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Two wooden boards filled with artisanal cheeses, bread, fruit and jams.

Finding the Right Cheese

Cheeses of the World, Expertly Crafted in Ontario

The coming-of-age of Ontario cheese has captured the attention of even the most discerning turophiles (a fancy word for people who love cheese) and is something everyone in the province should take pride in. Similar to Ontario wine and craft beer, our cheeses are a perfect expression of craft, terroir and the knowledge and creativity of the cheesemakers.

Below we've created a cheese 101 to help you perfect your expertise on the best locally crafted cheeses. Remember that cheese is best enjoyed served at room temperature, so take out your favourite cheeses at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

How to store cheese

Remember to wrap any remaining cheese in wax paper or plastic wrap, place into a resealable bag before placing the cheese into the fridge. Any cheeses with brine should be stored in the same packaging you purchased it in, ensuring the lid is sealed tightly.

Food Safety Tip

Remember after serving cheese, if the cheese has been sitting out at room temperature for more than four hours, it is no longer safe to consume and should be disposed of. Cured meats can only sit out for maximum of two hours.

Is that...mold?

Those bluish greenish veins in blue cheese are in fact mold, and yes, it’s safe to eat. The blue colour of the mold is caused by oxygen, a process achieved by piercing the cheese with needles or skewers as it ages, and is responsible for much of the cheese’s signature flavour.

A wedge of brie cheese

Ontario Brie

Soft Cheese

Ontario offers a wide range of Brie-style cheeses, each with the unique personality of its cheesemaker. Bries are traditionally made from cow’s milk with an edible, bloomy rind and soft, buttery and creamy centre with notes of nuts and mushroom.

How to prepare: Cut into large wedges or if serving on a platter, cut 1 wedge so your guests understand how to cut the Brie. Baked Brie option: Place Brie in a shallow pan, score the top and top with a fig jam and honey or for a more savoury dish, top with a hot red pepper jelly sauce and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F.

Bel Haven Triple Cream Brie by Quality Cheese is has a soft velvet interior with mild, sweet and sour flavours (Cheese Master for 20+ years in Vaughan, ON).

Brigid's Brie by Gunn's Hill Artisan Cheese  is so fresh and creamy that each batch is sold with a best between date! (Cheese Master for 5+ years in Woodstock, ON).

Creamy and smoky cheeses work especially well with local Ontario Chardonnay.

The Rule of the Rind: To eat or not to eat?

The rule of thumb for whether or not a cheese rind or casing is edible is whether or not it resulted from the cheesemaking process or was applied to the cheese. Mold-based (bloomy) rinds like you see on Brie and Camembert-style cheeses are edible, as are the hard rinds on Parmesan and other aged cheeses. And, if you don’t want to eat a cheese rind or hardened cheese edge, save it to use to flavour soups and sauces. Wax casings - while often beautiful - are not edible.

Ontario Camembert wheel with a small piece cut out, next to 3 slices of camembert by a sprig of rosemary on a small, round, wooden board.

Ontario Camembert

Soft Cheese

Ontario Camembert-style cheese, which is similar to Brie in appearance, has several distinctive qualities. While the bloomy rind and creamy, buttery, nutty flavours characterize both cheeses, they are more present or "funky" in Camembert, which has less milk fat than Brie. Think of Camembert as a Brie with a slightly more intense personality. 

How to prepare: Similar to Brie, this cheese can be served in wedges or baked at 350°F for 15 minutes in a shallow dish, topped with a drizzle of olive oil, red chili flakes and rosemary. For a more sweet dish, swap olive oil with honey.

Comfort Cream by Upper Canada Cheese has a soft silky interior with hints of fresh truffle, earth and tart cherry flavours (Cheese Master for 16+ years in Jordon Station, ON).

Camembert by Fromagerie St-Albert has a buttery texture and delicious notes of hazelnut and mushrooms. (Cheese Master for over 127 years in St-Albert, ON)

Bridge End by Glengarry Fine Cheese is a rich Camembert-style cheese made with full fat cow's milk (Cheese Master for 30+ years in Lancaster, ON).

VQA Riesling exhibits refreshing citrus, peach or floral aromas with a light “petrol” element and racy acidity that pairs nicely with the buttery and nutty flavours found in Camembert. 

A wedge of Ontario aged Cheddar

Ontario Aged Cheddar

Semi-hard or Hard Cheese

One of the most versatile cheeses, Cheddar is available in a wide variety of ages and styles and is as perfect on top of a hot slice of apple pie as it is on a cheese board. The aging process really showcases Cheddar, maturing and intensifying the flavours within the cheese and producing a wonderful crystalline texture that levels up any cheese and wine pairing. 

