It's been almost 30 years since it happened the last time, but a U.S. cheese just won the World Championship Cheese Contest. And guess what? It was a cheese made right here in Wisconsin.
It’s true. A cheese made in the United States has won the World Championship Cheese Contest for the very first time since 1988. It happened on Wednesday at Monona Terrace in Madison. And the world (literally) has taken notice.
All told, it's a very good time to be proud of the state of Wisconsin – or at least for how great our cheeses are.
The cheese of the moment is Roth Grand Cru Surchoix, a smear ripened Alpine style cheese made by Emmi Roth in Monroe, a creamery with a long (fascinating) history and strong ties to Switzerland.
The cheese itself is made the old fashioned way, using copper vats imported from Switzerland. Very few wheels of Grand Cru® are chosen for the honor of becoming Surchoix; but those that are are then aged on wooden boards for at least nine months.
The aging room is pretty fancy at Roth. The view through an observatory window shows the machine that shifts the cheeses from one place to another.
The cheese itself is rich and deep, with a pungent odor and an almost meaty flavor. It’s delicious served alongside apples or hazelnuts, and fruity red wines absolutely love it.
It also goes amazingly well with chicken. So, while I wouldn’t advise melting it, it is downright perfect added to chicken and apple salad.
And just thinking about it makes me hungry. Fortunately, I can head right down the street to the Wisconsin Cheese Mart and pick up a half-pound of it for just under $9.
And hey, if you feel so inclined, I’d invite you to do the same. The cheese is also likely to be in stock at cheese shops like the West Allis Cheese Shop and Larry’s Market.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
