Well, we did it! My family officially visited my husband's happy place! If you know anything about my husband you would know that from the time he was a little boy, if you asked him his favorite food he very quickly and surely tell you it's cheese…cheddar cheese to be exact. I don't think he's alone in this love for cheese. Americans love cheese!

While in Wisconsin last week, one of our stops HAD to be the Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

There were cheese samples everywhere, tons of souvenirs of all kinds, and a delicious bakery with cheesy breads and desserts where we bought the most amazing cheese Danish that we had for breakfast the next day. There was a fantastic restaurant where we shared a simple, yet divine ham and cheese sandwich. And I tell you what, this place was PACKED! While a ton of them were locals, looking around at license plates, there were a lot of other people from other states as well. This place is a hidden gem, I tell you what! Next time you're in Wisconsin… you know where the party's at! :)

Now, being from a state where nobody really knows anything about you other than your biggest crop, aka Idaho and potatoes, I want to give Wisconsin props here and share a few interesting facts about Wisconsin and their cheese history. I'm a history buff and loved learning about the history of why Wisconsin is so great at making cheese.

Let's learn a little bit about cheese, shall we?

· It all started clear back in prehistoric times. Nature set the stage for America's Dairyland during the last Ice Age, when glaciers cut through what is now Wisconsin. As they receded, the massive mountains of ice left behind a countryside of rolling hills and lush pastureland.

· Millions of years later, when European immigrants migrated west, they found the nation's heartland, which reminded many of their homelands. Climatic conditions suited farming well, and initially, farmers grew wheat, hops, and other grains. Dairy farming followed naturally, and dairy farmers soon produced an abundance of top-quality milk. To preserve excess milk, farmers made cheese. The move from producing cheese for family use to making cheese to sell was a short step.

· By 1886, the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture offered short courses for dairy farmers and cheesemakers and sent experts in the field to extend the education process.

· In 1890, Stephen Babcock of the University of Wisconsin developed the milkfat test that allowed dairymen to determine which cows produced the richest milk, the best for cheesemaking. This test is still used today.

· By 1945, more than 1,500 cheese factories in Wisconsin produced about 515 million pounds of cheese a year.

· Today, approximately 10,000 dairy farms, with over 1.27 million cows producing an average of 21,436 pounds of milk each per year, continue the reputation for quality milk from Wisconsin. Cheesemakers use approximately 90 percent of this milk to produce cheese at 126 plants.

· Wisconsin has more skilled and licensed cheesemakers than any other state. These cheesemakers must complete rigorous studies in dairy science and cheesemaking before they can be licensed. They also may serve as an apprentice under a licensed cheesemaker. Additionally, Wisconsin is the only state to offer a Master Cheesemaker program, patterned on the rigorous standards of similar programs in Europe.

· These fine craftsmen produce over 2.8 billion pounds of cheese each year, over 25 percent of all domestic cheese. These quantities continue to grow to meet the nation's demand for quality and variety of cheese from Wisconsin, America's Dairyland.

A big shout out to you, Wisconsin, you guys know how to make some mean cheese!