Cheese board with autumn flavor

It’s that time of year when our favorite symphony of flavors comes into play – apple, cranberry, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and more. Always inventive and inspiring, Wisconsin cheesemakers have made sure to employ them to create seasonal treasures you can’t lend a hand but fall in love with. Pair their fall cheeses with seasonal sides and libations, or pair them together on a cheese board that’s as lovely as it is hearty.

Easy as apple pie

Photo credit: Wisconsin Cheese

Why this combination works: This laid-back mixtape is as fall as apple pie! Fresh apple slices are layered on top of crunchy ginger cookies, creating the familiar apple pie base we all know and love. Perch, bland Springside Apple Cinnamon Monterey Jack cheese, studded with dried apples and seasoned with cinnamon, topped for a creamy bite of fall flavor in every bite. And that bit of caramel-apple butter? It adds just the right amount of sweetness on the finish. Pair this delicacy with desiccated, tough apple cider, prized for its freshly picked apple cider.

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About cheesecake: Celebrating its fourth generation of cheesemaking, Springside Artisan Cheese continues a family legacy steeped in the tradition of handcrafting award-winning cheeses. The Hintz family offers over a dozen flavors Monterey Jack cheesesalong with a collection of matured and flavored cheddar cheeses. Their Apple Cinnamon Jack Monterey is buttery and has amazing melting properties; add slices on hot bagels and dough, or press them into paninis to discover its gooey goodness for yourself.

Perfectly balanced

Why this combination works: Sweet and zingy flavors combine in sublime harmony. Renard’s delicious Cranberry Cheddar cheese has medium-sharp, zingy notes, delicately balanced by sweet cranberries. Crispy butter cookies and bits of sticky honeycomb contrast pleasantly with the savory notes of the cheese and emphasize its sweeter flavor. A dash of fresh thyme leaves adds an earthy touch. And for the grand finale, pair these stacks with harvest sangria – the notes of cinnamon will add a crescendo to the bite.

About cheesecake: Renard’s cheese creates the magic of flavor artisan cheeses on the Door County Peninsula since 1961. Master cheesemaker Chris Renard’s father and grandfather perfected family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation and are still used today. Chris expands his legacy by thinking outside the box on flavor profiles with over 50 flavor-enhanced specialty cheeses. The taste has been awarded many times cheddar Down cottage cheeseflavored cottage cheese and mozzarella, Renard’s is a must-stop for cheese lovers looking to explore one of Wisconsin’s most scenic and delicious destinations.

It tastes like autumn

Why this combination works: Creamy, bland Cello® Pumpkin Spice Fontal cheese is hand-rubbed with quintessential fall flavors – cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and a hint of honey – then skewered with glazed maple-bourbon capicola and fresh pear to enhance all those cozy flavors. An stimulating trio of flavor and texture. Enjoy each delicious morsel individually or eat it in one bite for a salty, sweet and creamy combination that will have you singing the praises of fall. Match it with Wisconsin’s beloved old-fashioned brandy.

About cheesecake: From the classics Italian cheeses how zingy Roman to the luxurious, nutty Copper Kettle cheese with a caramel finish, Cello® Cheese produces stimulating and award-winning artisan cheeses for every palate. Cello also offers fonts and 11 versions of this cheese with colorful rubs and a variety of flavors. Fontal is its more current cousin font. It has a silky, creamy consistency and a bland, slightly sweet and buttery taste. And because it’s bland, the cheese is like a blank canvas that’s perfect for adding a variety of spices. Try your favorite dishes melted into a recipe or served on a cheese board.

Recipe and article by Wisconsin cheese. Photo provided by Wisconsin dairy farmers.