Gouda Tidings
Good cheese makes happier holidays, just ask Megan Lewis, an ACS Certified Cheese Professional. She’s the owner of Fargo’s Milk Made, a local gem that grew its crafty catering business from Square One Kitchens into a food truck, and now a must-stop shop in brick-and-mortar. Here, Megan’s perfected her passion, with handpicked artisan producers, a full catering kitchen, a well-stocked cheese case, graze-worthy gifts, and a community classroom for creative cravings. With a marathon of family gatherings just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to deck the halls with dairy... and Milk Made’s very merry charcuterie chalets and wreaths.
STORY BY Tracy Nicholson
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Morgan Allora, Studio Freshly + Gabriel & Carissa Photography
Meet Milk Made
Megan Lewis founded Milk Made eight years ago, kicking off her charcuterie catering from Square One Kitchens as an incubator-based business. When COVID kept us six feet apart, Megan kept piecing her dreams together, frequenting Farmer’s Markets and exploring new ways to get her cheese in the hands of her fans. She also invested in a food truck, named it Bessie, and created a 16-foot cheese shop on wheels, which she uses for traveling markets and catering outdoor events. Bessie is full-service and ready for a gouda party, including her own six-foot cheese case.
Shop Small
Just last fall, with Bessie, a booming catering business, and a growing team, Megan planted her roots in brick-and-mortar, opening the doors to a small retail store with a generously sized cheese case, a full prep and catering kitchen, and a large classroom space for arts & cheese-crafting – now open to the public for cheesy pop-up retail shopping, tasting events, and curated hours for your holiday shopping needs.
Charcuterie Chalet
Grab your apron and get ready to melt some holiday hearts (and brie). We’re taking you behind the design of Milk Made’s Charcuterie Chalets, a more refined twist on the beloved holiday tradition of gingerbread houses.
“During the holidays, most everyone has those tangible memories of gingerbread house-making and Christmas cookies, and we really wanted to offer a fun, new approach to those classes, but figure out how to make them interactive and cheese-centric,” explained Lewis. “Plus, we love partnering with non-profits, and other local businesses. I first met Megan Toso from Preheat Pastry Shop at Square One Kitchen – she’s hyper-creative and I knew she would be up to the challenge of making the house’s cracker walls and roof. We also had to come up with a way to replace the traditional gingerbread house candy with edible items that pair well with cheese. So, this project was a fun challenge, not a hard challenge.”
Charcuterie Wreath
Milk Made’s Charcuterie Wreath class has been another holiday hit, shining a light on the non-profit work of Hope Blooms by donating proceeds and utilizing greenery donations. Hope Blooms repurposes donated flowers by rearranging them into bedside bouquets delivered to community members in need. Their heartfelt mission is all about relaying one important message: you matter. For this class, Hope Blooms’ Kelly Krenzel and Katie Gehring joined in the fun. “I have always felt a huge passion to support Hope Blooms,” said Lewis. “My mom battled cancer and she received flowers many times; it brought her immense joy. So, it was really important for me to find a way to collaborate with them. Through creative chatting, we came up with a charcuterie holiday wreath, something I had done for a photoshoot years ago with The White House Co. It was such a fun way to utilize their donated greenery, and I loved the fact that the proceeds went to Hope Blooms and their mission.”
Charcuterie Wreath Kit:
In the official Charcuterie Wreath Kit, Milk Made included Hope Blooms’ repurposed winter greens, floral buds, and white and red roses. Students also got an array of edible elements, including Soppressata charcuterie, mixed olives, peppadew peppers, cornichons, dried citrus slices, cranberries, and assorted cheeses. For this session, Megan handpicked The Wild Boar (Truffled Monterey Jack), The Stag (Wisconsin cheddar), and Dill Havarti. Her team also provided decorative toothpicks and fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, to add the finishing touch. Megan started with the circular placement of the greenery positioned on Milk Made’s signature wooden cheese box top platters. Then she layered each element of the wreath by attaching cheeses, charcuterie, and pickled items with decorative toothpicks, or placing them directly on the greens. Students finished off the entire look with fresh sprigs of herbs. From start to finish, this process generally takes students around 90 minutes. Please note: These wreaths aren’t for hanging and should be displayed flat for serving.
Megan’s DIY Tips
When thinking about doing something totally unique with cheese, I like to find inspiration online. For my wreath look, I really enjoyed the idea of letting the greenery breathe, and only styling the food items towards the bottom, offset. I always start with the cheese first, balancing the often white or stark color first. Then I go in with the charcuterie and pickled items, continuing the balanced look. I finished off the wreath with small floral, greens, and herbs to give the finished product more texture and life. Have fun with it! It is all meant to be eaten and enjoyed.
Give Back
Every year, Milk Made selects a cause in the community and works as a team to raise funds and awareness. Last year, the team chose food security and homelessness. The quarterly giveback was matched by Bell Bank, which paid off over $2,600 of school lunches for Fargo’s Madison and Jefferson Elementary. This year, Milk Made has once again chosen a charity a quarter. “We’re starting with the Alzheimer’s Association and Growing Together Community Gardens, then we plan to wrap up the year by donating our time to the Emergency Food Pantry,” said Lewis. “We’ve also partnered all year with the Heart-n-Soul Community Café food truck, which parks in our parking lot every Tuesday.” This local food truck is a pop-up and mobile food café with ‘pay what you can afford’ pricing; dedicated to serving healthy and delicious meals to everyone in the community with dignity and respect.
