One of our customers shared his memories of Liederkranz Cheese with us and we thought you would enjoy hearing it to. Thank you Tom for sharing it with us.

“Have you ever read the history of this product? It is very interesting. The cheese factory where this was made was just 6 blocks from my childhood home of Van Wert Ohio. (I still live in Van Wert County) The factory (Borden’s) at the time was the largest cheese factory in the world. Liederkranz was just a small portion of their production. It is now completely gone. When the production of this cheese was moved to Van Wert in the 1920s they could not get it to ripen. The master cheese maker figured there must be bacteria in the wooden walls back in New York that was needed for the cheese to ripen, so they tore out the walls in New York and shipped them to Van Wert. Once installed in the curing room the cheese began to ripen properly.
 
In my childhood, I remember the steam power plant at the factory blew a loud whistle every day at noon that could be heard all over town. That was my automatic signal for me to stop playing and get home for lunch.
 
The boxes for this product were hand assembled. They were a 2 piece box with a wood top and bottom with cardboard sides with vent holes. My great grandfather when he retired from the railroad took on the part time job of assembling the boxes in the basement of his home. Bordens supplied the material and he would make enough for a weeks production every Monday. He did this for several years, but died before my birth in 1954.
 
My grandfather was one of the many farmers in the area that sold milk to Bordens for their cheese production. I did get to tour the plant and see how this cheese was made. There was a lot of hand work involved including dipping it in brine as part of the process along with proper placement on the curing racks. There was no automation to speak of on the process. The cheese process was sold to another company but they were never able to get it right as there are untold process secrets only known to the master cheese maker. I personally know the last living master cheese maker. He told me he had been contacted on a few occasions from companies wanting him to help make the cheese in the 25 years it has been out of production, but their offers were never enough to meet his salary requirements. Which begs the question how are there making this cheese? I have not talked to him for several years. I will have to investigate further…
 
Well I have bored you enough. I will be looking forward to my first of what will be many orders to come from your company. Thanks, Tom”

On the contrary, Tom, we were not bored in the least. And for anyone wanting more information… Liederkranz is being made in Monroe Wisconsin at the Chalet Cheese Co-op.  They are the only cheese manufacturer in the United States to produce Limburger and since Leiderkranz is a cousin of Limburger who better to produce it. DCI bought the rights to the Leiderkranz recipe (I don’t know from who) and has licensed Chalet to make.