Category Archives: Ideas & Info

Unveiling the Charcuterie Wedding Cake Trend: An Inside Look at Spoon & Spade

By Anyssa Jane

 In recent years, the traditional wedding cake has met its match: the charcuterie wedding cake. This delightful trend is capturing the hearts (and taste buds) of couples looking to make their big day uniquely memorable. At the forefront of this delicious movement are Toni and Katie, the dynamic duo behind Spoon & Spade, a small female-owned charcuterie business based in Victoria, Vancouver Island. Their commitment to “farm to table” principles ensures that each charcuterie board not only tastes amazing but also supports local producers and promotes sustainability.

Gone are the days when a multi-tiered, sugar-laden cake was the only option for a wedding centerpiece. Today, many couples are opting for charcuterie wedding cakes, which offer a delectable array of aged and fresh cheeses, cured meats, and gourmet accompaniments. This trend reflects a broader cultural shift towards celebrating food that is both artisanal and aesthetically pleasing.

One of the primary benefits of a charcuterie wedding cake is its versatility. Unlike traditional cakes, which cater to those with a sweet tooth, charcuterie cakes can appeal to a wide range of palates. They can be customized to include a variety of flavors, from creamy Natural Pastures Comox Brie, as found beside other local artisanal delights in the cake above, to spicy salami and savory prosciutto.  This ensures that every guest finds something they love. Additionally, these cakes are perfect for pairing with wine, adding an extra layer of sophistication to the celebration.

Founded in 2020 by Toni and Katie, Spoon & Spade has quickly become the go-to gourmet charcuterie company in Victoria, Vancouver Island. This female-owned business prides itself on creating beautifully crafted charcuterie boards that elevate any occasion, from intimate gatherings to grand celebrations. They each bring unique skills to the business: Toni with her Culinary Arts diploma and Katie with her artistic touch and a joint passion for florals and design, making them stand out in the event business.

At Spoon & Spade, the belief is that food brings people together. Their gourmet grazes and event tables include custom-made spreads, jams, jellies, and mustards, all made with the finest ingredients. As more couples embrace the charcuterie wedding cake trend, businesses like Spoon & Spade are at the forefront, offering delicious and visually stunning alternatives to traditional wedding cakes. Toni and Katie’s dedication to quality, sustainability, and local products makes their charcuterie creations a perfect reflection of today’s cultural values.

charcuterie board

Thanksgiving Cheese Sampler Selection

This Thanksgiving, savor the exquisite flavors of Natural Pastures Cheese products, knowing that your holiday feast would lack its essential touch without a sumptuous platter showcasing the likes of Bourenkaas, Aged Farmhouse, Courtenay Cheddar, Amsterdammer, and Cracked Pepper cheeses and Brie!

Its our pleasure is to curate an opulent selection of artisanal cheeses and complementary condiments for you, your beloved family, and cherished friends.

Our cheese selection encompasses a delightful diversity of options, but do note that some, such as Cracked Pepper, are available in limited quantities. Therefore, we recommend making your choice promptly to ensure you secure these rare treasures.

When your Thanksgiving day arrives, all that remains is for you to plate up your delightful cheese assortment on a beautiful board. Display them elegantly at your holiday table, and let the festivities begin!

This Thanksgiving, let the star of your feast be a captivating cheese platter that brings family and friends together. Secure your order today, and we have it ready for pick up in Courtenay for you Thanksgiving celebration.

