RETURN (to) FLIGHT: St. Nectaire Fermier - France

St. Nectaire is an AOP designated cheese from the Auvergne region of France. It's a farmhouse cheese, meaning that the people who produce the cheese also raise the cows who provide the milk!

St. Nectaire is a semi-soft, raw milk cheese thats aged up to 2 months on rye-straw mats that give the cheese its characteristic flavour; nuts, hay, earth, and mushrooms. If you're a fan of a bold Brie but don't want something super gooey, this cheese would certainly tickle your fancy!

Serve it melted on some bread with a hearty bowl of soup and you'll have a super tasty comforting meal for this April-showers weather!

NOTE: Rye stems (straw) doesn't naturally contain gluten, but the rest of the plant does contain a gluten protein. This cheese is not recommended for those with gluten sensitivities or allergies, as the chance of cross contamination during production is quite high.

Sold by weight, $9.00/100g

RETURN (to) FLIGHT: Delice de Bourgogne - France

Boy oh boy do the French know how to make soft cheese! Delice de Bourgogne is a stunning triple crème cheese made by Fromagerie Lincet in the Burgundy region of France. It’s ULTRA creamy, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is unrivalled. It has a white bloomy rind, and the paste is made with full fat cows milk and crème fraîche, to give it its characteristic flavour. Pairs fantastically with Champage (or any methode traditionelle sparkling wine), wheat beers or cider. FUN FACT: The rind of this cheese is ripened with Penicilium Candidum - the typical mold used for Brie style or bloomy rind cheeses. It gives the rind the typical earthy, mushroomy, buttery flavour we all know & love bloomy rind cheeses to have!

Sold by weight, $9.00/100g

RETURN (to) FLIGHT: Bleu Fumé - Quebec 

Made in Saint-Benôit-du-Lac, Quebec by Benedictine Monks, this cheese is part of their sustainable approach to helping the less fortunate. The monks spend most of their day praying, and then branching off to make cheese, cider, preserves and music to make money to support those who need help. The cheese is smoked and aged for 6 months, giving it a lovely smokey flavour and semi-firm texture. On the milder side, this is a great cheese for a cheese board, salad, pizza or pairing with a medium bodied red wine and some nice dark chocolate!

Sold by weight, $7.00/100g 

RETURN (to) FLIGHT: Camembert Pere Andre - France

This is Le Père Andre from la Coopérative de l'Ermitage à Bulgnéville, who have spent the last 80+ years preserving traditional French methods. 

Camembert de Normandie is a PDO certified cheese that is rumoured to first have been made in 1791 by Marie Harel, a Normande farmer following a different recipe from a friend. The terroir of Normandy is distinctly different than that of Burgundy or Brie, where similar style cheeses are made, and thus is its own special creation! Typically sold in wooden boxes to protect the creamy, soft goodies inside, the rind used to be blue-grey with brown spots, until the commercialization of cheesemaking refined the process and giving the bloomy rind cheeses the puffy white rind we've come to know and love! 

This cheese is pleasantly soft, with flavours of cream, mushroom, salt, earth and butter. Fantastic choice to eat alone or used as a filling for chicken or pork. 

Sold in 250g wheels, $17.99 each

NEW ARRIVAL: Le Gruyere 6 months - France

Coming from the heart of Switzerland, Gruyere is a classic Swiss cheese with AOP designation. It's mild, yet complex, and has a delicious nutty flavour profile. Made with raw cows milk from cows who graze on rich alpine pastures, the cheese has notes of hazelnut, caramel, salty and is just absolutely perfect for melting. Use it in fondue, let it sing on its own, or use it in countless delicious recipes. Check out Gruyere's website for ideas!

Sold by weight, $9.50/100g 

RETURN (to) FLIGHT: Crottin Germain - France

Crottin de Chevre Germain is a moulded goat cheese made from pasteurized milk and matured in the Berry region of France. Under its fine, white rind hides a firm and slightly crumbly texture with a moderately funky yet delicate flavour. This cheese is a Loire Valley Chevre – meaning that it follows a very similar flavour profile to other cheese from the same region. Chabichou de Poitou, Valencay, Selles-sur-Cher are some examples. This cheese is on the milder side of the Loire funk spectrum, but it’ll give you a great idea of what to expect from this type of cheese.

