quicksearch
It's almost British Columbia Day, so I thought it would be a good time to talk about some of our favourite local cheeses and cheese makers.
Our cheese industry isn't as old as in some other areas of Canada, but there are still some terrific cheesemakers at work in our fair province. There seems to be a lot of interest in local things right now, so what better time to explore some of our local producers?
Creekside Cheese + Creamery is a relatively new addition to the B.C. cheese scene, and they make some amazing Raclette. They are located in a picturesque spot in the Harrison River Valley. Beautiful scenery, beautiful location and a herd of organically certified Swiss Brown cows sounds like a great recipe for a day trip. Although we mostly buy their amazing variety of raclette – with ash, pepper, garlic, and plain – they also make other fresh cheeses. If you visit them in their farm shop, you'll find other farm products, such as milk, honey, and eggs. They are open to visitors at the shop from Thursday to Saturday, from 9.30- 5. It's worth the drive, as the scenery is absolutely gorgeous there.
Also in the valley is Farm House Natural Cheeses. They are located near Agassiz and are certified organic. They produce a wide range of cow and goat milk cheeses, and if you visit them, be sure to buy their yogurt, which is delicious. We carry a smattering of cheese from them, and I especially love the Castle Blue, Camembert, and La Pyramide made from their goat's milk.
Natural Pastures Cheese Company in Courtenay on Vancouver Island also has a shop you can visit from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They make a great selection of various cheese styles. Some of my favourites are Comox Camembert, mozzarella di Bufala, and Smoked Boerenkaas. Their Camembert is one of our top-selling B.C. cheeses. It has excellent flavour and a lovely runny texture when ripe. Their Buffalo Mozzarella is an awesome accomplishment. Made with milk from local farmers, they produce something that you can enjoy so much at this time of the year, with all of the local fruits and veggies that are ripening. The smoked Boerenkaas is a firm Dutch-style cheese with a creamy mouthfeel and a rich, natural smoky flavour.
Also on Vancouver Island is Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Located in Parksville, they offer a farm store and various other activities on the farm that you can visit. I love their brie, which they call Island Brie. It is tasty and has a lovely, rich paste, making it the perfect foil for homemade jam (or homemade elsewhere!), and they also have a really fun selection of flavoured cheeses. I have a particular fondness for Tipsy Jill. Based on a Monterey Jack-style cheese, this "Jill" (rather than Jack) is marbled with wine made on the property. It looks so pretty on a plate, and it has a lovely, fruity taste that pairs perfectly with some B.C. cherries, or cherry tomatoes, for that matter.
Another one of our bestselling B.C. cheeses is Alpindon, made by Kootenay Meadows in the beautiful town of Creston, B.C. I've written about Alpindon for Gismondi on Wine before, but to recap, it is a great mountain-style cheese made from raw organic cow's milk. Very different from most local cheese, it is a unique cheese in the B.C. landscape. You can check their website for visiting options. They have a farm store, and you can also take a farm walk. When Joe and I went there in early October one year, we met a storm and a family of caribou on the Salmo-Creston Highway pass on the way there. You never know what is going to happen when you go searching for cheese!
Enjoy B.C. Day, and I hope you get a chance to visit one of our B.C. producers this summer.
Allison