Your Thanksgiving Sampler promises an extraordinary culinary journey:
$145 – pick up price ( shipping is extra )

  • A generous selection of 5 cheeses, featuring the rich flavors of Bourenkaas, the rustic charm of Aged Farmhouse, the bold character of Courtenay Cheddar, the nuanced sophistication of Amsterdammer, and, if you’re lucky, the limited edition delight of Cracked Pepper. -+200 grams
  • 2 Jars of Saltspring Kitchen Co. Candied Jalapeno Relish and Apple Fig & Fennel.
  • As YOU Like It – Mango Chutney 125 ml
  • Ladjager bites from Grimm’s 125G
  • 2 bags of Jenny Marie’s Crackers 100 g each
  • 1 tin of Wild Spring Salmon 160 g
  • 1 Bulb of Garston’s Garlic ( we recommend roasting to have with Brie on crackers)
  • Big D’s 50 grams of charcuterie honey
  • Cheese Knife
  • Additionally, you’ll receive a fact sheet detailing the cheese descriptions and suggested pairings with 40 Knots Wine.
  • You may upgrade and add on as needed
    recommended addon’s 200 G Natural Pastures Butter , Natural Pastures Fondue, Cheese Flight 6 mixed cheese rolls

Please bear in mind that we dispatch wedges of cheese approx 200g and while the exact cheese selections in your Sampler sizes may vary, rest assured that we will make every effort to include Bourenkaas, Aged Farmhouse, Courtenay Cheddar, Amsterdammer, and, Cracked Pepper. In the event of limited availability, we reserve the right to substitute any item with a product of equal or greater value. Your Thanksgiving celebration is our priority, and we want it to be a cheese-filled success!
This offer expires November 1, 2023 call for updates.

Eat, Drink, and Brie Merry!

‘Tis the cheese-on to enjoy Natural Pastures

The holiday season looks a little different again this year, but whether you’re entertaining two or a few, we’re serving up a helping of inspiration. 

Retro or just plain rad? We’re bringing back fondue

What could be better than this classic winter warmer? Add a little pizzazz to a night in with a bubbly pot of cheese fondue. It adds just the right amount of fancy but with minimal fuss. You just need a few ingredients, a stovetop, and a willingness to stir. We love using a creamy combo of Natural Pastures Amsterdammer, Boerenkaas, and Aged Farmhouse. Find our full recipe here. Your dipping possibilities are endless! 

You’ll want to act fast on this one

Our Triple Cream Camembert is available now – but only for the holiday season! Indulge in a decadent, smooth, richer version of our award-winning Camembert. A creamy finish complements a delicate note of mushroom. Find it in our store and at Thrifty locations throughout BC.

Camembert is delicious served on its own or topped with chutney or tart jam. For optimal flavour, serve at room temperature. Get melt-in-your-mouth cheese by baking in the oven at 325°F for 10 minutes. โ Considering a wine pairing? Try a dry Rosé, Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Merlot. 40 Knots Winery has you covered! 

Graze board, charcuterie, cheese platter – delicious by any name

Speaking of melty, rich Camembert, it’s a star for any cheese board. You can also substitute our Comox Brie for a more traditional taste, or our Buffalo Brie for something a little more unique. Add grapes, berries, a variety of nuts, and cured meats – the only limit to the combination is your imagination. Would you rather order a ready-made board to save time and present your guests with a little added oomph? Our friends at The Local Picnic in Victoria can add some sparkle to your holiday table or some dazzle to a date night.  

We’d love seeing your cheesy creations on Instagram, so follow us and tag us in your photos: @naturalpasturescheese. To get more recipes and pairings, follow us on Facebook!

Woman enjoying wine and cheese and video chatting from her smartphone.

How to host a virtual cheese tasting.

We’re all finding new ways to enjoy our loved ones from a safer distance. With a little technology and some ingenuity, why don’t you try hosting a virtual cheese tasting this holiday season? If you’ve got an internet connection with a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone, you’re in luck! 

Follow these 4 simple steps

Step 1: Acquire the cheese.

