The Cheese Lover's Guide to Norfolk County

23/11/2014

Join me for a no-shame, no-judgement, cheese-aholic's tour of Norfolk County.

Melted cheddar cheese, onion marmalade, and toasted baguette at Burning Kiln Winery in Norfolk County, Ontario

There’s an old saying that you should never trust anyone who doesn't love chocolate – and I think that should be extended to cheese as well! Fortunately, I had absolutely nothing to worry about in Norfolk County, Ontario. This is a part of Canada that gets food; they really, really get it. It’s so inspiring to see how the farmers, fishers, restaurateurs, and small businesses work together in mutual support. They aren't just paying lip service to the trend of local food – they live it every day. And at the heart of this is cheese. A lot of it. Norfolkers appreciate good eating and it's the perfect place for a no-shame, no-judgement cheese-aholic tour!

Second Mouse Cheesetique

A sampling of Gunn's Hill cheese at Second Mouse Cheesetique

List of cheese at Second Mouse cheesetique

Just a few of the cheeses on offer.

Cheese samples Second Mouse Cheesetique Delhi Ontario

I did not stop at just one sample. #NoShame!

Second Mouse owner Teresa Wybo is far too diplomatic to say which of the dozens of regional and international cheeses on offer at her charming "Cheesetique" is her favourite - but I'm far less tactful!

I fell in love with Gunn's Hill Artisan Cheese from nearby Woodstock, Ontario. At first I was captivated by their "Tipsy" cheese, a Swiss inspired cow's milk cheese that is soaked in Cabernet Merlot from one of their neighbours, Palentine Hills Winery. I felt quite certain that "Tipsy" was MY cheese - until I got a taste of Gunn's Hill's "5 Brothers".

This cedar planked aged cow's milk cheese (with hints of Gouda and Appenzeller) should come with a warning and is most definitely NOT to be served in polite company as it is impossible to eat just a few dainty nibbles. Norfolk County is the perfect place for a picnic and you should add Second Mouse to your list when planning a personal feast.

David's On Tour at Burning Kiln Winery

I could indulge in this every day of the week!

Fresh bruschetta with goat cheese at Burning Kiln Winery

David's Restaurant of Port Dover is a popular fine dining destination year round in Norfolk County, but I think their finest cheese offerings are from their summer food truck, called David's On Tour, which spends the season parked at Burning Kiln Winery. Under the helm of Chef Ryan, the team makes incredible, irresistible, cornmeal coated wedges of melted cheddar cheese, which they pair with an onion marmalade and toasty baguette slices. And they don't use just any ol' cheddar! They use only Jensen cheese, from a Norfolk family-run business that's been perfecting their craft since 1925.

Chicken goat cheese flat bread sandwich and salad at Davids On Tour

My flatbread sandwich was so fresh, so light, and entirely satisfying.

My idea of a perfect summer afternoon is relaxing on the Burning Kiln patio, sipping wine, devouring bread and cheese, and listening to some local music. But if you're looking to part take in even more cheese laden culinary treats, you're in luck. David's On Tour does scrumptious bruschetta with goat cheese, mammoth classic cheeseburgers, and open faced flatbread chicken and goat cheese sandwiches. If you can't visit in summer, the year-round lounge at David's restaurant offers a Jensen cheese plate.

Schofield's Bistro

The fruit and condiment laden cheese plate at Schofield's Bistro

Norfolk County is famous for its produce and it's fitting that some of the fruits of its labours are combined with cheese. At Schofield's Bistro in Port Dover, their spectacular cheese platter comes laden with greens, grapes, apples, and berries, along with creamy roasted garlic, relishes, and chutneys. And then there's the cheese! My favorite was a Quebec Oka - it was equally scrumptious with the roasted garlic and baguette as it was with the apples and strawberries.

The Little Cheesecake Company

Key lime cheesecake - one of my favourites! Photo courtesy Little Cheesecake Company.

Hot chocolate cheesecake with marshmallow topping Little Cheesecake Company Norfolk County

Hot chocolate marshmallow cheesecake. Photo courtesy Little Cheesecake Company.