Pre-Order Your Holiday Platter
Need ideas for holiday grazing and gatherings? Milk Made hosts special order Thanksgiving and Christmas platters every year. Due to high demand, make sure you pre-order; they sell out fast! You can also pre-order an à la carte platter, stock up on cute-erie cones and mini platters, or set the table with a Big Pasti, including four cheeses, two dried cured meats, pickled olives, cornichons, and peppers. Normally, a two-day notice suffices, but during the busy holidays, Megan highly recommends ordering at least three days before pickup. For optimal freshness, serve within 24-36 hours after pickup or delivery. Check out Milk Made’s social media, website, or subscribe to the newsletter to get in on special holiday treats your family and friends will love!
Cheesemonger’s Choice
Generally, all Milk Made platters are cheesemonger’s choice, carefully curated with seasonal selections and perfect pairings. You can also add on a bread and cracker or fruit and crudités platter with fresh and seasonal fruits, vegetables, and dipping sauce. If dietary restrictions are specified at the time of ordering, Milk Made does its best to accommodate, including vegetarian platter options.
It’s All Gouda
Inside Milk Made’s cheese case, Megan is focused on pivoting from pre-cuts, which they had once relied on for ease, and what was needed for the truck. “Now, we’re bringing in a lot of really great imports, and hopefully, some unique things that maybe people haven’t seen before,” said Lewis. “Having this case allows us to get back to my roots of cut-to-order, and we’re really excited about that.”
One of the undeniable stars is Prairie Breeze, a crumbly, well-aged cheddar with calcium lactate crystals and a tangy, sweet, and nutty profile, including undertones of pineapple and almond. “We call Prairie Breeze the Taylor Swift of cheese because even if you think you don’t like it, you do,” laughed Lewis. More favorites include Milk Made’s 18-month gouda and the LeClare Chèvre, a creamy goat cheese known for its fresh and tangy sweet profile; a blank canvas awaiting its perfect pairing.
Megan’s first ah-ha cheese moment was Bucheron, a French-style goat’s milk cheese. “Bucheron is French for log, so it’s a goat’s milk cheese that’s circular, with this kind of ribbing on it that makes it look like the side of a log. It ages from the outside in, so you get a chalky lemon goat cheese in the middle, then more earthy, mushroom notes from the aging goat cheese on the outside,” explained Lewis. “The first time I tried it, I was like, wow, that’s what cheese actually tastes like. I loved it so much I got it tattooed on my arm.” Milk Made’s cheese case also includes rare European imports, the cave-aged St. Pete’s Select Blue Cheese, Deer Creek’s Blue Jay, fall’s Rush Creek Reserve from Uplands Cheese, and a handpicked selection of Wisconsin’s Roth and Minnesota’s Redhead Creamery cheeses, to name just a few.
Crafty Catering
Milk Made offers catering services and delivery for just about everything worth celebrating, including weddings, private parties, and business meetings. They also put together corporate gift baskets, featuring an array of meats, cheeses, jarred spreads, and charcuterie accessories. For a small fee or mileage, Megan’s team will deliver anywhere in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo, as well as the surrounding region.
Holiday Pop-Up Shops + Classes
Want to learn a new craft and support small, local businesses? Follow Milk Made on Facebook for Megan’s upcoming Holiday Pop-Up Event showcasing handpicked bakeries, crafters, wineries, and favorite festive cheeses. Milk Made also hosts ongoing group classes, including the popular “New Year, New Cheese,” “Christmas Cookies and Cheese,” and “Barkuterie” course, where you’re invited to craft a charcuterie board for yourself and a furry friend. “We’re also doing another Raclette Night in January,” added Lewis. “If you don’t know what that is, it’s those big, sexy cheese machines that melt cheese on everything!”
“I like to end every class the same way,” said Lewis. “This will be our eighth year, and it still makes me emotional. I tell people that I know they do not have to spend their money with us; it’s a privilege for us, and it’s very humbling. I make sure everyone knows that we sincerely appreciate them for coming to our classes, especially around the holidays. If you go to Target and spend $100, it probably doesn’t mean much to them, but it means everything to us.”
Give 12 Days of Cheesemas
Tis the season! Join the pre-sale to gift a dozen holiday surprises with Milk Made’s “12 Days of Cheesemas Advent Calendar.” These boxes are what dairy dreams are made of, packed with 12 two-ounce Redhead Creamery cheeses and pairings by Milk Made for the ultimate tasting experience. Don’t like surprises? Don’t worry, Megan made a cheat sheet. Follow Redhead Creamery on YouTube, where the Redhead Creamery founder, Alise Sjostrom and Megan, reveal the reason why each day’s cheese was chosen. Redhead Creamery is family-owned and rooted in Brooten, MN, at Jer-Lindy Farms.
Stop & Shop
To shop the Fargo retail store, follow Milk Made’s social sites for seasonal hours and retail pop-up shops throughout the year, then take your pick from the well-stocked cheese case and unique foodie gifts. Here, you’ll find cheese knives and spreaders, Fat Toad Farm goat’s milk caramel, Marcona almonds, raw honeycomb from Jamie’s Hive to Table, Off the Deck Hot Sauce, pickles by Rick’s Picks, Flouwer Co. artisanal crackers, Divina Market spreads, Blake Hill preserves, Brewer’s Upcycled Grains crackers, Leisuremann Bloody Mary mix, Bittermilk cocktail mixers, accessories from The Sassy Barn, sweet treats, and a whole lot more.
Holiday Hours
November – January 1st
Fridays: 11 am–3 pm
Saturdays: 10 am–3 pm
For more information, contact:
Milk Made Catering
612 23rd St. S., Fargo
701.302.0440
milkmadecatering.com
Follow @milkmadecatering