We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series referred to as Meet the Makers, that includes a sampling of the state’s best cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
In 2019 I used to be fortunate sufficient to attend the annual American Cheese Society Awards, hosted that 12 months in Richmond, Virginia. Of the numerous fond recollections I’ve from that journey, there’s one specifically that tends to rise to the highest of my thoughts each time I’m reflecting on it: a large sea of proud Wisconsin cheesemakers cheering one another on because the state took dwelling win after win for its unbelievable cheeses. I misplaced depend of the variety of awards that the state’s cheesemakers took dwelling for cheddars and cheese curds—I’d anticipated them to shine in these classes. What I wasn’t anticipating was for a Wisconsin cheesemaker to take dwelling not one, however two awards for Gouda, a cheese I’d lengthy related solely with Europe.
That 12 months, Marieke Gouda took dwelling 1st place within the Worldwide-Type with Taste Added class for his or her Bacon Gouda and 2nd place in that very same class for his or her Foenegreek Gouda. However how did award-winning Gouda make its approach to the midwest? I sat down with Marieke Penterman, founding father of Marieke Gouda, to search out out.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
MADISON TRAPKIN: What introduced you to Wisconsin?
MARIEKE PENTERMAN: I grew up on a dairy farm within the Netherlands on a 600-cow farm. Holland could be very small, it suits about 5 instances within the state of Wisconsin, and we’ve got about 80 million individuals, which makes [farming] fairly difficult and really costly. So to ensure that [my family] to proceed dairy farming, we wished to look overseas and the place else are you able to go in case you love cows and good cheese? Wisconsin, after all.
Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland, in order that is smart! How did you make your approach to the cheesemaking aspect of issues?
I’ve [always been] very proud to be a dairy farmer right here in Wisconsin, however after a short time, I used to be lacking my good kaas from Holland. I’d go to the shop right here and I’d discover great, lovely cheeses, however I could not discover good Gouda. [I had a] loopy thought to start out making [it] as a result of we had good Wisconsin milk proper right here on the farm and it appeared like an incredible thought. The one drawback I had was that I didn’t know how one can make cheese.
Ah, a minor element.
I had to return to highschool right here in Wisconsin to get my cheesemaker’s license, which I did in October 2006. However that didn’t imply that I knew how one can make Gouda. So, I needed to [go] again to Holland [where I] labored with a woman who had 10 cows and a dairy farmer that had 200 cows and it was actually attention-grabbing to see what the distinction between a smaller and a much bigger Gouda producer was.
Photograph by Dusan Harminc
What are an important issues to contemplate once you’re making Gouda?
As a Gouda cheesemaker you’ll be able to play together with your cultures, after all, however [you can also play with things like] your water—how a lot water do you add? And [what’s] the temperature of it? How lengthy do you wash it? These are all essential components [that go] into creating your individual recipe. I made my very first batch of Gouda in November of 2006.
What makes Marieke Gouda so distinctive?
To start with, I am very pleased with our cows. They produce a really top quality of milk and [we are] a farmstead creamery, which implies that we’ve got cows proper right here on the farm. When the cows are being milked, that milk goes straight by means of a pipeline below the bottom into our cheese vat, so more energizing than you will get it [from elsewhere]. It’s the top quality of milk and the actually fast manner of us with the ability to make it right into a scrumptious wheel of Gouda ([which happens] inside 5 hours) that makes our cheese actually distinctive.
How does your Gouda evaluate to Dutch Gouda?
We do import a few of the cheese gear from the Netherlands simply to return as intently as potential to the Dutch manner of creating it. A few of our components come from the Netherlands, like our cultures and a few of our herbs, however we’re not as adventurous within the Netherlands as we’re right here in the US. [At Marieke Gouda], we’re a bit extra extravagant with our flavors.
That jogs my memory of your Foenegreek Gouda—the place did the thought for this taste combo come from?
The primary time that I used to be cooking the [with this] herb it made my entire kitchen scent horrible, to be trustworthy. It smelled just a little bit bitter and I used to be unsure if I wished so as to add it to it, however we did not need to waste it both, so we added it to our very first batch of Foenegreek Gouda. [This cheese] makes use of a seed that tastes just a little bit nutty, however smells like maple syrup. It’s very expensive to me as a result of it is one in every of our signature cheeses.
Since making that first wheel in 2006, your cheeses have gained fairly a number of awards! Are you able to inform me about a few of these accolades?
We gained a golden award instantly with our Foenegreek Gouda, which was tremendous thrilling. At the moment we had been simply with three individuals, and now we’re [a] crew of fifty individuals…a crew coming collectively [and] carrying out nice issues [in order] to make the best of high quality Gouda. We simply gained extra awards and that will put us [at] round 250 [awards]. In 2013 we had been nominated [as] the perfect cheese in the US. I additionally name it my inexperienced card as a result of at that time my immigration lawyer mentioned, “Let’s qualify you for the extraordinary skill route,” which they permitted.
Photograph by Dusan Harminc
What an incredible inexperienced card story!
I am truly the primary cheesemaker that bought her a inexperienced card that manner.
I consider it.
In 2011, I used to be nominated because the Grand Grasp Cheesemaker within the Wisconsin State Truthful. [I was] the primary lady to have ever achieved that, so it was actually an honor. And I sort of like successful.
It looks like there’s fairly a little bit of successful happening for you. What’s it prefer to be a part of the Wisconsin cheesemaking group amongst so many different winners?
I began my profession as a result of I used to be lacking Gouda from my dwelling nation and I wished to start out a enterprise earlier than I turned 30. I stumbled into this trade [filled with] camaraderie and I fell in love with the individuals. I am a really proud cheesemaker, particularly [in] Wisconsin, as a result of the individuals are great. They share their ardour, and I believe that is one thing that bonds us basically on this trade. Wisconsin is chilly, however the individuals within the trade are very heat and passionate.
I hear you’re working in your Grasp Cheesemaker Certification. What’s the method like?
Sure, I am very proud to say that they accepted me within the Grasp Cheesemaker program. Ten years after you have got your cheesemakers license, you’ll be able to apply for the Grasp Cheesemaker program, which is a troublesome approval course of. I sort of [wanted to] postpone it as a result of I used to be just a little bit nervous and after I lastly went by means of the entire course of and so they permitted me, I used to be very blissful.
I’ve discovered a lot and it reveals how a lot Wisconsin cares and the extent of data that’s required to make actually good cheese. If every part goes properly, then I hope to have the ability to get my certification in 2025, which might make me the fourth lady Licensed Grasp Cheesemaker in the US.
That will be actually unbelievable! I’m positive you’ll make it to that stage. What else does the longer term maintain for Marieke Gouda?
A variety of thrilling issues. We began mainly with nothing 17 years in the past, and I can not wait to see what we’ll do in 5 years, ten years, and even 15 years down the street. One factor that’s for positive [is that] we need to make the perfect Gouda in the entire extensive world.
What’s your favourite taste of Marieke Gouda? Inform us within the feedback beneath!
Our mates at Wisconsin Cheese are dedicated to showcasing all of the superb cheeses the state has to supply—and there is plenty of them. Wisconsin has extra flavors, varieties, and kinds of cheese than wherever else on this planet. From Italian classics like Parmesan and ricotta to Wisconsin Originals like Colby and Brick, this cheese-obsessed state has just a little one thing for everybody. Discover out extra about Wisconsin Cheese by visiting their site.