The Little Cheesecake Company's vintage food truck Norfolk County

This is exactly what you want too see when you take a road trip to escape the rain at the campground!

You didn't think cheese was just for savory treats, did you? I first became acquainted with the Little Cheesecake Company when their key lime cheesecake was on the dessert menu at Schofield's Bistro and I was hooked. These most-generous individual cheesecakes aren't just creamy and delicious - they come in virtually every flavor imaginable, including hot chocolate with marshmallow, nanaimo bar, brandied cherry, peanut butter and jelly and so many more. When our summer camping trip at nearby Long Point Provincial Park suffered a day of wash-out rain, I hopped in the car to make the trek into Simcoe and grabbed half a dozen cheesecakes. They absolutely saved an otherwise sodden day!

The Combine

Ice cream, cheddar cheese, and a personal sized apple pie at The Combine.

The Combine is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. Everything I've ever had there has been so exquisitely good that it haunts my dreams until I manage a return visit. And in the face of so many incredible appetizers and main courses, it might be easy to overlook their dessert offerings. They too offer a fantastic cheese platter, but what you really need to try is their personal sized homemade apple pie topped with Cow's Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. For my money, Cow's makes the best cheese in Canada - proof that you should always trust an ice cream pioneer! The Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (so named to give a nod to Prince Edward Island's most famous town, the fictional Avonlea of Anne of Green Gables fame) is fantastic to nibble on with bread and spreads but once it's melted on homemade apple pie the magic really starts to happen!

While none of these cheese-tastique destinations are easy on your waist line, at least they are gentle on your wallet! Culinary indulgences in Norfolk County are a fraction of the cost for similar treats in nearby Toronto - and if you ask me, there's little comparison on both the price and the quality. Like I said, Norfolk really, really gets good food!

If you're looking to eat your way through Norfolk County (a plan I heartily approve of) these articles will help you plan your trip.
Tales from the Anti-Adventurist: Vanessa Goes Kayaking Norfolk Style
Restaurant Review; The Combine of Norfolk County
Glamping at Long Point Eco Adventure
The Golden Spruce of Norfolk County
A Day in Port Dover

My visit to Norfolk County was sponsored & facilitated by the Norfolk County Tourism Board. This did not influence my writing and all opinions remain my own.

16 Comments

Andrew link

23/11/2014 03:58:49 pm

Oh yea. Love cheese AND love your pictures. The cornmeal coated wedges of melted cheddar cheese had me drooling. I am traveling in China right now, so this is making me very jealous. Not a lot of artesian cheese around here!

Vanessa

24/11/2014 12:58:56 am

Normally I'd be very jealous of your culinary options in China but in this case I think I'm better off. It's hard to travel someplace without good cheese options!

Karisa link

23/11/2014 05:20:51 pm

Oh, I love cheese so much! <3 These look lovely!

24/11/2014 12:59:34 am

And this is just the tip of the iceburg! There is so much good cheese and food in Norfolk - you would love it!

Clark link

24/11/2014 02:25:03 am

Thanks for spreading the word about Norfolk County! If anyone is coming down to Ontario's Garden to try cheese, make sure you visit Jensen's in Simcoe and The Dover Cheese Co. in, well, Port Dover, too!

24/11/2014 02:31:57 am

I'm going to have to try out the Dover Cheese Co on my next visit!

Jenny - The Dover Cheese Shop link

24/11/2014 12:43:32 pm

Thank you for such a fantastic write up on Norfolk County! The Dover Cheese Shop would love to see you during your next visit. We feature 30+ local and Canadian cheese in addition to our wide selection of imported cheeses. We are so proud of our community and can't thank you enough for spending the day touring (and tasting) Norfolk.

Scott - Jensen Cheese link

26/11/2014 09:25:09 am

Feel free to come around and see what we have to offer. Great write up about cheese in Norfolk County.

Betty Chanyi

24/11/2014 08:03:01 am

Thank you for recognizing the unique tastes of Norfolk County and featuring the delicious cheeses that are offered here. We are known as Ontario's Garden for good reason. Thank you again.

