You might have noticed that the name Cloverleaf is pretty common at Renard’s Artisan Cheese. We’ve got Cloverleaf oils and balsamic vinegars, our homemade fudge is branded as Cloverleaf, and don’t forget our Cloverleaf Reserve cheese (a delectable blend of cheddar and gruyere). Our own Melt Bistro even serves a delicious Cloverleaf Club sandwich (yum!). Have you ever wondered why we’re so fond of the name? The answer is because it’s a nod to our past. Keep reading on to learn some fun facts about this connection.

If you’ve ever been to our Sturgeon Bay store, you might have noticed the white building right next door to the east. Long ago that building used to be Cloverleaf Cheese Factory. It was named after the road that runs just east of it, Cloverleaf Road. Before modern technology came along, it was common to refer to a business by its location.  You’ll notice that our factory, Rosewood Dairy, is located along County S and (drum roll, please)… Rosewood Road!

In 1966 Gary Renard bought Cloverleaf Cheese Factory. Gary was the son of our founder Howard Renard, who had purchased Rosewood Dairy in 1961. Gary had quite the work ethic. He purchased the cheese factory 3 weeks prior to his high school graduation! Gary ran Cloverleaf Dairy (what is now the Sturgeon Bay location) while Howard ran Rosewood Dairy (what is now the Algoma location). At that time, neither location included a retail store.

The first Renard’s Cheese retail store opened to customers in 1975. It was located inside of Cloverleaf Dairy, that white building next to our current store. The door on the far side of the building was the store entrance, and the whole store was probably less than 1000 square feet. After customers made their selections, each block of cheese was cut to size. Fresh cheese curds were scooped out of the bin so customers could indulge themselves right away. Sometimes our customers still talk about memories of “the old store.” That building is now used as our Production facility, where our handcrafted cheeses are cut to size and sealed, ready to be shipped and sold around the globe.

When Chris and Ann Renard took full ownership of the company in 2012, they built a brand new, larger retail building that also included corporate offices, shipping/receiving, and a deli (now called Melt Bistro). If you’ve visited us in the last 10 years, you’ve seen the tremendous growth. While we’re excited to see what the future brings, the Cloverleaf name tips our hat to our incredible beginnings!

Door County is an enchanting destination, capturing the hearts of visitors from around the world. But did you know that Destination Door County is the organization responsible for promoting our area and all that it offers? In collaboration with Geiger & Associates Public Relations, small groups of journalists are brought together from around the U.S. throughout the year. They’re accompanied on a variety of inspiring itineraries showcasing the best of Door County. The journalists are free to write about whatever piques their interest along the way.

Sometimes the journalists visit us at Renard’s Artisan Cheese, and the groups get to engage with dedicated team members who are highly knowledgeable about our history, our cheeses, and what makes our company so special. The tours give them a chance to explore our store and to indulge in some scrumptious menu items from our deli, Melt Bistro. 

Since our blog readers typically delight in all things Door County, we thought you would enjoy perusing articles about our favorite local places. You’re sure to find inspiration for your next visit, and maybe you’ll even find some new destinations to add to your list for your next visit. See you soon!

Winter Travels: Experience a Day of Family Fun in Door County! (govalleykids.com) (February 2022)

Great Lakes Boating – July 2022 (uberflip.com) (July 2022)- Door County article starts on page 15.

CTC62107 Summer 2022 Digital Magazine.pdf (squarespace.com) (Summer 2022)- Coast to Coast/Good Sam magazine. Door County segment starts on page 33 of the magazine.

https://www.myfaveplaces.com/blog/want-to-eat-your-way-through-door-county-wisconsin-you-betcha (May 2022)

https://www.mensjournal.com/travel/door-county-wisconsin-where-to-go-eat-stay/  (April/May 2022)

https://findyourparadise.co/door-county-and-lake-michigan-cape-cod-in-americas-midwest (April 2022)

https://hesaidmag.com/2022/04/06/pink-traveler-lgbtq-door-county-visitor-guide-a-door-to-unlimited-possibilities/  (April 2022)

https://littlefamilyadventure.com/winter-door-county-itinerary-things-to-do/ (March 2022)

https://www.lifeofalley.com/what-to-see-eat-and-do-in-door-county-wisconsin/ (Feb 2022)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammorganstern/2022/01/25/discovering-winter-adventure-and-friluftsliv-in-door-peninsula-wisconsin/?sh=5c7c96377a6c (Jan 2022)

Everyone knows the nursery rhyme that starts with Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey. If you’re reading this blog, you probably know what curds are, but have you ever wondered, “What is whey, anyway?”

