Dorothy’s

I am thrilled to be in the kitchen with Dorothy’s Cheese–locally made, hand-dipped, coated, and wrapped. I feel a kinship with Dorothy.  She’s a rockstar cheesemaker and a trendsetter—and I love her story.

Dorothy was born in the 1930’s into a big family with a passion for cheesemaking. Her attempts to enroll in university in 1949 were repeatedly rejected because she was female. But I love a gal who persists! She became the first woman to graduate with a degree in Dairy Science from Iowa State University.  She spent her entire life on her family’s dairy farm, dedicated to improving her community (by employing nearly the entire town of Lena, Illinois) and making incredible cheese. I love that! She was a true visionary making Brie and Camembert at a time no one knew what these were and she was amongst the first one to develop the Iowa Style Baby Swiss or Domestic Feta (her husband Jim was Greek). Take a peek at Dorothy sharing her story, here.

Dorothy is now in her late 80’s, and these cheeses pay homage to her passion. Rbst-free milk from local cows and proprietary cultures give them fabulous vintage flavor. Their unique shape is inspired by the fresh spring flowers that grow in the Apple River Canyon at the foot of Kolb-Lena. Kolb-Lena previously owned by Dorothy is where Dorothy’s cheeses are crafted today. The current cheese maker used to be Dorothy’s apprentice. Son and nephew of Dorothy still work at the plant.

You can find Dorothy’s cheese in many local grocery stores but you can also order direct from their website (here) or click on the images below. 

Comeback Cow honors Dorothy’s adage that she would “work till the cows came home.” It has rustic, fragrant notes in every bite. Dorothy’s Comeback Cow won Best in Class GOLD at US Championship of Cheese in a really difficult category.

Keep Dreaming reflects her lifelong dream to make a cheese that was robust in flavor but still soft like a brie, and it’s truly a dream come true. 

I am a gal that loves a charcuterie board!  It’s perfect for entertaining, a lazy Sunday afternoon or even a weeknight dinner. I’ve built this one with two Dorothy’s cheeses, the size is just right so you can do two.  Then I added beef salami, mortadella, peppeoncinis, oranges and apples, candied nuts and some fun sauces — a new spin on my yellow pepper mayo and a simple apple butter.  Just like one of my platters, a charcuterie board is a great way for everyone to grab what they like and build their own plate.  Mine is filled with the things I love, but this is just a template so make it your own with all your favorites!