by Wisconsin Cheese

Today’s the last day for the t-shirt and apron giveaway.

Answer one of the last two questions (in the comment section of this post) for a chance to win a Cheese & Burger Society t-shirt or Cheese Cupid apron.

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Enjoy the rest of National Burger Month with a delicious Wisconsin cheese-smothered burger this weekend and get set for the start of June Dairy Month next week!

• If you’re craving a little burger and cheese romance, which Cheese & Burger Society cheeseburger is your match? (Hint: Visit CheeseAndBurger.com)
• Which German-derived beverage goes well with a cheeseburger topped with Limburger, Brick Cheese, and Swiss Cheese, to name a few? (Hint: Visit CheeseCupid.com)

Congratulations to Alisa (t-shirt) and Leah (apron) for being yesterday’s winners!

(One prize her household. US only.)

As January continues, keep the New Year interesting by pairing a well-known international lager with Wisconsin-branded local cheeses.

This week’s Wisconsin Cheese Cupid “Pairing of the Week” is a Stella Artois with semi-soft Wisconsin Cheeses, such as Limburger, Butterkäse, and Swiss.

Stella Artois is a Belgian-style bottom-fermented pilsner with a full-bodied lager taste. This brew pours clear with an amber hue. The smell is hoppy, with sweet, grassy notes. A crisp taste is followed by a slight yeastiness with a bitter but pleasant finish.

Pair a pint of Stella with Country Castle Cheese Limburger by Chalet Cheese Cooperative, Cedar Grove Cheese Butterkäse,  and Roelli Cheese Swiss.

Limburger, a pungent, surface-ripened cheese, is the most famous of all Belgium cheeses. Country Castle Cheese Limburger, produced by Chalet Cheese Cooperative, remains the only U.S. produced Limburger. Enjoy this cheese the traditional way – a thick slice of Limburger and slices of raw onion, layered between two slices of dark rye bread – served with a cold lager.

Butterkäse originated in Germany, as an Alpine cheese, and has since become a notable Wisconsin Cheese. The Wisconsin Butterkäse from Cedar Grove Cheese Company is pale yellow and smooth with a mild, delicate taste. Established in 1878, Cedar Grove Cheese Company is well known for its variety of organic and specialty cheeses using only vegetarian, GMO-free ingredients. Cedar Grove Cheese has also implemented a “Living Machine,” using microbes and tropical plants, which is able to clean all the cheese factory’s washwater using natural and efficient processes.

Swiss Cheese is globally known for its strong, aromatic flavors and recognized as European in nature, though American cheesemakers are responsible for modernizing Swiss Cheese production. With the American advent of plastic packaging, which keeps moisture in but allows carbon dioxide to escape, it became possible to produce rindless Swiss Cheese. Wisconsin cheesemasters, Roelli Cheese, specializing in handcrafted Swiss for nearly 100 years, reopened its historic cheese factory in 2007. Roelli Cheese produces a whole milk, Shelf-Cured Swiss, as well as Ûberkäse, a cheese with the look of Brick and the taste of Baby Swiss. Swiss Cheese is full-flavored, buttery, nutty, and aged at least 60 days. Swiss Cheese is a delicious ingredient for casseroles, classic fondues, and potato dishes.

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.