Choose between 3 & 5 cheeses and try a variety of tastes and textures to add more interest to your plate for your virtual cheese tasiting. Here’s a nice selection to consider…

  • Comox Brie – a soft cheese is a must for every cheese plate. Try our award winning brie or camembert to add a creamy buttery texture.  Check the best-before date. A soft cheese with two weeks or less on the best-before date will be getting softer and stronger. If you want a gentler, tangier taste, look for a younger soft cheese with 4 weeks or more left on its best-before date. You can also test the soft cheese by GENTLY squeezing the sides. The more give, the stronger the flavour. 
  • Amsterdammer – this popular cheese has a mild flavour and buttery texture. But don’t be deceived, mild doesn’t mean bland. Let it warm up on your plate to release the full flavours.  
  • Boerenkaas – this is a great cheese-plate choice as it is strong enough to stand up to a beer or red wine, but versatile enough to pair with any of the fruits and nuts on the plate. 
  • Pacific Wildfire Verdelait – it’s always a good idea to include a cheese that everyone can talk about. This adventurous cheese combines locally grown habanero peppers with fresh cracked black pepper to add a little fire to the gathering.
  • Aged Farmhouse – our most popular variety, this cheese is loaded with rich, bold flavour. Its hearty nature will pair well with clean flavours like apple and pear. Let it warm on your tongue and enjoy the depth of flavours that are released.

What should you pair with your cheeses?

The choices are endless! Here are some ideas to try…

  • Fresh or dried apples, pears and figs.
  • Nuts such as cashews, walnuts and almonds.
  • Fresh preserves or even simple honey make a fabulous pairing for soft cheese.
  • And it’s always fun to experiment with new combinations – try something sourced locally like an artisanal mustard or a smooth, dark chocolate from a shop around the corner. Most importantly, play and have fun!

Have each virtual cheese tasting invitee acquire the same cheeses and pairings, whichever ones you choose. You can procure our cheeses at any Thrifty’s, online through spud.ca, or if you’re local to Courtenay, head over to our Artisan Cheese Shop at 635 McPhee Ave, open from 9-4, M-F. We also have a list of independent grocers and other retailers on our “Where to Find Us” page.

Step 2: Choose your guests & video chat tech of choice.

Pick a video chat app that you’re most comfortable with – if you’re familiar with Zoom, go for it, others may find that a Facebook Messenger chat is easier to handle. Set up a meeting, send out your invites, and you’re good to go.

Tech tips for you to include in your invite:

  • Wear a headset to improve audio quality for everyone.
  • Mute your mic if you have a lot of background noise in your space, unmute when you want to speak.
  • Have a light shining towards your face rather than behind you to avoid being backlit.
  • Position yourself in a spot with a strong internet signal.
  • Prop your device (phone, tablet, laptop) somewhere stable so that you can be hands-free. That leads us to step 3…

Step 3: Setup your device.

You’ll want to set your laptop, tablet, or phone in such a way where you can be hands free, with a good view of your place setting. A tabletop setup works well, with your device’s camera pointing toward you. You may need some books piled behind the tablet to hold it up. A damp dish cloth can prevent slipping.

Make sure your wireless internet is on and working. Close down any applications or tv’s that may be using your internet signal. Unmute, and turn your volume up to 50–80% of max. Make a test call to one friend to make sure everything is working. Have everyone agree on a landscape or vertical orientation of their device, which will maximize your screen real estate.

Step 4: Go!

You’ll inevitably spend the first 15 minutes either waiting on your guests, or troubleshooting the technology. It’s best to have a tech-savvy person on hand to help smooth the way. Also wine.

Once everyone is on (we recommend no more than 6 people total) you’re good to go. Establish an order for the tasting and get rolling.

Tasting Glossary

Here’s a vocabulary of cheese tasting words that may help you describe what you’re tasting:

  • Grassy
  • Pungent
  • Earthy
  • Citric
  • Sweet
  • Gamey
  • Lactic
  • Lingering
  • Sharp
  • Lemony
  • Buttery
  • Nutty
  • Herbaceous
  • Toasty
  • Spicy

Everyone will detect flavours in their own unique way, which makes for interesting conversation. Maybe you’ll get some ideas on wine pairings, or recipes that would work with these flavours? Like a book club, a cheese tasting is meant to create conversation, which will of course take on its own life.

