If your house is anything like ours, we have a refrigerator drawer solely dedicated to dairy—namely cheese. Ranging from cheddar snack blocks to string-shaped mozzarella, if you can sprinkle it or shred it, we have it. All this cheese talk got us thinking… Why isn’t there a designated cheese trail in Indiana?
June is National Dairy Month and the perfect time to kickoff Indiana’s newest food destination, the Indiana Cheese Trail! The Indiana Cheese Trail features 10 unique cheese-making locations from across the state with specialties that will take you across the world. Did you know there’s an Italian cheese monger in central Indiana? There are several talented, award-winning cheese makers nearby, offering a great summer road trip to sample cheese. Haven’t you always wondered who makes those delectable cheese curds or the smooth, gouda you added to this week’s main dish? Now you can meet them and see how award-winning cheese is made!
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The Indiana Cheese Trail ranges from destinations with full retail shops offering a variety of cheeses to working farms with cheese making facilities that sell to distributors. Starting June 
10, visit IndianaCheeseTrail.com to preview each location. Hear first-hand about the background and specialties of each stop with behind-the-scenes footage. Many stops allow guests to watch the incredible cheese makers produce their cheese, purchase cheese onsite, or take a tour of the facility. The trail is a great way to take an adventure across the great state of Indiana and support Hoosier-owned businesses.
In celebration of both National Dairy Month and the kickoff to the Indiana Cheese Trail, sign-up to win and box of Indiana cheeses at IndianaCheeseTrail.com.
Charcuterie Board Tips for Kids!
Looking to create an easy appetizer or dinner for your family? Charcuterie boards can be a great option. Kids can pick out a few favorite items and adults can add in new things to try. The best part is there are no rules here, so mix it up every time or change the look with seasonal foods or holidays. Simply select a cutting board, tray or platter and start grouping bite-sized options from different food groups. Here are a few ideas to help get started:
- Cheeses (different flavors, cracker sizes or cookie-cutter shapes)
- Meats (ham, turkey, chicken or pepperoni)
- Grains (crackers and pretzels)
- Fruits (berries, grapes or apples)
- Veggies (carrots, sugar snap peas, celery)
- Dips (ranch, jams or hummus)
- Nuts or trail mix
Cheese Fun Facts:
- It takes 10 pounds of milk to make 1 pound of cheese.
- Cheese is more than just calcium; it also provides high-quality protein needed to help stay health.
- Americans eat an average of 11 pounds of cheese per year.
- For those with lactose intolerance, cheese can still be an important part of your diet. Natural cheeses such as Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, and Swiss contain
minimal amounts of lactose, because most of the lactose is removed when the curds are separated from the whey in the cheese making process.
minimal amounts of lactose, because most of the lactose is removed when the curds are separated from the whey in the cheese making process.Cheesy Lingo:
- Blue Cheese: cheese made using cultures of mold
- Cheddar: relatively hard, often off-white or yellow cheese
- Cheese monger: a merchant who specializes in cheese
- Colby: semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a nutty flavor
- Curds: moist pieces of curdled milk
- Gouda: sweet, creamy, yellow cow’s milk cheese
- Mozzarella: southern Italian cheese made from cow’s milk