Sold in 60g wheels, $6.99 each

RETURN (to) FLIGHT: Roquefort Carles - France

Roquefort is known as the "King of Blues", and is recognized worldwide. It's an AOC cheese, which means its production methods are protected and quality is controlled. This is no grocery store, vaguely labeled Roquefort - this is one of the best, artisanal Roqueforts from Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, made by hand, an incredibly selective milk collection process, the mold that makes it blue is cultivated and grown by the cheese makers, and a recipe that has been perfected by three generations of the Carles family, beginning in 1927. 

This cheese is big and bold with an addicting spiciness, and has earned its nickname well! Enjoy on a steak, salad, or just on its own for a delicious treat. 

Sold by weight, $13.00/100g

Ski Queen (Gjetost) - Norway

This is a cheese that's been a looooong time comin' - I have people ask for it every once and a while and I've never been able to source it, but now it's here!!

This is the Norwegian Gjetost (pronounced yeh-toast) - a caramelized whey-based cheese all the way from Norway! Whey is rich with lactose, the sugar found in milk. To make the cheese, the whey is boiled until the liquid reduces and the sugars caramelize, which is where its rich, butterscotch/caramel flavour comes from! As a point of reference, Ricotta is also a cheese that is made from whey being re-cooked, however its cooked much less and therefore retains much more moisture.

“Gjetost” translates to “goat cheese” in Norwegian, so this style contains at least some goat’s milk. This particular brand of gjetost also uses cow’s milk to make it creamier and soften the flavor!

There's a really great article that explains Gjetost a little bit better here!

Sold in 250g blocks, $16.99 each

Capra Tonka & Vermouth - Italy

This is CAPRA TONKA & VERMOUTH, an Italian goat cheese that's flavoured with (shocker) Tonka & Vermouth for a super unique flavour profile.

In case you've never heard of it, Tonka beans are dried seeds from South America and have a rich, complex flavor similar to that of vanilla, almond, cinnamon, caramel, and clove. The flavor is due to its high coumarin content, which gives it that signature warm, sweet, and slightly bitter taste, and is actually most commonly used in making perfumes because of its unique scent/flavour!

It's also soaked in Vermouth, which is commonly used in martinis and Manhattan cocktails, and adds even more complexity to this interesting cheese!

Its flavour definitely starts out goaty - not OBNOXIOUSLY goaty, but it's definitely there. And between the Tonka & Vermouth, this cheese feels like it should be sweet but it's not! Not that it feels like it's missing sweetness, its just that the flavours of the cheese are typically found alongside something sweet, so it's a really unique flavour! This cheese feels like one I'd want to have with coffee - it tastes almost like vanilla, or if caramel was vanilla.. really difficult to describe properly but it's so unique and awesome and definitely something different!

Sold by weight, $15.00/100g 

Truffle Pecorino - Ontario

Coming from our good friends at Creel & Gambrel, this is their (relatively) new TRUFFLE PECORINO! Made locally in Ontario, this firm sheeps milk cheese is unlike most other truffle cheeses I've carried. This one has truffle SHAVINGS (not just flecks) throughout the super savoury cheese and has a punchy, salty bite. This is a fantastic cheese for snacking, grating over pizza, pasta, or salads, or on POPCORN. 

Sold by weight, $13.50/100g

Stonetown Emmental - Ontario

Earning the first place prize at the 2018 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and at the 2018 British Empire Cheese Competition, Stonetown Artisan Cheese’s Farmstead Emmental is an Ontario version of the classic Swiss cheese! Made in St. Marys, Ontario, this cheese is mild with natural sweet and nutty notes, and leaves a lingering creaminess on the palate. This cheese also has a bright acidity, giving it a zippy flavour alongside its salty & creamy notes. Perfect for melting or snacking, this is a delicious cheese!

Sold by weight, $7.20/100g

Romero - Spain

An artisan sheep's milk cheese made similarly to Manchego, this lovely cheese is rubbed with butter and rosemary. As the cheese matures the flavours absorb, the herbs are brushed off and new, fresh herbs are rubbed in! This process goes on for at least two months, and up to a year. Enjoy this cheese on a cheese board with a tall glass of Grenache for a decadent Spanish treat!

