Wisconsin made “un-brie-lievable” history by creating the “World's Largest Cheeseboard,” officially setting a new Guinness World Records title. The cheeseboard took over an entire street in downtown Madison, displaying over 2 tons of cheeses from across the state, topping the previous European record holder by more than 1,000 pounds, Dairy Farms of Wisconsin said.
The 35-foot-long, 7-foot-wide custom board was officially adorned with 4,437 pounds of 145 different varieties, types and styles of Wisconsin’s unique specialty and artisan cheeses, including national and international award-winners. A Henning’s 2,000-pound mammoth cheddar wheel was the grand centerpiece.
"We wanted to showcase the amazing breadth of the award-winning cheeses in Wisconsin,” said Suzanne Fanning, vice president of marketing communications for Madison-based Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. "Wisconsin’s licensed cheesemakers put the art in artisan, drawing from their rich European heritage, cheesemaking traditions and impressive innovations, and we're thrilled to share their masterful creations with the world in a unique and fun way."
The gigantic cheeseboard was custom made to fit inside a life-size digitally fabricated barn, using CNC technology — a computerized process that's a cross between woodcutting and 3-D printing — by Better Block Foundation, a nonprofit that uses urban design to foster community. The ultimate cheese lover's fantasy was a true team effort, requiring more than 60 people to prep, transport, house, style and weigh all of the cheeses, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin said.
Following the official judging ceremony by a Guinness World Records adjudicator, a crowd of more than 45,000 attendees got to check out the cheese board. The first 2,000 guests in line received a curated cheese plate to go.
In addition, no cheese went to waste, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin noted. Spectators entered a raffle to win full wheels of cheese, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Great American Milk Drive. The remaining cheese was donated to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin.