Welcome to our artisan cheese site. We hope you enjoy reading some of the articles here and learn about these wonderful handmade cheeses. We have a passion for cheese, and we aim to educate and inform you.

Read our article which introduces you to artisan cheese, explaining a little bit about it and why it’s so special. We look at the difference between artisan and mass-produced cheese, and why the type of milk used determines the flavour.

Best in Canada

Discover some of the best artisan cheeses in Canada made by small but growing companies. These include Gunn’s Hill, Mariposa Dairy, and Glengarry.

Cheese Events

Read our article on some of Canada’s popular cheese events, where you can sample delicious artisan cheeses made by talented cheesemakers, and take some home. Many of these are annual events and attract cheese lovers from both near and far.

Famous Artisan Cheeses Around the World

Though cheese has been made for many years, it’s only in recent times that artisan cheese has developed a surge in popularity. Many people are turning away from tasteless mass-produced cheese and turning to artisan cheeses lovingly made using age-old traditional methods. There are many famous artisan cheeses from different parts of the world, and here are just a few.

Gruyère

Gruyère is a Swiss cheese famously noted for fondue. If you remember fondue parties back in the 1970s, you’ll recall that wonderful melting cheese with a smooth, nutty flavour. Gruyère has smaller holes than other Swiss cheeses and takes around six months or more for curing.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a famous Italian cheese that dates back to the middle ages. This is a soft cheese with a crumbly texture. Depending on the age of the cheese, taste varies from mild to fairly sharp. Gorgonzola has a slightly nutty flavour and is excellent for making a creamy pasta sauce.

Danish Blue

Danish blue is a traditional soft cheese with a crumbly texture. It has a tangy flavour and can be quite strong. Penicillium mould is added in the first stage of the cheesemaking process and gives it the famous blue-veined appearance.

Goat’s Cheese

France is famous for its goat’s cheese or Chèvre, made from goats milk. It’s a very versatile soft cheese and ranges in texture from smooth to crumbly. Goats cheese gets its white appearance due to lack of carotene. Cheesemakers often create different versions by adding herbs, black pepper or coating the cheese in ash. Goats cheese is wonderful crumbled in a salad or spread on freshly baked bread.

English Cheddar

English cheddar is one of the most popular cheeses in the UK. Unfortunately, many people associate it with the often bland, plastic-wrapped cheese found in most supermarkets. Somerset has it’s very own small family run artisan cheesemaking company. Using local unpasteurised milk, they are the only place in Somerset that makes authentic cheddar. English cheddar varies in colour from pale yellow to orange. It has a smooth, rich flavour that varies in intensity from mild to mature.

Dutch Gouda

Gouda is one of the famous cheeses in Holland. It’s traditionally made using unpasteurised milk and is covered in yellow wax to stop it drying out while maturing. Artisan cheesemakers started gaining popularity in Holland towards the end of the last century. There are many varieties from red wax gouda to very old, matured goudas.