Sold in 250g packages, $16.99 each

Crotonese Pecorino - Italy

Crotonese, aka Pecorino Crotonese from the province of Crotone in Calabria, Italy. It is one of six PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Pecorino cheeses from Italy, and is my favourite type of cheese to carry: something familiar, yet different!

Most of the time when a recipe calls for "Pecorino", it usually is referring to Pecorino Romano, from Rome. It's super salty, super clean in flavour without a whole lot of funk. I've also carried Pecorino Toscano from Tuscany in the past, and that one's a lot less salty than the Romano variant. Pecorino Crotonese, however, has a slight sweetness and slight tanginess which I personally don't see in the other kinds! It also has a little bit of funkiness to it, which lends a beautiful complexity and je-ne-sais-quoi to the cheese as you eat it.

This cheese is also a touch softer (not super soft, just a little bit) than other Pecorinos, so it's a little easier to handle when grating or shaving. 

This is a fantastic choice for either grating in place of Parmigiano or other Pecorino, or just eating on its own with some Italian red wine & some fruits!

Sold by weight, $12.00/100g

Kapuskasing - Ontario

Most people look at this and think it’s a blue cheese, but it’s actually not! That blue-ish coloured veining is actually vegetable ashes - a traditional French cheesemaking technique that has stuck around mainly for its appearance. This cheese is based off the French Morbier, which is made in the same region as Comte. Comte wheels are GIANT (like 90lb+), and they’re traditionally made both in the morning and the evening. When they milked the cows in the morning, any curds that are leftover that wouldn’t be enough to make an extra wheel of Comte got put into a smaller mold and covered with vegetable ash to keep it fresh. Then, the leftover curds from the evening milking would top it off, leaving the lovely layer of ashes in the middle!

Nowadays, Morbier is so popular, it has its own dedicated production, but that’s the story of how it came to be!

Instead of being made in France, Kapuskasing is Ontario’s version, and *personally* I think this is better than the “real” stuff. It’s not aggressive in flavour, but not mild either. It’s milky, salty, with a teeeeensy bit of funkiness to the rind. It’s definitely a people-pleaser cheese, but still different enough to keep things exciting.

Sold by weight, $8.70/100g 

Beurre d'Isigny Demi-Sale - France

This BUTTER is a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) butter from Isigny-sur-Mer in the North West of France, and is unlike any other butter you likely would have had before. It has a buttercup yellow colour and slightly hazelnutty flavour profile, and has followed a slow, traditional fermentation process that helps it develop its distinctive aromas and flavours. 

What makes this butter different than the butter you're used to? A few things -- the Isigny region has a warm and humid climate, and is close in proximity to the ocean and marshes. The cows, therefore, feed on grass that is rich in iodine, beta-carotene and micronutrients, giving the butter its own unique flavour! This butter is 100% natural, and has a fat content of at least 82% (for reference, Canadian butter is only 80%) with tons of Vitamin A and E. This butter contains no artificial flavours, preservatives or colouring. This butter also goes through a special production process called tourage that gives it a malleable yet firm texture, and is favoured by French pastry chefs when making light & airy puff pastries and crispy baked goods with buttery flavour! 

For more information on this particular butter, visit the Isigny website here.

Sold in a 250g basket, $27.99 each

Townsley 8 year Cheddar - Quebec

Coming from Quebec, this cheese impressed me much more than I expected it to. Townsley Cheddar has been aged for 8 years, and has a stunning complex flavour, yet nothing off or weird about it. It's very firm and crumbly, and is studded with tyrosine crystals (aka cheese diamonds!) to give it an additional crunchy texture to its profile. It has deep flavours, almost reminiscent of caramel or nuts, and evolves as you chew on it. This is a stunning cheddar that is meant to be savoured, and can stand alone and impress without any other accompaniments, but would also be enjoyable on a salad, sandwich or with spreads. 

Sold by weight, $8.50/100g 

Dalmatia Spreads

Dalmatia makes stunning spreads out of the coastal region of Croatia, where fruits, vegetables and olive oil are as fresh as they can be! They use only first-class fruits, with no bruising or damage, giving their spreads superior flavour and quality. Made with lots of love and care, these spreads are a fantastic option for your holiday boards. 

