It’s not just a pretty paste.

Cheese Maker: Chris Genine started in the cheese industry 40 years ago at a tender age of 14! He became Wisconsin’s only cheese grader in 1997. As a cheese grader, he has been collaborating with cheesemakers to create new and innovative products.

Deer Creek is a family affair, and when they needed images for their labels, they enlisted Sophie, their then-teenage daughter, to draw them. She continues to work for Deer Creek today as the Brand Manager.

Cheese: The Doe is a creamy, handcrafted, bandaged-wrapped cheddar that showcases a beautiful and flavorful cheese. Marbled throughout with Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean.

Tasting Notes: The flavor profile is described as savory with a sweetly woody finish, where the vanilla adds a subtle sweetness to the cheese.

Pairing Suggestions: Go crazy and try it with coffee or hot chocolate beautifully. Beer works as well as hard cider and nitro stout. Wine pairings lean towards Chardonnay and Champagne, which complement the cheese's creamy texture and vanilla notes. The cheese pairs wonderfully with nibbles, including cashews, chocolate, shortbread cookies, baked ham, dried fruit, apple pie, and fresh cherries.

USE: The Doe would be a stunner on your cheese board, but it also incorporates well in recipes. Here’s a fun biscuit/cookie recipe from the cheese maker.