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Celebrating Father’s Day With the History of Minerva’s Men

brunch recipes

For most dads, the ideal Father’s Day is quite simple: quality time with loved ones and a delicious meal without touching the dishes. At Minerva Dairy, we take Father’s Day very seriously because our family has passed down a company that allows us to live and breathe butter as a family-run business. So, get your note pad ready: we’re sharing our best Father’s Day brunch recipes alongside some of the first four generations of Minerva Dairy Father histories!

1st Generation:

Our company was founded in 1894 when Max P. Radloff established Radloff Cheese in Hustisford, Wisconsin. During his life and work for Minerva, Max Radloff built 26 locations producing cheese and butter. More importantly, Max was a great father to 7 kids, including Roland Radloff, our second-generation owner.

2nd Generation:

Max’s son Roland inherited the thriving business in 1912 but was unable to maintain it when his wife died suddenly. Max was ready and waiting to jump back into the butter…or business, rather.

3rd Generation:

Max’s granddaughter Lorraine (from a different son than Roland), married Delbert Mueller, who became our 3rd generation owner. The Minerva Dairy was a wedding gift along with a model-T car to move from Wisconsin to Minerva, Ohio, and operate and live in the Creamery. The Muellers took their offer and started making ice cream along with cheese and butter! During this time, we were also bottling milk. You could call us a jack of all trades!

4th Generation:

In 1976, Phil took over the business. With 26 years of butter experience, Phil’s passion for the business was ready. With the sudden passing of Delbert in 1976, the company continued to thrive with the matriarch Lorraine, her son Phil, and his newlywed-wife, Polly. They navigated the dairy through the dark ages (when people were brainwashed into believing margarine was good for you), in addition to raising the 5th generation, Venae and Adam. Phil taught Adam everything he knows about making butter and cheese – just as any father teaches his son.

Now that you’ve learned the history of men at Minerva Dairy and how they’ve shaped our better butter over the years, let’s get cooking with some of our family’s favorite recipes!

Brown Butter Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Swirl 

Father’s Day is a holiday, so have your cake and eat it too! Trade in your dad’s usual coffee and upgrade it with a coffee cake! He won’t mind, trust us!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Bread 

Even though it’s a holiday, you still have to eat your fruits and veggies! That’s why we’re including this Healthy Chocolate Chip bread. So delicious, dad won’t even realize he’s getting in some nutrients!

banana bread and minerva dairy unsalted butter

Bacon Cheddar Scones

A savory breakfast item, bacon cheddar scones are delicious and happen to sneak in a bit of spinach while being quick and easy to make!

White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake 

This white chocolate lemon cheesecake combines everything we love: chocolate, butter, lemon, and sunshine!

Be sure to keep up with all new recipes by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

In a family of 6 generations of butter lovers, it’s safe to say there was a lot of cooking…and a lot of butter. We encourage you to get in the kitchen, cooking with and for your loved ones. Always remember, if all else fails, just add butter!

We hope you enjoyed our Father’s Day blog. For more delicious recipes featuring Minerva Dairy’s better butter, head to our Recipes page. Be sure to keep up with our latest creations through our FacebookPinterest, or Instagram page and our top tips through our blogs.

The Daily Diary