Flavour available: Fig & Orange, Quince, and Sour Cherry

240g jars, $8.99 each

RETURN (to) FLIGHT: Snowdonia Chutney - UK

Handcrafted in traditional copper pans, Snowdonia chutneys are a fantastic accompaniment to your favourite cheeses. Slightly sweet, sticky and scrumptious, you won't be disappointed by these spreads!

Snowdonia's website claims that these chutneys are suitable for people who are vegetarian, vegan, celiac and do not contain nuts (however there are nuts processed in the same facility). For more information, visit their website.

Currently carrying Pear, Date, Cognac flavour.

114g jars for $8.99

Out of Stock: Pastore Sardo (Pecorino Sardo) - Italy

A Sardinian table cheese, this young pecorino is a delicate and savoury treat! Made from raw sheep's milk, the cheese is semi-firm, slightly acidic and salty, with a mild sweetness. Perfect as a snacking cheese, on an appetizer cheese board or served with a light-bodied red wine. 

Sold by weight, $8.30/100g

Out of Stock: Mimolette (24 Month) - France

It’s been aged for 24 months with the help of some little critters (bear with me) called cheese mites!! Don’t worry, it’s nothing like Casu Marzu (don’t google that if you’re squeamish) but the cheese mites lend Mimolette its characteristic flavour around the rind. It’s rumoured to be originally made by the request of Louis XIV who wanted a French product to replace the then popular Edam from the Netherlands. The cheese is super rich, crumbly and reminiscent of a reaaalllyyyy old cheddar or gouda. It’s coloured bright orange by the addition of annatto, a classic cheese ingredient in pretty much any orange cheese. The perfect cheese for you aged-cheese-fanatics!

Sold by weight, $12.50/100g

Out of Stock: Murcia al Vino - Spain

Murcia al Vino, also known as "Drunken Goat", is a pasteurized goats milk cheese from Spain that's been soaked in red wine, giving it its beautiful burgundy coloured rind. It's semi-firm, with a fruity, slightly salty, and deliciously goat-y flavour. Pairs best with a medium bodied and fruity red wine, ideally from Spain, such as Tempranillo! 

The milk for this cheese comes from the Murciano-Granadina goat breed, known as the best milk producing breed in Spain! The milk gives this cheese a little bit of a decadent edge over your standards goats milk cheeses. 

Sold by weight, $7.50/100g 

Out of Stock: Madawaska - Back40 Cheeses, Mississippi Station, ON

Madawaska cheese is a fantastic soft cheese from about an hour north of Kingston. It's made with raw sheeps milk, and has a really wide variety of textures in one slice of cheese! The center is chalky and slightly tangy, and it's soft, sweet and slightly salty under the rind. Pairs beautifully with sparkling wines, Pinot Gris or a dry Riesling. 

Sold by weight, $9.15/100g 

Out of Stock: Monte Enebro - Spain

Full flavoured and boldly goaty, Monte Enebro is a stunning goats milk cheese from just outside of Madrid in Spain. The rind of the cheese is not covered in ash as its appearance may seem, but it's actually ripened with pennicilium roqueforti - the same mold used in many blue cheeses! The main difference, is that instead of inoculating the cheese and spreading the mold throughout the interior, it is just used on the exterior, giving the cheese a spicy, peppercorn-like bite to complement the robust paste. Monte Enebro is only made by one producer in Spain, and has won countless awards around the world. Lovers of Grey Owl will surely appreciate this one!

Sold by weight, $7.29/100g 

Out of Stock: Black Olive Manchego - Spain

Visually exciting and deliciously savoury, this Manchego-style cheese from Spain is made with a black olive tapenade veining throughout its paste. The flavour of the cheese itself is pretty bang on for a typical Manchego, however the black olives give it a salty, umami and super savoury flavour. Definitely my favourite of the flavoured Manchegos I've carried in the past!

Sold by weight, $7.50/100g 

Out of Stock: Kaamps Maple Whiskey Gouda - Netherlands

A unique specialty from Kaamps, one of the few remaining Dutch farmstead creameries, this delicious cheese is made with the addition of Maple Syrup Whiskey, giving it a subtle, nutty/woody/sweet background flavour. The cheese is mild and is a fantastic choice for a cheese board or a grilled cheese!

Sold by weight, $9.50/100g