MADISON — Discover Wisconsin, the state’s leading media brand and tourism TV show, will be shining the spotlight on Green County in an upcoming episode. “Green County — Welcome to SWISS-consin” airs at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 11 on Fox Sports Wisconsin and at 6:30 p.m. on WKOW-TV and is now available to stream on Roku, Smart TV, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV and on DiscoverWisconsin.com.
Co-host Mariah Haberman kicks off the show at the National Historic Cheesemaking Center in Monroe where she explores the county’s rich heritage of cheesemaking with a tour of the museum and a visit to the on-site replica of an 1800s cheesemaking facility. Next, she stops by Edelweiss Creamery, the only cheese factory in the United States that continues to make traditional wheel Swiss cheese. The father-son team behind Edelweiss Creamery, Bruce and Ben Workman, work together to produce this artisanal cheese and keep the Swiss heritage of Cheesemaking alive in Green County. Haberman also visits Turner Hall for a tour of the historic great hall and to partake in the musical Squeezebox night.
Next, co-host Eric Paulsen visits Alp and Dell Cheese Store to peruse their huge selection of award-winning cheeses, most originating from the neighboring Emmi Roth cheesemaking company. Paulsen samples some cheeses and takes in the Swiss culture as Alp and Dell’s owner, Tony Zgraggen, shows off his yodeling skills. Paulsen then stops by Puempel’s Tavern, a historic bar in New Glarus that’s been serving customers for over 125 years. He also visits Baumgartner’s, a cheese store and local tavern known for their cheese sandwiches, including the famously smelly Limburger.
“Green County — which we like to call ‘SWISS-consin,’ — is one of my favorite places in the state,” said Paulsen. “It’s an awesome combination of beautiful scenery, great trails, charming towns and a celebrated, well-preserved heritage and history. Some of the best cheese in the world comes from here, and that’s not even debatable. Green County is like a ‘best of’ for Wisconsin as a whole.”
Haberman then takes a tour of Green County’s craft beer scene, starting out with Minhas Craft Brewery in Monroe, which has been producing beer since 1845. Her next stop is Bullquarian Brewhouse, a brewery that crafts small-batch ales in traditional styles and features weekly live music. Haberman also visits the iconic New Glarus Brewing Company, home of some of Wisconsin’s most beloved craft beers, where she talks with owner and operator, Deb Carey, and her husband, Dan, New Glarus’ brew master.
Next, Paulsen visits Decatur Dairy in Brodhead, home to over 100 varieties of cheese and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches made in-store. He also stops by Maple Leaf Cheese Store in Juda, which sources cheese from 17 cheese factories in the area and represents the camaraderie among the cheesemakers and cheese sellers in Green County. Paulsen wraps up the show at Cheese Days, a 3-day long event celebrating Green County’s cheesemaking heritage. The event includes live music, delicious food, local beverages and an endless variety of cheese.
“In Green County, we like to sum it up by saying ‘eat, drink, yodel,’ and this episode will invite viewers to taste our cheese and beer, to meet cheesemakers and brewers, and to experience our Swiss heritage traditions,” said Noreen Rueckert, director of Green County Tourism. “Having a show on Discover Wisconsin is a highlight of the marketing being done this year by Green County Tourism.”
“Green County — Welcome to SWISS-consin” will reach Discover Wisconsin’s broadcast network of 600,000 viewers across the upper Great Lakes region, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, northern Illinois and upper Michigan. It is also available for streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, Smart TV and Chromecast. The episode was produced by Jessica Murphy. Learn more at discoverwisconsin.com.
