Homestead Defines Traditional American Artisanal Cheesemaking
Let’s take a condensed glimpse at American Farmstead cheesemaking: Before it was heightened to an art-form by modern producers, cheesemaking was most often performed by the women of the family, and was essentially an effective manner of preserving milk. Preservation was an especially important notion during the mid- to late nineteenth century, as Homesteaders struggled to establish farms across the American Midwest. Fortunately for the settlers that took root in Wisconsin, a fertile countryside with lush pastureland ideal for dairy farming was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age. Endowed with rich cheesemaking traditions from their homelands, an abundance of Swiss, German, and Scandinavian immigrants settled in America’s Dairyland for its resemblance in climate and landscape to their native countries. Wheat, hops, and other grains grew prodigiously, and dairy farming ensued as a natural result. Cheese was crafted to preserve excess milk, and farmers consequently became vanguards of the American cheesemaking tradition.
Roth Käse pays homage to Wisconsin’s pioneer cheesemakers with Homestead. Our cheesemakers have taken a “back to basics” approach -- the recipe for Homestead closely mirrors the types of aged cheeses crafted by early American settlers. This unique farmstead-style cheese reflects traditional production methods during times when cheese was stored for long periods without refrigeration. Small batches of Homestead are hand-crafted from fresh milk, and the cheese is shelf-cured for 12 to 18 months (sometimes more) to create a firm, straw-yellow body with slight crystallization. The natural basket-weave rind is an authentic representation of the baskets that were originally used as forms. Nuanced yet clean, Homestead’s flavor is reminiscent of Sbrinz or a Grana-type cheese.
