Culture Magazine

48 culturecheesemag.com E N T E R TA I N I N G 202 2 Door Artisan Cheese occupies a simple clay-red commercial building in the miniscule village of Egg Harbor, which is known for its flourishing tourism industry; visitors are drawn to its natural beauty and wide scope of outdoor activities. Despite a minimal year-round population, the quaint town boasts a range of hip, independent businesses from breweries to art galleries. Since Door County's climate is cooler than Mexico's, cows here don't have to consume as much water to survive summer heat, Gutierrez Cruz says, which helps him create a high-quality product. By relying on hyperlocal dairies such as Red Barn Family Farms in Appleton, he can churn out more than a dozen remarkable cheeses, 11 of which have won national or international awards in the five short years that Door Artisan Cheese has been in operation (some of these predate his tenure). Most are nothing like the soft cheeses popular in Mexico that dominated his early career—instead, Gutierrez Cruz is aging an English-style cheddar in the stone- walled cave below the company's retail space, rubbing coffee and lavender on an Alpine-style cheese, and mimicking caprese salad by adding sun-dried tomato and basil to a creamy fontina. Yet he's also riffing on Quesos Krava's Manchego, which he used to make with a mix of cow's and goat's milk (unlike the Spanish classic, which is made from sheep's milk). His Sancho Cruz Mexican- style Manchego is made with readily available Wisconsin cow's milk for a creamier, slightly nutty concoction. It's his favorite, in part because it's unlike any other cheese on the market. "It's kind of my baby," Gutierrez Cruz says. Today's generation of cheese connoisseurs want more experimental options like these, he says, and that's part of how he'll influence Door Artisan Cheese's direction. Expect variations like a Manchego soaked in cherry cider (cherries are Door County's famed agricultural crop). The goal isn't to end up on Walmart shelves, but Gutierrez Cruz is teaming up with three local wineries, looking beyond Wisconsin's borders, and expanding the wholesaling operation to make their cheeses more readily available. The new partners are also revamping an adjoining restaurant, overhauling the website, and introducing more standby cheeses—with the goal of earning at least one prestigious award for each. It's an ambitious plan, but it's motivating. "Sometimes it's exhausting because I wear too many hats," says Gutierrez Cruz. "It's challenging but the process is really fun. Every day is different. I hope to look back in a year and see how much we improved." c TASTING NOTES Chipotle Gouda Cow's milk It's easy to see why this Chipotle Gouda won first in its class at the 2021 World Dairy Expo. Smoky undertones dance with a chipotle kick, while its soft, easy-melting texture make it the perfect partner for a chicken panini. The cheese is cave-aged for at least three months beneath Door Artisan Cheese's production facility. Sancho Cruz Cow's milk This Mexican-style Manchego is Ricardo Gutierrez Cruz's pride and joy. Inspired by a recipe from his early days of cheesemaking outside Mexico City, this creamy yet sharp cheese is one of a kind. (Most Mexican Manchegos are made with lower-quality cow's milk, and the Spanish original is made exclusively with sheep's milk.) Balanced and enjoyable enough to snack on alone, Sancho Cruz is also an ideal addition to any charcuterie board. Swedish Fontina Cow's milk Inspired by the beloved caprese salad, this cave-aged Swedish Fontina cheese is buoyed by the addition of sun-dried tomato, basil, and a touch of salt to give it an edge. Shred and stir into fresh pasta for a savory and hearty meal that draws out the cheese's pesto-like char- acteristics. Swedish Fontina is one of the company's newest creations, and is an indication of where these Wisconsin cheesemakers are headed. Roseate Cheese Cow's milk Named after a vibrant red dragonfly featured on its packaging, Door Artisan Cheese's Roseate is brined in red wine, giving it a purple-hued rind and a subtle, enriched aftertaste. This creamy and understated Italian Asiago–style cheese makes an appropriately mild companion for Cabernet or Malbec, but it could also stand in for a milder Swiss in a show- stopping patty melt. Sancho Cruz Mexican Manchego is Gutierrez Cruz' signature creation

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