Whey is the watery substance left over from the process of making cheese.  Sometimes bags of fresh cheese curds might have a little “juice” in the bottom of the bag, and that would be whey. While most people don’t think twice about it, drinking whey actually has quite a few health benefits. Those benefits include:

~ It’s a great source of high-quality protein, easily absorbed and utilized by your body
~ It’s high in essential amino acids which help build muscles and increase strength
~ It’s ideal for post-workout replenishment
~ It’s loaded with immunoglobulins and probiotics to promote a healthy immune system
~ It’s high in calcium which benefits your bones
~ It’s thought to alleviate some deficiencies that occur with diabetes, aging & other health problems.
~ It’s conducive to weight loss and reducing cholesterol levels
~ It’s easily digestible and contains no fat
~ In powder form, whey is the main ingredient in baby formulas and protein drinks

Have you ever picked up a piece of aged cheese, and noticed that it looks like it has specks of salt on it? Don’t write it off. Those are cheese crystals and they taste divine! Read on to learn, and impress your friends the next time you get together and eat cheese.

• The first thing to know about crystals is that they are not mold or yeast
• Secondly, cheese that is crystallized is entirely safe to eat. Some people actually prefer crystals!
• Lastly, crystals are a sure sign of an aged cheese.

What causes crystals?

Cheese crystals are formed over time by the breakdown of fats and proteins. Fats and proteins bond together in chains when cheese is formed. As the cheese ages, the protein detaches from the fat, leaving behind small crunchy crystals that you see.

Are all crystals the same?

There are two different types of crystals: Calcium Lactate and Tyrosine.

Calcium Lactate forms on both the inside and outside of cheeses. Typically found in moist, aged cheeses such as Cheddar, Colby, Parmesan and Gouda. This type of crystal is softer, paler and more common. When good bacteria in the cheese break lactose down into lactic acid, this lactic acid combines with calcium to form Calcium Lactate Crystals. These crystals are made from calcium lactate salts that precipitate out of the milk as it’s turned into curds.

Tyrosine crystals only form on the interior of cheese. They are firmer, bigger and brighter white than Calcium Lactate. They consist of the same proteins found in milk. This type of crystal is found in dry, mature cheeses such as Swiss and Romano.

What do crystals taste like?

Crystals add a crunchy texture, similar to sea salt, and contribute a hearty and complex flavor.

I’m intrigued and want to try crystallized cheese. What should I buy?

Since it takes years to form crystals, your surest bet will be our 15-year cheddar. Typically, crystals can be seen starting around 7 years on cheddar, but it will vary by each piece. Some of our other aged cheddars that would possibly have crystals would be our 7-year, 9-year and 10-year cheddar. Next time you’re browsing at the store and you spot crystallized cheese, take a chance and try it. You might get hooked on these crunchy tidbits!

Learn all about our cheese and the local milk that we use to make our cheese.

