Winchester Cheese Company facts for kids
Winchester Cheese Company was a special company that made artisan cheese in Winchester, California. This town is in Riverside County, which is part of Southern California.
The company was started by a man named Jules Wesselink. He was born in the Netherlands, a country in Europe famous for its cheese. Jules moved to the United States when he was in his twenties. He first worked at a dairy farm that belonged to his future wife's family. Later, in the 1950s, he moved to Artesia to start his own dairy farm.
Jules then moved his farm to a beautiful valley in Winchester, close to Temecula. This area is about two hours southeast of Los Angeles and not far from San Diego.
From Dairy Farmer to Cheesemaker
In 1995, Jules faced a challenge: the prices for dairy milk dropped a lot. This made him think about new ways to use his milk. He decided to visit his old hometown of Haarlem in the Netherlands. There, he learned how to make Gouda cheese. Gouda is a very popular type of cheese.
When he came back to California, Jules started making Gouda cheese. He called it "boerenkaas," which means "farmer's cheese" in Dutch. At first, he used milk from his own Holstein cows. Holstein cows are a type of cow that originally came from the Netherlands. After 2001, he started getting milk from other farms too.
The Winchester Cheese Company officially began making cheese for sale in 1996. By 2008, they were making about 100,000 pounds of cheese every year!
What the Company Offered
Over the years, Winchester Cheese Company grew. They added a gift shop where visitors could buy cheese and other items. They also had a special area for tasting different cheeses and a tour center. People could visit to learn how the cheese was made.
The cheeses from Winchester Cheese Company won many awards in competitions all around the world. Their cheeses were sold in special cheese shops, fancy restaurants, and wineries across Southern California. You could also find them at local farmer's markets.
They made different kinds of Gouda cheese. Some popular flavors included jalapeño Gouda, which was a bit spicy, and cumin Gouda, which had a warm, earthy taste. They also made Gouda cheeses of different ages. Just like people, cheese changes as it gets older. Some Gouda was young and creamy, while other Gouda was aged longer and became harder with a stronger flavor.
The Company's End
Sadly, Jules Wesselink passed away in 2011. After his death, it was not clear if the cheese production would continue. By August 2013, the company's phone number was no longer working, and their website was gone. According to online reviews, the Winchester Cheese Company had closed down.
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