A virtual cheese tasting is a great way to connect with your friends or relatives this holiday season. It’s also a great gift idea: choose your people, send them the cheese, and get ready for an awesome time.

Salut!

Grilling Cheese: A Primer

Back in the day, the Food Network taught a legion of would-be BBQ masters to grill salmon on a plank of cedar.

Cool! So what’s next? Time to up your grilling game using our favourite ingredient: cheese!

Grilling Cheese on a BBQ or Cedar Plank: Camembert (or Brie)

The cool part about grilling cheese on a cedar plank is this: as the cheese melts, the moisture pulls out the flavour of the cedar and imbues it into your protein.

First, brush your Camembert / Brie with olive oil and place on your cedar plank in a 450 degree BBQ, or place directly on the grill to give it the signature singe marks. Put the lid down and leave for 2 mins.

Brush the other side and gently flip, grilling for another 2 minutes.

Before you grill, make sure to check the rind for any holes – if there are holes, the cheese will melt out. If your rind is solid – you’re good to go.

We like topping a grilled Camembert / Brie with a balsamic reduction drizzled over chopped nectarines, cherries, plums, or your favourite stone fruit.

Simply pour a half a cup of balsamic into a pot, and boil until it reduces by half and coats the back of a spoon. All set for drizzling!

More Ideas

Pacific Wildfire Burgers.

Our hot and spicy verdelait was meant for grilled burgers! Top your burger with grilled red onion, jalapenoes, and melted Pacfic Wildfire. Be sure to add a nice stout of your choosing to wash everything down.

Grilled Buffalo Paneer Kebabs

Using cubed paneer, beefsteak tomatoes, red onions, bell pepper, and a generous shake of Montreal Steak Spice for seasoning. Heck yes!

Cheese Hats – for burgers or sandwiches. What is a cheese hat? Grate a saucer sized amount of our Courtenay Cheddar onto hot non-stick skillet. Leave it to cook until the cheese is all melted and bubbly, and slightly browned underneath. Then gently flip with a spatula and do the same to the other side. you can make it super crispy, or more gooey. Great for kids who require a jaunty cheese hat on their burger or sammy.

So what say you? Have you got the chops to grill cheese? Tag us on instagram @naturalpasturescheese and show us your grilled cheese creations!

How to host the perfect picnic.

Picnic season is here! Whether you’re walking, cycling, or driving, you need a good plan of attack to make your picnic run deliciously smooth.

The Gear

A classic wicker hamper (basket) to hold everything is a fun thing to have, but you can use anything to transport your goods. A cooler with wheels works great, but if you have kids and a ton of stuff, a large folding wagon is your best bet. Load up with cooler, a blanket, and all the food, and plop baby (human and/or fur-baby) down in the back. 

Food storage is crucial, and you need to keep your food at 4 degrees C or below for food safety. Reusable ice packs in a variety of sizes help you customize cooling to your payload. Place these at the bottom of your cooler. We use glass when we can (mason jars or saved containers from grocery items) and spill-proof Glad-type containers when needed. 

Pro-Tip: refreeze and reuse those gel-filled ice packs from food delivery services.

We also grab some utensils from home; tongs, spoons for serving, a cutting board, and cloth napkins for each person. If we can bear the weight, we take small serving plates from home, but if not, compostable paper plates are light and convenient.

A large blanket or a lightweight tarp is great for carving out space on the beach or in the park.

The Food

If your style is to simply arrive, plop your basket down, and crack a cold one, we suggest making ahead of time: a frittata (made with any of our cheeses), roasted chicken drumsticks, or a pressed sandwich (see recipe below!). These items are finger friendly, less mess, and easy to deal with. Supplement with a chopped salad, a potato salad, or a pasta salad and you’re done.

