Here we are with about a week out from Valentine’s Day, and in honor of this holiday may I present five of my locally crafted favorites. 

Grand Cru. 

Sure it won the World Cheese Champion award in 2016, but it’s been the hometown favorite for decades when it comes to making fondue. As a native of Wisconsin — but not Green County — I was raised mostly on Colby and sometimes Cheddar. As a zero-percenter when it comes to Swiss heritage, cheese fondue never made it to the dinner table while growing up. Gruyere seemed a bit exotic to me upon landing here, but I soon discovered that fondue was incredibly easy to make. And what could be better than a simple but savory blend of melted cheese with some crusty bread?

Aged Gouda. 

Buttery and nutty, and oh so smooth. There’s a recipe I often make called “The Cheesemonger’s Macaroni” that was published a few years back by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (now Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin). It uses a three-cheese blend of Butterkase, Cheddar and Gouda. It is amazing. Comfort food extraordinaire.

Limburger.

My grandpa kept his Limburger in a jar, and seeing it come out of the refrigerator always caused me to make a quick exit from the kitchen. I must come clean and say that I’m not a big fan of Limburger presented in customary fashion — garnished with mustard and onion, sandwiched between slices of rye. But Limburger paired up with tart cherry jam and a tiny twist pretzel? Yum! 

Havarti.

With a rich, buttery flavor, Havarti is good just about any way you slice it. You can find it made here in Green County flavored with black olives, green olives, dill, pepper, horseradish or caraway. The plain makes a wonderful grilled cheese on hearty whole wheat. Try it with a slice of ham and a bit of fig jam.

Feta. 

Feta I’m so glad I met ya! Fantastic right out of the package. Or crumbled on salad, on pizza, on scrambled eggs, on fried potatoes — you get the idea. Blending Feta with cream cheese or Greek yogurt provides the basis for a savory dip. Feta facts: it’s lower in fat than other cheeses and it’s higher in calcium. Best of all, it’s utterly delicious.

So there you have it — five cheeses to celebrate Valentine’s Day. There’s no need for flowers or chocolate, because here in Green County every day is a cheese day!

— Noreen Rueckert is director for Green County Tourism and Green County Cheese Days, and helps out with Main Street Monroe’s Concerts on the Square. Her favorite cheese is rumored to be Feta. She has the best office in the county — overlooking Monroe’s Square from the tower of the Historic Green County Courthouse. She dabbles in photography and graphic design, adores cats and iced coffee, and secretly loves the Cheese Days Song.