straight from a Wisconsin creamery will guarantee optimal bite and flavor. For a great grilled summer sandwich layer Wisconsin Blue cheese, herbed turkey, tomato, honey mustard, and lettuce between two slices of crusty French sourdough. Grill until the outsides are crisp and the cheese begins to melt.

Anjou Pear + Wisconsin Brie

Ah fruit, cheese and bread – a French picnic in sandwich form! I like to thinly slice an apple or ripe pear and pear, I mean pair, it with Wisconsin Brie for a stinky, sweet lunch. I like to use a fruit and nut bread to complement the fruit in between. A cinnamon raisin or apple pecan would be divine!

Tempeh + Wisconsin Gruyère

Did you know? You can eat raw tempeh! I use it as an easy alternative to deli meat. I prefer the kind made with grains. It’s chewy, so just slice it thinly and load it up with a flavorful cheese such as Wisconsin Gruyère. Jam makes a nice touch as well!

Wisconsin White Cheddar + Jam

And lastly, Cheddar and jam are one of my other very favorite pairings. For this sandwich I spread a berry jam onto whole wheat bread and add slices of Wisconsin Sharp White Cheddar. Spinach adds nutrients and color. This sandwich is thick and hearty!

Whatever your sandwich fancy is, a little cheese goes a long way. So long as you’re choosing something high in quality and full of flavor! Check out the Grilled Cheese Academy for more tasty combinations!

Memorial Day weekend is on its way. So break out the grill – charcoal or gas – grab your most trusted spatula, dust off that favorite apron, and get ready to celebrate a summer’s worth of delicious cheeseburgers – starting with these five-star cheeseburgers topped with delicious Wisconsin Cheese, from five chefs around the nation.

1. The Grandma Gertrude

by Chef Gregg Wangard of Marisol at The Cliffs Resort

The Grandma Gertrude is truly the breakfast of champions. It features an egg prepared over easy, two slices of Wisconsin Bellavitano Gold cheese, and a tasty Angus patty between buttered hamburger buns. Without question, it goes hand in hand with a cup of freshly brewed Joe and the morning paper.

Cheese Tip: Bellavitano Gold cheese features a rich and creamy texture, offers versatile flavor combinations reminiscent of Cheddar and Parmesan, and is excellent for melting. Pairs well with pinot gris, Riesling, sauvignon blanc, or scotch.

2. The Lamburgerini

by Executive Chef Kristine Subido of WAVE Restaurant & Bar

Inspired by the popular Turkish dish Adana kebab, these mini lamb burgers are giants when it comes to taste and satisfaction. They feature ground lamb topped with whipped Wisconsin Feta and a mouthwatering radish and cucumber salad. A fresh brioche sesame dinner roll serves as the bun for these delicious lamb sliders.

Cheese Tip: Feta browns well and sautés without melting. Feta is stored in brine that helps preserve it. To make additional brine, mix one tablespoon salt per cup of cool water. To reduce the salt content of Feta, rinse in cold water or soak in cold water or milk before serving. Pairs well with pilsner or pinot gris.

3. The Fire Station No. 5

by Chef Kent Rathbun of Abacus Restaurant

The Fire Station No. 5 is all about turning up the heat. It features Wisconsin Jalapeño Jack Cheese perfectly complemented by chipotle ketchup. Chopped cilantro and fresh jalapeño chiles added to the ground chuck give this cheeseburger that extra bite.

Cheese Tip: If the Jalapeño Jack is just too much, Wisconsin cheesemakers produce many flavors of Monterey Jack cheese: roasted garlic, wild morel and leek, onion and chive, and salsa, to name a few. Pairs well with a lager, brown ale, or Riesling.

4. The Lobsterwurst

by Chef Jason Gorman of Dream Dance

The Lobsterwurst pays homage to ocean-dwelling deliciousness. It showcases Wisconsin Gruyère atop an ever-so-edible deck of scallops, shrimp, and lobster. Seasoned with onions, garlic, and fresh tarragon, this cheeseburger is ready to take mouths on an epic sea-going voyage.

Cheese Tip: Carefully remove the rind of Gruyère before shredding or serving. Gruyère goes well with veal, chicken, potatoes, apples, pears, grapes, pickles, and mustards. Pairs well with a Weiss beer, chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc.

5. The Butcher Boy

by Chef Mindy Segal of HOTCHOCOLATE

The Butcher Boy is a hamburger that aims to please the meat lover in all of us. It features ground lamb and pork chorizo perfectly complemented by an oregano vinaigrette. For cheese, the Butcher Boy partners with the ever-so-rich and flavorful Carr Valley Creama Kasa.

Cheese Tip: Carr Valley Creama Kasa has a buttery piquant flavor. Pairs well with a brown ale or chardonnay.

The sun is out. The birds are chirping. The sky is blue. What better way to enjoy your week than with this week’s Cheese Cupid pairing? A Sunshine Wheat Beer and an array of unique Wisconsin Cheeses.

Sunshine Wheat Beer, brewed by the New Belgium Brewing Co., offers an American alternative to heavier-bodied Hefeweizens. This beer pours with a light golden color and a thick, white head. With aromas of zesty lemon and coriander, Sunshine Wheat has a light malt and hop flavor and a crisp mouthfeel.

Pair Sunshine Wheat with Roelli Cheese Baby Swiss, Roth Käse Grand Cru Gruyère and Organic Valley Family of Farms Feta.