If you like to settle in and do some assembly on-site, we always love a classic French baguette with a wheel of Buffalo Brie or Comox Camembert – or a good cheese board filled with a mix of cheeses, like Aged Farmhouse, Smoked Boerenkaas, Mozzarella di Bufala, and Pacific Wildfire Verdelait

For the true Picnic Pro: bring a portable grill. The sky’s the limit: grilled marinated kebabs are fantastic (try with cubes of Buffalo Paneer!), as are fresh-made sausages from your local butcher, little steak fillets, and you can also grill our Buffalo Paneer in the style of Halloumi.

Some other easy to-bring items: Caprese skewers, homemade soup, empanadas, quiches, and savoury tarts.

Here’s a very nice pressed sandwich that you can make and refrigerate the night before:

The Drinks

If you’re in North Vancouver this summer you can pack your craft brew growler to be openly consumed at a variety of public parks LIST HERE.

For virgin drinks, we love making a homemade iced tea, lemonade, or iced coffee. Flavoured soda water is nice, especially with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime. 

Think Local

Don’t forget your local small businesses serving up picnic baskets, take away food, and food truck vendors. It saves a lot of prep to pick something up along the stroll to the park or beach.

Get out there! Practice social distancing but enjoy being out in nature on your luncheon in the sunlight.

Ask us for recommendations. Various of our cheese products are pictured here.

What are you in the mood for?

Now for Something a Little Different 

You’ve tried our Comox Brie on your cheese board, and baked a few in the oven topped with dried fruit, honey, and nuts. Awesome! You are a cheese fan!

But how about something a little more adventurous?

Buffalo Paneer

Never cooked with a Paneer cheese before? No worries, it’s easy and delicious! A protein-rich staple in South East Asia, and with good reason. Paneer is a firmer cheese that holds up well to grilling and pan-frying. If you’ve ever had haloumi in the greek dish saganaki, paneer has a similar hearty quality. With grill season well on its way, it’s a great time to try this out. You are actually looking for grill marks on this cheese. It won’t melt into your grill!

Marinated Bocconcini

Have you avoided Bocconcini because of the too-mild flavour? Amp up the texture and flavour by breading and frying: you’ll get a crunchy, savoury exterior and a smooth, delicious centre. We love treating our bocconcini the traditional Italian way, by marinating with herbs and olive oil. You’ll find this dish all over Italy with good reason, it brings out the flavour in the mild cheese and serves as a great accompanyment to summery BBQ’s and picnic meals on the patio.   

Pacific Wildfire 

How about turning up the heat? But how spicy is spicy? Don’t fear, our Pacific Wildfire cheese won’t melt your face off – but it will melt perfectly into egg dishes, nachos, or your BBQ’d pizza. We’re talking about a perfectly balanced warm hum blended with a smokiness that mellows your soul. All the more excuse to pair with beer or a nice chilled white! 

Try this nice beer dip using our smoky favourite, Pacific Wildfire.

Stay tuned for more recipes and pairings as the sunny season gets underway. And stay safe out there everybody.

Heart shaped toast with BC inspired ingredients. Buy local.

Celebrating the Power of Local

These are heady times. Masses of Canadians are staying in, working from home, and doing our duty to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It’s a scary time, but also a really uplifting one.

We’re seeing throngs of friends and neighbours discovering the power of LOCAL.

Our food producers and purveyors are responding to this situation with creativity, with kindness, and with heart. Here are some of our favourite businesses, both on island and off, and how they are responding to the crisis:

40 Knots Winery 

Craving some social interaction? Fill your favourite goblet and your social quota chat with their online book club. Also offering free wine delivery to anywhere in BC & AB. 2400 Anderton Rd, Comox (855) 941-8810. 

Comox Valley Farmers’ Market

The market has been moved to Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds (4839 Headquarters Rd; parking by the curling rink).

Hot Chocolates

Hard times require serious chocolate. Now offering online ordering & delivery service of their decadent chocolate treats. 368 5th St, Courtenay, BC (250) 338-8211.