Where does Rosewood Dairy (Renard’s Cheese) get our milk from?
All of the milk used to make our cheeses comes from small, local Door and Kewaunee County family farms. Many of these farms are second and third generation, and have been with Renard’s Cheese since 1961 .
What type of cows do you get the milk from?
90-95% of our milk comes from Holstein cows and the rest of the milk is from Guernsey or Jersey cows.
Are the cows grass fed?
The cows are grass fed as the Wisconsin climate allows. They’re also fed a mixture of wheat and grains to enable them to produce the highest quality milk.
Is the milk hormone-free?
The farms that we get our milk from certify that their milk is free from genetically engineered hormones. Once at our factory, it is tested to confirm that it is free of antibiotics and to ensure it achieves the high-level of quality that we demand.
How much milk does it take to make one pound of cheese?
You may be surprised and the answer might even help justify spending a little more for our handcrafted cheeses. Each pound of cheese requires 10 pounds (or about 5 quarts) of cow’s milk. That’s a lot of milk!!
What kinds of cultures does Renard’s Cheese use when making cheese?
The first stage in making cheese is to ripen the milk. During the ripening process, lactose is converted into lactic acid. Cheese makers use starter cultures to control this ripening process. We use both thermophilic and mesophilic cultures. Which culture we use depends on the type of cheese we are making.
Mesophilic is a non-heat loving culture, and is used for making cheeses that are not heated to more than 102 degrees. This is the most common and is used to make 90% of the varieties of cheeses. Some of these cheeses include soft cheese, blue cheese, feta, farmers, Colby, cheddar, brie and others.
Thermophilic is a heat loving culture and is used to make cheeses that can be heated to 130 degrees. It is used in most Italian cheeses, such as parmesan, provolone, mozzarella, Swiss, Monterey jack, etc.
What makes the cheese yellow? Is there dye in your cheese?
We do not use any chemical dyes. Our coloring comes from annatto, which is a food coloring derived from the seeds of achiote tree. The achiote tree is native to tropical regions from Mexico to Brazil. Annatto is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods.

Who loves cheese curds? You do! It’s apparent that you, our amazing customers, can’t get enough of these bits of creamy, salty, squeaky cheese. Here at Renard’s Artisan Cheese they are our biggest seller. During our busy summer season we can sell over 300 pounds of them in a single day! So we’ve put together some of the most popular questions that people ask us about cheese curds, so you can learn too. Ready? Here we go…

What are cheese curds? How are they made? Curds are one of the earliest stages of cheesemaking and are made from only three ingredients: fresh pasteurized milk, starter cultures, and rennet. Rennet is a natural ingredient, used to coagulate the milk and turn it into cheese. After the cheese solidifies, it’s cut into pieces, resulting in curds and whey. The liquid that you sometimes see in your bag of cheese curds is the whey.

Why do they squeak? When fresh cheese curds squeak, it’s them saying they love you too 🙂 But scientifically, the squeak is caused by proteins in the curds being tightly bound, and your teeth rubbing against those proteins creates the sound. After the first day or two the proteins start to break down. That’s why curds eventually stop squeaking, and also explains why curds taste best when they are fresh. At Renard’s Artisan Cheese we make our cheese curds fresh every day. That’s why they’re so delicious!

Should I refrigerate my cheese curds? Cheese curds do not need to be refrigerated until they are 24 hours old. After that, it’s recommended that curds are kept in the refrigerator. That being said, they taste best at room temperature. Warm them up by either microwaving them for a couple of seconds or let them sit on the counter for a bit before enjoying them.

What’s the difference between yellow and white cheese curds? Both our yellow curds and our white curds are made of cheddar cheese. The only difference between them is annatto, which is a plant-based coloring agent that makes the cheese yellow. Although the yellow and white curds taste the same, some guests have a distinct preference for one over the other. Renard’s Artisan Cheese offers white curds on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Yellow curds are available every day.

Why does Renard’s sometimes run out of cheese curds in their store? Our cheesemakers start in the earliest hours of the day, since it takes about 5 hours to make a batch of fresh curds and get them bagged up for sale. Planning ahead is essential for us, but sometimes we are much busier than expected, we get a tour bus that comes through unexpectedly, or some other reason that causes us to sell out of curds. Don’t worry, we’ll make more the next day! If you just can’t wait to taste that squeaky goodness, our curds are also available at several businesses throughout the area.

Do you have flavored cheese curds? We absolutely do! When you’re in our stores, just take your curds over to our Sample Table, and our associate will add the flavoring. While you wait, sample some of our amazing cheeses and our tantalizing homemade fudge. You can also order our most popular flavored cheese curds on our website.

Congratulations, you’ve just completed Renard’s Cheese Curds 101!