A Taste of Home
Monday, May 18, 2026
I’ve spent some time here talking about my Arab heritage from my dad’s side of the family, but I haven’t said much about my mom, Peggy.
My mom grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, learned how to drive in the parking lot of Lambeau Field, and was a Wisconsin lady through and through. Supper clubs. Old Fashioneds. Friday fish fries. And on nights when she didn’t feel like cooking? Cheese and crackers for dinner.
The operative word here is cheese.
Food has a remarkable way of connecting us to who we are and where we come from. Certain flavors can transport us instantly — back to childhood kitchens, family gatherings, holiday tables, or the people who taught us how to cook, gather, and care for one another. Food carries culture and memory. It reminds us that we belong to something larger than ourselves and links us to generations that came before us.
For my mom, Wisconsin cheese was part of that identity.
Wisconsin, of course, is known as America’s Dairyland, and they take dairy very seriously. I lived much of my adult life in Wisconsin before moving to Dubuque in 2012, and I remember being completely perplexed during my first few weeks here because I couldn’t find the cheese aisle at the grocery store.
I kept wandering around thinking, Surely this small refrigerated section cannot be all the cheese?
Folks, Wisconsin grocery stores have an entire cheese aisle. A whole aisle devoted to cheese. It is truly a sight to behold.
So it feels especially fitting that June — Dairy Month — also includes National Cheese Day on June 4. At Convivium, we’ll be celebrating with a special cheese and wine tasting featuring five award-winning Wisconsin cheeses paired with wines from around the world:
Tallgrass Reserve from Landmark Creamery paired with Don Rodolfo “Art of the Andes” Brut, Argentina
Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese paired with Aveleda Mandriola de Lisboa Branco, Portugal
Hook’s 10-Year Cheddar from Hook’s Cheese Company paired with Spice Trader Shiraz, Australia
Mobay from Carr Valley Cheese paired with Sula Chenin Blanc, India
Dunbarton Blue from Roelli Cheese Haus paired with Eguiluz Rioja, Spain
We’ve been working with Carl Busch at E.J.’s Wine Shop to find just the right wines to complement these flavorful and distinctive cheeses. Carl and Cena Sharp, our Culinary Resource Director, will guide guests through the pairings and share the stories behind them.
I’m especially excited about this event because it celebrates more than food and drink. It celebrates place, tradition, craftsmanship, and the memories we create around the table. Every culture has foods that feel like home. This tasting is a small tribute to mine.
Please join us on June 4 at 6 PM and share a little taste of home with me.
Cheese & Wine Tasting tickets here
Yours convivially,