Local Collaboration

Recently we’ve been impressed by how a local food group and a Courtenay restaurant have stepped up to help out. Lush Valley has gone into high gear to provide baskets of fresh food and groceries to families, with the School District using their bus for deliveries.  And Guerrilla Pizza and Coast Environmental have spread the love by surprising our health care workers with pizza to help them through their shifts.

Langford Subway

The owner of Subway at 1016 McCallum Road in Langford is offering free meals to those in need. Drop by and ask for the “happy meal” and they’ll hook you up. (250) 478-5711.

Lentelus Farm Stand

Get your free-range meats, eggs, fresh sourdough bread, wildflower honey and fresh veggies at their Farm Stand. 1300 Comox Rd, Courtenay, BC (250) 218-4640.

Nanaimo Youth Services Association

On Thursday nights the NYSA is handing out free food boxes for young families in need. Also offering help to those looking to understand the new financial aid options for families in need. 

290 Bastion St, Nanaimo (250) 754-1989.

Ox Chophouse

Looking to indulge in some truly elevated dining? You can now order takeout from Ox Chophouse on 2253 South Island Hwy #5, Campbell River (250) 926-0606.

Sooke Brewing Company & Route 14

This award-winning brewery has partnered with nearby @route14 for food and drink delivery each day. There are also beer kegs for purchase, with pumps to rent. Call 250 642-0106 or check them out on Instagram @sookebrewing. 2057 Otter Point Rd, Sooke, BC.

Discover Comox Valley Business Services Directory

“Comox Valley Economic Development & Tourism is providing a tool for local businesses including restaurants, retail service providers, farm markets/stands, and winery/brewery/distilleries to outline their current services being offered, in one common location.”

https://discovercomoxvalley.com/discover/explore/supporting-comox-valley-businesses/

There are so many more locally and further away who are responding to this situation in amazing ways. We wish we could list them all, but we are proud to be part of a network of businesses and people who put their community first.

For ourselves, we are still open for business. We are offering $5 delivery in the Courtenay area.

To order: call 250-334-4422, extension 4.

Or email: cheese@naturalpastures.com.

Orders can be pre-paid by phone or we can accept payments by credit card at the door. Pickups can also be made at 635 McPhee Avenue, Courtenay.

We offer a huge shoutout to our fellow small food producers for using online ordering & offering contactless delivery methods that are safer for everyone during this time: ๐Ÿ˜ .

Have a new favourite way to enjoy local food? Tag your local food producer in the comments!

Valentines Day pasta dish with cheese and two forks.

How to Make Valentine’s Day Extra Romantic (with cheese!)

Show your sweetheart just how much you care through thoughtfully selected and lovingly prepared cheese dishes, of course! 

These dishes require some prep, some technique, and a huge amount of love. Be sure you have the time to fully indulge your loved one, all day long. 

Start Valentine’s day off right with an elegant and classic breakfast.

Call us cheesy, but we like to start the day with a flute of our favourite “breakfast juice” – a classic mimosa! Refreshing, bubbly, and a little bit naughty. It’s a great way to perk up the senses. If you’re feeling more ambitious, try a delightful Bellini. Of course, it’s best you have nothing pressing to do afterward.

Follow your “breakfast juice” with a classic french omelette, stuffed with savoury Boerenkaas. This is a thing of beauty. Brush up your omelette skills with Jacques Pepin. 

This omelette is delicious on its own, but some lovely thin-sliced gala apple with toasted squares of buttered bread are always welcome players in your V-Day game.

On to lunch! A smorgasbord for the senses.

It’s hard to beat the visual appeal of a well-crafted cheese board bursting with all of your favourites: olives, caramelized onions, fruit, charcuterie meats. If you’re looking for inspiration, just check out Vancouver cheese monger @cheesedarling on Instagram. She’s doing amazing boards with locally sourced ingredients on the regular. 