How to prepare: Cut into thin rectangles or squares so you can easily eat these with crackers. If the Cheddar is crumbly, it's best to hold the block firmly and use a small knife pointed vertically to break off the cheese in different sizes.

Jensen Very Old Cheddar or Jensen 5 year Cheddar by Jensen Cheese are aged to perfection and are made with no additives or artificial flavours (Cheese Master for over 96 years in Simcoe, ON).

Empire Extra Old, 4 Year Supreme & 5 Year Supreme Cheddar by Empire Cheese is available in different flavours such as garlic, red chillies, onion, jalapeno (Cheese Master for over 145 years in Campbellford, ON).

Maple Dale Extra Old, 5 Year & 10 Year Cheddar by Maple Dale Cheese has a sweet and nutty flavour, with a touch of sharpness (Cheese Master since 1888 in Plainfield, ON).

Ontario Cheddars pair well with VQA Cabernet Franc. This type of wine exhibits notes of red currant, raspberry, herbal and tobacco characters, with oak aging adding toasty, chocolaty complexity.

A wedge of Ontario Gouda cheese

Ontario Gouda

Semi-hard Cheese

Gouda is one of the most popular cheese varieties in the world. This commonly yellowish, creamy and buttery cheese with a hint of sweetness originated in the Netherlands; however, thanks to the craft of local cheesemakers, Ontario Gouda-style cheeses are among the most highly regarded and locally craved. 

How to prepare: Best served cut into thin wedges, cut along the side of the Gouda to form nicely cut long triangles.

Farmstead GOLD Gouda by Mountainoak Cheese has won 13 national and international awards! This Gouda has hints of butterscotch and caramel (Cheese Master for 25+ years in New Hamburg, ON).

Thunderoak Gouda by Thunder Oak Cheese Farm is an award winning cheese and is available in  mild, medium, aged and smoked varieties (Cheese Masters for over 26 years in Neebing, ON).

Like the Camembert, Gouda pairs nicely with VQA Riesling. Have fun pairing local Riesling with different cheese styles.

Two wedges of Ontario Swiss cheese sit on top of each other.

Ontario Swiss

Semi-hard or Hard Cheese

Emmental cheese is the original Swiss-style cheese and is instantly recognizable for the holes (known as “eyes”) that give this cheese its particular look. Outstanding Emmental is made in Ontario using traditional methods and local milk.

How to prepare: Cut into cubes or rectangles.

Farmstead Emmental by Stonetown Cheese is a mild cheese with sweet, nutty flavours (Cheese Master for 26+ years in St Marys, ON).

St-Albert Swiss by St-Albert Cheese is your classic Swiss style cheese with the perfect combination of mild and nutty flavours (Cheese Master for over 127 years in St-Albert, ON).

Swiss by Thornloe Cheese is another delicious option with similar mild and nutty flavours (Cheese Master for 70+ years in Thornloe, ON).

Sparkling wines boost the flavour of this mild and slightly nutty and sweet cheese for a real treat that lingers on the palate.

A wedge of blue cheese

Ontario Blue Cheese

Soft Cheese


Did you know Ontario is home to several award-winning blue cheeses? The below local blue cheeses have a mild taste and are not as strong as traditional blue cheeses - making them the perfect addition to your next cheese and wine night!

How to prepare: Cut into thin wedges, best served with buttered sliced bread.

The Celtic Blue by Glengarry Fine Cheese is a soft, mild cheese with a buttery aroma (Cheese Master for 30+ years in Lancaster, ON).

Devil's Rock & Casey Blue by Thornloe Cheese is a delicious creamy cheese that has a subtle sharp taste which is sure to win over your dinner guests (Cheese Master for 70+ years in Thornloe, ON).

A great pairing for blue cheese is icewine. The rich aromas and flavours of stone fruits work in harmony with strong cheeses. 

 

Other Pairings

Looking for non-alcoholic options? Any of these delicious Ontario cheeses can be paired with sparkling water/cider, lemonade, or sodas!

Learn more

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A wooden serving board featuring a wide variety of local, Ontario cheeses.

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author icon Savour Ontario Kitchen
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Portrait of Betty Binon.

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author icon Betty Shin Binon
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Selection of three cheeses and wine on a sphere grey marble board, with scattered cranberries, crackers, and jam spread in a small bowl with a white napkin on the left side.

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author icon Savour Ontario Kitchen
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Two wooden boards filled with artisanal cheeses, bread, fruit and jams.

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author icon Savour Ontario Kitchen
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