WMMB Plugs Wisconsin Dairy Products Through Holiday Promotions
Byline: Mary Wackershauser, WMMB Director and Lancaster, WI, dairy producer

From deliciously rich desserts to melt-in-your-mouth cookies and golden, flaky pie crusts, homemade holiday treats add a lot to our seasonal celebrations. These goodies, when made with REAL dairy ingredients, create memories that last all year long. As a dairy producer and director of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, I believe using REAL dairy products can make every holiday meal better.

The holidays are the perfect time to remind consumers that REAL dairy products really do make a difference. This year, WMMB is organizing two holiday related promotions – one national promotion focused strictly on butter which is conducted in coordination with Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI) – and a holiday promotion geared towards Wisconsin consumers.

"Real Butter. Pure and Simple." serves as the tagline for this year's butter promotion, which is expected to reach180 million potential consumers through magazine advertising, and in-store materials such as coupons and signs. Judith Fertig, a high-profile chef and contributing writer for Better Homes and Gardens, will also be making appearances via satellite on television shows around the nation demonstrating how butter can be used in traditional and trendy desserts. Holiday pie and cookie recipes, baking tips and facts about butter can all be found at www.butterisbest.com.

WMMB is taking the traditional holiday dessert exchange a step farther with this year's Wisconsin holiday promotion, called Holiday Dessert Exchanges. Advertisements in Sunday newspapers will be teamed with radio advertisements and will remind shoppers throughout Wisconsin and its surrounding markets that using REAL dairy products will enhance any holiday treat. A 20-page brochure full of creative holiday recipes from peppermint eggnog to sour cream brownies with mascarpone topping will be available at special events and on-line at www.wisdairy.com. The holiday brochure also offers tips for hosting a dessert exchange party.

This season, consider waking up some of your favorite recipes by incorporating a few of these helpful tips:

• Whipped Cream Dresses Up Desserts. Dress up holiday sweets with a generous dollop of real whipped cream on cakes, pies and tarts. It can transform an old standby recipe into an enticing new creation. A simple turn of a piping tube can yield fanciful desserts full of appeal and deserving of praise. For a deliciously sweet sauce, drizzle sweetened whipping cream on cakes, brownies and pies.
• Cream Cheese Improves Your Holiday “Spread.” A delectable filling or spread for holiday bars and cakes, cream cheese is often overlooked as a holiday baking taste sensation. Cream cheese complements other real dairy ingredients, such as butter, to create light, fluffy icings or dense layers of sweetness. Simply soften and cream with real butter to create a rich, velvety spread.
• Real Butter – the Real Deal. According to professional chefs and bakers worldwide, there is no substitute for real butter in baked goods. Smooth and creamy, butter ensures a rich, full flavor and tender texture in any baked treat. Butter also gives baked goods an appetizing appearance. For the flakiest pastry and pie crusts, use cold, hard butter, and for soft, chewy cookies use slightly softened, unsalted butter (e.g. see Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie recipe).
• Buttermilk Gives the Gift of Surprise. Although low in fat, real buttermilk has a creamy consistency and assertive, tangy flavor that adds an unexpected lift to any recipe. When you use a buttermilk recipe for cake and quick bread batters, you can be assured your holiday goodies will be moist and flavorful.
• Eggnog Adds Seasonal Flavor to Desserts. A popular holiday beverage, eggnog is actually quite versatile and delicious in many holiday recipes. Experiment with traditional eggnog, adding cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla or different liquors for flavor. Use leftover eggnog to spice up holiday desserts – simply replace a portion of the milk or cream in a recipe with your favorite eggnog flavor.
• Sour Cream Provides a Special Touch. Smooth, rich sour cream adds a special texture and delicate flavor to holiday baked goods. Silky smooth cheesecake is often the result of sour cream, and it also keeps cakes and bars tasting moist and delicious, plus gives frosting a creamy texture.

Go ahead and incorporate one of these ideas into a new holiday tradition. Remember, log onto www.wisdairy.com or www.butterisbest.com for more tips and tasty recipes.

Mary Wackershauser farms near Lancaster with her husband, Carson and son, Brian and his wife, Kristi. Mary is a member of the Holstein Association at the local, state and national level. She is also actively involved in the Grant County Homemakers and the Grant County Dairy Promoters.