Niagara’s golden cheese
I am absolutely in love with cheese. Maybe even more so than with chocolate, although that can be debatable depending on the day.
So it was a good day this past Saturday when I discovered a little piece of cheese heaven – Upper Canada Cheese Company.
The tiny artisan creamery is located in the village of Jordan Station in Niagara Region and their claim to fame is a line of spectacular cheeses made from the milk of Guernsey cows.
There are only six herds of these dairy animals in Canada, of which two are in Ontario and one – owned by the Comfort family who have been farming in the area since the times of the United Empire Loyalists over 200 years ago – supplies Upper Canada Cheese Company.
Guernsey milk is high in butter fat and protein and rich in A-2 beta-casein, calcium, vitamins A and D and it’s also uniquely gold-shaded.
I tried two cheeses while at the creamery – Niagara Gold and Comfort Cream. (At left you can take a peek into their cheese display case!).
Niagara Gold is a semi-soft cheese, sort of like an Oka. It is a lovely golden colour (hence the name) and has a pungent, spicy flavour that develops and intensifies as the cheese ages.
Comfort Cream is a soft, Camembert-like cheese. Upper Canada begins selling their Comfort Cream after it has aged for about four weeks. The one I tried in the store was fairly firm (aka young) but the one I bought to take home was fabulously soft and runny – and it was about eight weeks old. It also had a delicious flavour.
It’s only been three days since my visit to cheese heaven, but most of what I bought to take home with me has already been consumed (by me). So I checked out Upper Canada’s website to see whether I could buy the cheese anywhere other than at their Jordan location.
Turns out their products are sold in various stores in Toronto, Aurora and Mississauga – but as of yet nowhere near the Guelph area. Looks like there may be some return trips to Jordan in my future!
Here’s what I came home with:
All the photos on this post are ones I took, with the exception of the Guernsey cow image – that is one from Upper Canada’s website.
Doreen Pendgracs says:
I, too, am in love with cheese and was thrilled to visit the Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company in Prince Edward County, ON on the weekend. They have an amazing line of products. I think my fav is the goat cheese with lavender. Find them at: http://www.fifthtown.ca/
Loved your reference to chocolate at the beginning of the post. I love so many things passionately, but I don’t think anything can surpass good chocolate. Right now, Soma Chocolatemaker in Toronto tops my list and will have a prominent place in my upcoming book. Watch for it!