If you're not freaked out about a giant mouse you should come visit…read more The scenery around this town is drop dead gorgeous. I would go back anytime just to drive the roads between Spring Green and Reedsburg. After our road trip we were hungry and found a giant mouse with a piece of cheese. The perfect spot for a tourist to stop in. After the must do photo op with the family outside we headed in. Wines, cheeses, sausages, crackers and sandwiches made to order. YEAH! Jackpot. We ordered a couple sammies with of course cheese. We're not talking a meager slice. It was a hunk of cheese. The husband and daughter team behind the counter were super friendly and helpful. Stop in on your next road trip, plan on stocking up on cheese curds, sausage sticks, hunks of Wisconsin goodness and a really awesome photo of yourself with a giant mouse. What's not to love about that?

I am on a crusade (assisted by my brother), a holy quest for Colby like we had when we were kids in…read morethe 60s. It was delivered by a truck that delivered Elsheimer's cold cuts from Wisconsin to the Sherman country store in rural Hardin County, IA. I have no idea where the cheese was made. It was in the large longhorn style and was firm, rubbery, sweet and slightly salty. When Mom bought a chunk we devoured it like candy. I am still hoping to find some five star Sherman class Colby. So I ordered two pounds from The Cheese Maker. This is simply not good Colby. Like others I can say I have had worse. It is a little sour, fairly mild. It is not as offensively acidic as is some. Salt is just adequate. The texture is probably its worst attribute. It is fairly gooey, devoid of the little holes that Colby should have. It is way too much like a firm Velveeta for comfort. It is a poor representation of the type and a sad substitute for the real thing. And still I won't throw out the other pound. We will use it for grating into casseroles. I understand that the rules governing the definition of Colby were changed a few years back and maybe no one makes a good product anymore. I will keep looking, but The Cheese Maker is off the list.

My husband is on the road for work, happened upon Arena Cheese a few years ago and brought home a…read moredecent sized wheel of Colby Jack cheese he scored for $4. Turns out Arena Cheese is the home of the original Colby Jack! We ended up passing by there on a recent weekend and I got to experience the place for myself. It's not a large store, but there are good things to be found. They had some great value cheese, especially if you have room for larger portions. There was also a selection of meat sticks, string cheese, and some chilled beverages. If you're nearby and looking to stock up on some cheese, watch for the mouse!

We always stop here for curds and other cheeses. They are always knowledgeable and friendly…read more Definitely try the garlic curds if they are fresh. Those are our favs. So far!

Great tasting curds. Called them to put aside some curds for me as I was unable to get there early…read moreand they were very accommodating. I do wish they were open on Saturday though.

In the small town of Mineral Point , Wisconsin lies one of the most iconic cheesemakers in all of…read morethe world , Hooks cheese. Brought a small cooler along to secure our marvelous cheese purchased from hooks. Taking a day trip along the Mississippi River?If you're ever on highway one fifty one , make sure you stop in and acquire some cheese. And yes , the curds do squeak , everyone in wisconsin knows , if your kurds don't squeak their garbage.

Oh rats! I was hoping this place'd be better…read more.. Driven past this on roadtrips many a time; decided to actually stop in and check it out on the most recent trip. I'd been drawn in by the silly rodent statue on top of the building, because I like touristy shops. Upon entry I immediately realized the place was kind of dingy and gross. We got there with about half an hour 'til closing and this fact certainly showed in the affect of all the employees. I was curious about sampling some of the cheeses, but all of the employees were apparently too busy getting ready to close to help us, so we didn't get to try any of the many varieties. It was a bit odd to me to have potential customers there in the store during business hours, and the employees are steadfastly ignoring our presence to turn off the lights and such. We took the hint, quickly used the restroom, made a small courtesy purchase, then left. Speaking of the restroom, the floors were really sticky. Eww. Noticed they had lots of signage up that they were hiring. Yeah, they should probably hire someone who gives AF, if I'm being really honest, cuz it seems to me this place probably was great at one point but has fallen into disrepair. I got a couple pieces of taffy and hubby got a bag of nuts. We could tell from the taste/texture that these items had been sitting for awhile. I'm not a proponent of wasting food, but if your store can't turn products around before they're expired, I recommend perhaps just not selling those things and stick to cheese... Anyway, reckon we'll try out another of the many cheese shops in Wisconsin next time we drive through. There's certainly plenty to choose from!

Best stop ever! The…read moreselection is incredible and the staff is so friendly and helpful. The cheese curds fried and regular are off the charts!

I just tried some of their signature Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese, which currently runs $17 for an…read more8 oz package. I must say premium Wisconsin cheeses are like hazy IPA's to me. There are a ton of tastes (and textures) and they're all a little different, and I like them all! Maybe one day I'll develop enough of a palate to have a favorite, but for now, they're all good!!

