-semakers grew up watching their parents or their grandparents make cheese, either here or in Europe, and now they’ve continued the tradition.”

While not all of the creameries included in the cookbook are open to the public, a handful of them — and other cheese-centric businesses — are ripe for visiting. Hansen shared her picks for a lactose lover’s road trip through America’s Dairyland.

LaClare Family Creamery
Malone, W2994 County Road HH
Larry and Clara Hedrich launched this artisan goat milk creamery, which is about a 20-minute drive from Fond du Lac, as a hobby farm in 1978. Now it’s run by four out of five of their children.

“The only reason the fifth isn’t involved is the child’s too young,” says Hansen. “When I visited there, the joke was that she’s on speed dial and is going to be ready to join.”

Visitors can stop by the shop to pick up some cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, wine or beer, or settle in at the cafe for farm-to-table cheese curds, beer cheese pretzels, beer battered cheese curds, cheesecake and more (including lighter options, like salads and wraps).

If you’re out to try just one cheese, make it the Cave-Aged Chandoka, a New Zealand- style cheddar made from cow and goat milk. It earned Best of Class at the 2018 World Cheese Championship Contest.

To see where it all begins, stop by the farm to watch the goat-milking process. When the weather’s nice, you can even feed and pet the goats — and, if you’re lucky, get a peek at the newborn kids.

Door County Creamery
Sister Bay, 10653 N. Bay Shore Drive
A creamery that offers goat yoga sessions? Better start planning that trip to this creamery in downtown Sister Bay on the Door County peninsula. The creamery, which reopens for the season in May, is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Jesse and Rachael Johnson. In warmer months, you can book that yoga session on a peaceful farm (check online for dates; availability is limited).

The farm also offers lunchtime tours (check online for those dates too), so you can gaze at the goats, savor cheese and gelato, and learn about what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to making goat cheese.

You can stock up on all the delicious wares, like chevre, French feta, marinated feta, goat cheddar, curds and goat milk gelato, in flavors such as goat cheese and honey, ginger