Roelli Cheese, located in Shullsburg, Wisconsin, reopened its historic factory in 2007, continuing a nearly 100-year-old family tradition of producing artisan cheeses. Roelli Cheese produces several cheeses including Swiss, Überkäse and Baby Swiss. Baby Swiss is soft, silky, mild and creamier than Swiss Cheese and is ideal for melting. Roelli Cheese Baby Swiss is a delicious companion for a glass of Sunshine Wheat Beer.

Roth Käse Grand Cru Gruyère, a traditional Swiss-style cheese, is cured for over four months, resulting in smooth, floral notes. This cheese melts very well, making it perfect for fondue and grilled sandwiches. Make your next panini with Roth Käse Grand Cru Gruyère and pair with a cold glass of Sunshine Wheat.

Originating in Greece, Feta Cheese is traditionally made with sheep’s or goat’s milk and is crumbly, yet moist. Wisconsin Feta is often made with cow’s milk and packed in a brine. Organic Valley Family of Farms Feta is one of the few Wisconsin organic Feta Cheeses. Pair Greek Burgers with Wisconsin Feta and New Belgium Brewing Co. Sunshine Wheat Beer for a delectable meal.

For more Organic Valley information, follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

This week’s Wisconsin Cheese Cupid Pairing of the Week is a Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.

This vintage is a powerful and full-bodied cab with flavors of cinnamon, blackberry, and chocolate, aged in French oak barrels for two years.

This complex cab pairs well with Roth Käse Bleu Affinée, Roth Käse Grand Cru Gruyère, and Sartori Reserve Basil & Olive Oil Asiago.

Roth Käse Bleu Affinée is made from select wheels of Buttermilk Blue Cheese that are aged for six months, which makes the cheese more dense and peppery. Enjoy this cab alongside Gnocci with Blue Cheese and Wild Mushrooms.

Roth Käse Grand Cru Gruyère Surchoix is made by aging Grand Cru for nine months. It is a firm cheese with complex flavors of caramel and mushroom. Pair a glass of Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon with this delicious Gran Cru Gruyère recipe.

Sartori Reserve Basil & Olive Oil Asiago is hand-rubbed with basil and olive oil, and provides an elegant twist on a classic Italian cheese. Satori Foods has been a Wisconsin cheesemaker since 1939 and is currently under its third generation of family ownership. Indulge in Eggplant Caponata Barocco with Sartori Reserve Basil & Olive Oil Asiago, and a glass of Tamarack Cab tonight.

At the first Isthmus Beer & Cheese Festival, this past Saturday, I was again reminded of why it’s so great to live in Wisconsin – even if the winter feels endless by late January. The beer! The cheese! All of it, wonderful.

And inspiring. There were lots of great cheeses and cheesemakers – I wish I hadn’t lost my cheat sheet. For me there were definitely some standouts that got me thinking about tasty chocolate and cheese pairings.

My all-time favorite is the award-winning Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville. (Pictured left.)

It’s a French Gruyère-style cheese. So good. Since this cheese has big rounded flavor, I would pair it with a deep dark-chocolate ganache, like the one in my Rica Organica truffle.

The cheese hits all the zones in your mouth, filling it with flavor. When backed by the chocolate’s rich creaminess – delicious.

Dunbarton Blue, from Roelli Cheese Haus in Shullsburg, would make a great companion to a simple dark chocolate.

It’s an earthy Cheddar with a suggestion of Blue Cheese – but not overpowering. I think it would make an interesting truffle too. I’d like to try introducing just a bit of this cheese into a creamy chocolate center.

The Apple Jack, by Gingerbread Jersey in Augusta, had a slight apple flavor with a bit of cinnamon. This Cheddar would be a great partner for either my Cinnamon/Cayenne or Machu Picchu truffles. The Apple Jack’s creaminess would nicely tame the heat on the end of the Cinnamon/Cayenne. I tried about eight varieties of Carolyn and Virgil Schunk’s cheese. I also loved their Cranberry Horseradish Cheddar. I just thought Thanksgiving when I ate it.

The Feta from Klondike

Cheese Co. of Monroe is divine. It’s soft, creamy and not overly salted. This one is just right. I’d suggest pairing it with the big flavors of an Ecuadorian chocolate. The boldness of the chocolate will stand up nicely to the Feta cheese.

And if you’re lucky enough to get a bit of Hook’s 15-year-old Cheddar – Mmm, the possibilities. It’s so delicious with those tiny grains of saltiness that I love. I can just imagine a warm, crusty baguette sprinkled with chocolate shavings. The warm bread begins melting the chocolate, and then you top it with some crumbles of that incredible cheese. Oh joy. Oh comfort.

The best advice for pairing: If you think it might be good, give it a try. Have fun and be good to yourself!

Find more Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier pairings on her Facebook Page and Twitter account.

Gail Ambrosius truffle Twitter giveaway! (NOW CLOSED)

Love is in the air. So is the sweet smell of Wisconsin Crave Brothers Mascarpone and Columbian Dark Chocolate from Gail Ambrosius. Cheese Cupid is helping spread the love on Valentine’s Day by giving away 15 boxes of limited-edition heart-shaped truffles with Crave Brothers Cheese Wisconsin Mascarpone created by Gail Ambrosius.

You can enter the contest on Twitter. Tweet 3 words that come to mind when you think of Wisconsin Cheese and chocolate using the hashtag #cheeseandchocolate – example: Creamy, drea

my, delicious #cheeseandchocolate. Wisconsin Cheese Cupid will randomly pick 15 winners on Wednesday, February 10. The chocolate will be delivered on Friday, February 12.

Help spread the Wisconsin Cheese love.