The castle wasconstructed shortly after World War II, in 1947, when Mario and Martha Venturaresurrected a vacant schoolhouse on old Highway 41, before there was aninterstate. They realized their dream of operating a cheese market that servedquality cheeses, sausages, hams and gourmet Wisconsin-made products to countrymenand foreigners alike. Over the decades, the castle expanded by severalbuildingsit now includes a restaurant, bar, bakery and gift shopand claims anentire corner at the crossroads of I-94 and Highway 142. The heirs of HouseVentura have continued the family legacy by serving millions of customersthrough the roadside castle and its thriving mail-order catalog.
The Ventura family stocks the castle coolers withmore than 350 varieties of cheese. They importthe classics: surface-ripened cheeses like Brie and Camembert, the smooth,close-textured Edam and Gouda cheeses, well-matured Italian hard cheeses suchas Parmesan and Romano, blue mould cheese, stretched curd cheese likemozzarella and Provolone, and butter-rich Swiss wheels. The castle also boastsa fine selection of local-origin cheeses, such as 3- and 10-year aged Wisconsin cheddar, cheese logs, cheeses flavored withherbs, spices, fruits and vegetables, even chocolate, and Mars’ private blend, a robust “King ofClubs” cheddar cheese spread.
The Venturafamily is allied with Milwaukee’ssausage royalty, Usinger’s, carrying a variety of links and meats, frombratwurst and knackwurst to beef wieners and fresh kielbasa. They are also inleague with the Nueske clan de Wittenberg, whosupplies Mars’ Cheese Castle with bacon and itsaward-winning applewood smoked ham. The castle bakers make bread crammed with aquarter-pound of extra-sharp Wisconsin cheddarin each loaf. Defying holiday punch lines, the light batter of theold-fashioned fruitcake retains moisture from the sweet, natural juices offruits and nuts, aged bourbon, brandy and New Englandrum.
The Venturas also offerkringles, stollen, kolacky and rugulach, among other pastries and loaves.There’s a large collection of coffee, tea, jams, preserves, mustards and honeyto accompany the baked goods. There’s also a soda, beer and wine section thathosts some local favorites, like Dang butterscotch root beer from ImperialFlavors. The small gift shop is a source of kitsch ripe for plundering by out-of-statecorsairs looking for souvenirs of their journey to the hinterland or fortravelers looking to bring with them an offering for their host.
The Fortress de Fromagefaces imminent destruction as it sits in the path of a major highwayreconstruction project that ranges from Milwaukeeto the Illinoisstate line. The Ventura family will continue itsreign at the aged castle until their newly designed Mars’ Cheese Castle,complete with a drawbridge, is constructed immediately behind the old market. The state allowed a special dispensation to theiconic, massive Mars’ Cheese Castle sign, so it willbe relocated to the new store, where it can continue to lure weary travelershungry for curd.
www.marscheese.com / 1-800-655-6147/ 2800 120th Ave.,Kenosha.