A cheese board inspires conversation; about the ingredients, the flavour pairings, and eating slowly means you’ll be less likely to overstuff. For more fun, invoke Rule Zero: you must only feed another, not yourself. Stay at home for this portion, or face public scorn. ๐Ÿ˜„

Our Natural Pastures Comox Brie and Camembert pair great with Lesley Stowe’s crackers, Le Meadows Pantry’s jam and marmalades. Head out to your local market and grab some artisan products and have fun with it!

And finally, dinner: Cacio e Pepe

This elegantly simple pasta dish gets right to the point – fresh pasta, grated Aged Farmhouse and Parmadammer cheese, black pepper, and plenty of it. This dish is easy to prepare after a long day of wooing your loved one. A simple dish to warm anyone’s soul. Pair with your favourite BC produced Chianti, Pinot Grigio, or Riesling.

There you have it – this day of worshipping cheese (and your loved one) is complete! Until you want to do it again, that is.

There’s nothing more delicious than showing your love through food, and cheese is the best kind. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Meet the Contenders: Natural Pastures Award Winning Cheeses

Meet the Contenders

With 43 international awards in cheese making since 2002, we’ve found ourselves in great company. From the World Cheese Awards to Canada’s own Royal Agricultural Winter Fair – we’ve been making a name for ourselves across the globe.

We may have become known internationally, but our approach remains as homey as ever: the Comox Valley produces the best cheese on earth. But, you don’t have to take our word for it.

Boerenkaas

Pleasing to crowds and international judges alike, our Dutch ‘Farmer’s Cheese,’ is sweet and nutty, with a tangy finish. Best used for epic cheese pulls, delicious omelettes, and proper salads.

One reviewer states, “Dear Natural Pastures: I have never written a cheese fan letter before but… I tried a piece and nearly swooned… you are a cheese artist.” 

We’re blushing.

Winner of national and international awards, if you haven’t tried Boerenkaas – you must. It may become your dinner party dazzler.

Awards:

๐Ÿ† 2013 British Empire Cheese Competition, Second Place, Class 2 Firm Cheese

๐Ÿ† 2004 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, Category Finalist, Firm Cheese

๐Ÿ† 2004 The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Third Place

๐Ÿ† 2002 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, Category Winner, Semi-Soft Cheese


Smoked Boerenkaas

Many smoked cheeses are not actually smoked. Instead, smoke particulates are added to the cheese to give it a smoke-like flavour. That’s a process we weren’t interested in replicating. To make it right, we started by collaborating with neighbours Smoken Bones Cookshack, collected some local hardwood and mastered the process. According to the judges at the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, our natural approach was exactly right. Since then we’ve moved our cheese smoking in-house and are loving the results.

Awards:

๐Ÿ† 2014 Canadian Cheese Awards, Category Finalist, Smoked Cheese

๐Ÿ† 2014 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, Category Winner, Best B.C. Cheese

๐Ÿ† 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, Category Winner, Flavoured Cheese (with Added Nonโ€Particulate Flavouring)


Aged Farmhouse

Our Boerenkaas, when aged, transforms into our sublime Aged Farmhouse. A taste of Comox Valley, its rich, bold flavour leaves a lingering sweetness on the tongue.

Awards:

๐Ÿ† 2009 Pacific National Exhibition Cheese Competition, Overall Champion Cheese & Winner of Hard Cheese Category


Garlic & Chives Verdelait

What makes a World Championship Silver Medalist verdelait? We start with a combination of Cheddar, Dutch Gouda and Swiss Raclette. The flavour is further enhanced by garlic and shaved herbs. Our verdelait is semi-firm, creamy, and fantastic baked in eggy hors d’oeuvres like a quiche or frittatta. A champion melter, our verdelait transforms good dishes to sublime. 

Awards:

๐Ÿ† 2008 World Championship Silver Medal

With all of this attention, we prefer to stick to what we know: producing some of the best artisan cheese on the planet. Luckily, you can find our cheeses at a grocery store near you.