Pleasant Ridge Reserve, the signature cheese of the Uplands Cheese Company, may be one of the…read moresingle most perfect hard cows milk cheese made in the US. A traditionally made cheese in the style of alpine cheeses from southwestern France, Pleasant Ridge Reserve is made only during the months when cows graze on grasses, sweet clover, and wild herbs, giving their milk a depth of flavor not usually found in most cheeses from year-round milkers grazing on silage and grain. This award winning cheese (just go to their website to see how many accolades they've earned...it is simply awesome) is a favorite both here in the Midwest and all over the country. For those of us lucky to live in Chicago, it is on the menu of many local restaurants, who use it both on cheese plates and in more complex dishes. During a recent visit to Hot Chocolate on Damen, for example, I had a Pleasant Ridge Reserve-filled brioche. I think this cheese is better to eat out of hand than to incorporate in a recipe - with heating, many of the subtleties of texture and flavor are lost. Seek it out. And if you do find it in a cheese shop, make sure the piece you get does not touch plastic. Because plastic is the enemy of all cheese. If it must touch plastic, make sure you get it out as soon as possible and put in proper cheese paper or wax paper and foil. And eat it right away - it isn't going to get any better in your fridge. Uplands isn't open to the public, but if you call ahead they may just accomodate you. The trip through the lush, rolling hills of southern Wisconsin is an agrarian's dream.

We bought gifts for friends and cheese for us. Everything is amazing. Friendly and helpful staff…read more Definitely worth the stop.

I love coming to Carr Valley Cheese - not only for the top notch products, but because shopping…read morehere is an experience. I will spend like 20 minutes in this little shop looking at every single product they sell. All local, which I appreciate. I come here looking to buy a pound of cheddar, and leave with about 10 other products I didn't plan to buy. I always end up making a charcuterie after for all my unexpected purchases. They have so many varieties of cheddar - I ended up getting half a pound of their 2 year aged white cheddar and half a pound of soft Gouda to make the perfect mac & cheese. I also got some seasonal wildflower cheddar that I'm excited to try. This small shop is well organized and very cute, with a variety of products not limited to cheese, such as soup kits, bread kits, locally produced honey, all types of fresh butter (including goat butter), wine, and kitchen goods. And of course all your cheese fixings, such as crackers, meat sticks, several types of jams, and charcuterie boards and knives. I didn't interact with the employee working except when she greeted me when I walked in (which is always nice) and when she checked me out. She was friendly and approachable, so if I did have any questions I wouldn't feel like I was bothering her by asking (which I feel at some businesses I've been to in the past). Carr Valley Cheese is my go-to local quality cheese place for all my special cheesy meals.

Wow! If you live in the cowtropoloton area of Plain, Wisconsin, you already know about this place…read moreand probably frequent the store on a regular basis. Me? Serendipity! I live 2-1/2 hours away. I stumbled in the door because I went to Plain for Cedar Grove Cheese. (See my review of Cedar Grove Cheese.) It was closed at the time but a cheesemaker came outside to greet me and said their cheese was available at Straka Meats. I had seen a billboard for the meat market on Cty B, so I went to look for it. And I'm glad I did! The selection is overwhelming. The store is outstandingly clean and obviously well maintained. I have no reason to believe the shop is any different, which impressed me a great deal. We wound up with a mix of Straka and Cedar Grove products. Best Braunschweiger I've ever had. Seriously! I'll gladly make the trek out of my way (Plain is sort-of on the way to the family cottage) to visit Straka for brats, chops and who knows what I'll find next? Hint: If you're headed to the largest tourist trap in Wisconsin (the water park capital of the world) you're not that far away from Plain. Take a ride to Plain, visit Straka and Cedar Grove Cheese. Bring a large cooler! You'll thank me later.

Had a whole beef animal processed there. They charge $4 for "USDA" testing. That is called cost of…read morebusiness. They were significantly more expensive for processing than other meat lockers I've used. They do box it all up nicely and wrap in paper, but that isn't worth the extra cost to me. I'll go to another meat locker next year. $130 for beef slaughter, $0.85 per pound processing and then the good 'ol "USDA" testing fee of $4.00. Seriously!

Simply the most awesome meat market around. Very clean and always stocked. Wonderful selection of…read moredelicious brats and burgers. Also the best snack sticks too, especially the dill pickle ones! Always buy way more than I intend to:) Friendly customer service too, makes my day a little better when I encounter helpful and smiling employees! Prem Meats is a must stop whenever I am in Spring Green.

Quick bite from Prem Meats = greatness! The turkey and cheese sandwich hit the spot! The bread is…read morespectacular and packed with nuts and dried cranberries. The lettuce and tomatoes were incredibly fresh. This meat shop has a lot inside to purchase: meats, cheese, jarred goods, and more. If you live nearby, you can even get food from this location catered. Highly recommend stopping by Prem Meats if you are in the area!