Kristine M. Kierzek

Special to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

If you’re a cheese lover, there are few things better than a fresh, squeaky cheese curd. Steve Stettler will be the first to agree.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he operates Decatur Dairy in Brodhead with his wife, Glennette, and daughters Shaya and Sierra.

Stettler, a cheesemaker since 1974, received his first Master Cheesemaker certification from Wisconsin’s Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research in 1999. Since then he has became a master cheesemaker with half a dozen certifications: Muenster, Havarti, farmer's cheese, brick cheese, specialty Swiss and cheddar.

Watching the dairy industry change got him thinking about Wisconsin’s cheese legacy. As a cheesemaker with more than a dozen flavor varieties of cheese curds in his arsenal, he knew they were a favorite here.

Stettler suggested that perhaps there should be a master cheesemaker designation specifically for cheese curds. Five years after his first discussions, in April he’ll become Wisconsin’s first official master cheesemaker with a certification in cheese curds.

Look for Decatur Dairy cheese and curds at the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through March 28 at the Mitchell Park Domes Annex, 524 S. Layton Blvd.

His roots

My grandpa was a cheesemaker. When my dad got out of the Korean War he started making cheese. He had an opportunity to get his own co-op in 1955. He started his own business, a little co-op in New Glarus. He was there till 1973, then he moved to Brodhead where we are now. I bought into the business in 1974.

The Wisconsin way

You have to be licensed in Wisconsin (to make cheese). To become a master cheesemaker you have to be licensed for 10 years, then do all the required course study at the Center for Dairy Research, then three years of (cheese) grading. So the soonest you can get a master's is about 13 or 14 years into making cheese. It is a personal choice to put in the time and do the study and research, but it is a great program. People come from all over the country to Madison to sharpen their cheesemaking skills.

Master of many

I became a certified master cheesemaker in 1999. I have seven certifications.. ... I just got certified in Cheese Curds. I’m the first one.

Cheese curd is our claim to fame in Wisconsin, and it should be a master cheese. Curds have varying quality all over the state, depending on where you buy them. It was important to me to make a standard, because we do a lot of cheese curds.

Squeaky curd tip

The biggest thing people don’t realize about curds, either leave them out at room temperature or put them in the microwave and warm them just a little bit and it brings back the squeakiness. Just three to four seconds, and if you pull them out and they’re not warm yet, put them in for just a few more seconds.

Trends in taste

For years people did not want a lot of flavor in their cheese. We all grew up in the time when American (cheese) was a big deal. Now people want cheese that adds flavor.

Muenster is a must

We make a lot of Muenster cheese, it is probably just under half our production. Some people don’t understand the orange rind. It is harmless. All cheese is white. The orange is the same you put in cheddar Co-jack, Colby.

A favorite find

Our Colby Swiss is the one almost everyone buys here (at the cheese factory store). We’re the only ones in the country that make anything like it. It has mellow Colby flavor with a hint of Swiss, a good melting cheese.

Edible experiments

I have experiments that I do in my test vat, take to my store and sell. One example is Chedster. I had a guy ask if I could mix Cheddar and Muenster, so I made 200 pounds of “Chedster.” The customer said, ‘It is good but I don’t think I can sell it.’ I took it up to the store, sold it. Now I’m making it.

Food and family

My wife is also a licensed cheesemaker. Does she make a lot of cheese? No, but she knows the basics. My two daughters are taking the short course this spring, and both will probably be licensed cheesemakers by the end of this year. There is definitely an interest here to maintain the quality and keep the business going.

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Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email peter.sullivan@jrn.com.