24/11/2014 08:08:47 am

Every visit is more delicious than the last - can't wait to visit once again!

Ethan Driedger

6/12/2014 04:04:33 pm

How is it that there is an article about cheese in Norfolk county without referencing Jensen cheese, an institution in this county for 90 years? I assume the Delhi cheese store paid for this article as Jensen has been consistently winning awards for years. Also, the Dover cheese shop has been under new ownership For the last year plus, bringing in new great cheeses all the time and Yet have no mention here. Who is running this blog and what gives them any credibility To represent themselves as our county voice?

7/12/2014 11:44:46 pm

Hi there Ethan. I am an independent, freelance travel writer who related their experiences visiting various cheese based places throughout Norfolk County. I do not speak for any county nor am I anyone's voice but my own. But rest assured that I do speak highly of Jensen's cheese and I encourage you to re-read the article so you can enjoy the passages where I speak of how delicious it is. No one has paid me to write this article nor has anyone told me what to include or exclude. My credibility rests on only writing about those places I have personally experienced and, while I look forward to visiting the Dover cheese shop and am assured that it is a fine institution, I cannot speak for or vouch for something I have not experienced. I am glad you found my site all the same and I would encourage you to read further to discover my work from my round the world travels.

Ethan

14/12/2014 01:20:07 pm

Hi Vanessa - perhaps what is misleading here is calling the article a 'cheese lover's guide' rather than 'A couple of places I visited that include cheese in their dishes.' While it's great you are helping to promote small businesses and cheese (who doesn't love cheese!), it's clear from the commentary that much is left out from the guide. Yes, Jensen's is mentioned as being used at Burning Kiln/David's, it struck me as odd that you wouldn't include such a powerhouse from the area on its own.

8/12/2014 01:15:24 am

Thank you for even taking the time to create the blog, Vanessa. Thank you for shining a light on us, Norfolk County, the abundance of foods, and amazing places to enjoy the bounty. The cheese industry in our county is strong, but very small and we all benefit from press. We all help each other, and that’s what keeps us sturdy.
It is true, that Jensen Cheese has been around for a long time; but if I may, to illustrate what I mean, our factory number is 585. This means in 1867, we were the 585th company to register as a cheddar manufacturer with the Canadian Government. Personally, I have seen other factory numbers as high as 1100.
The last time I checked, there is 13 cheddar manufacturers left in Ontario, and 5 factories of those are in private hands, like ours. The others are large scale operations like Parmalot or Saputo. So, out of 1100 companies, 13 are still around. Out East, where our factory is located, the five factories work together, or we would not be around anymore. We would have been bought out, had our quota taken, and shut down, like so many other small factories.
So, sticking together, and keeping the industry vibrant with press benefits us all. Focusing on the cheese world and getting the word out to our neighbours is what is important. We here at Jensen Cheese, appreciate what you are doing, and again, thank you for taking the time to write about our industry and mentioning us. We really do appreciate the kind words.
Keep up the good work

11/12/2014 01:00:32 am

Thank you so much for your comments Scott - Jensen's history is fascinating! This is one of the things I love best about Norfolk county - there is such a great history of independent businesses and there is such remarkable support from all aspects of the community.

14/12/2014 03:36:10 pm

Hi everyone - just to provide some clarification in light of some comments.

As an independent, freelance travel blog, I write about what I have personally experienced and I always aim to write about it in a fair, balanced manner. I am a storyteller and I tell stories- in this case, the story of why I love Norfolk County and why their food scene is so fantastic. And I frame my stories through the lens of value travel - experiences that provide great bang for your buck. My mandate as a blogger is to share my experiences, provide inspiration, and motivate others to seek out their own incredible experiences.

I do not intend to write all-inclusive, list-every-single-establishment style guides. A blog is not a government report, a newspaper, a tourism board production, a guidebook, a magazine or a review service.

When a “powerhouse” establishment is not included in a blog article, it is for a good reason. As I said in this case, I was unable to visit these establishments and therefore I could not write about them. In other cases, it’s simply a case of what is a good fit - maybe the article focuses on small businesses, culinary businesses (instead of manufacturers), or new businesses. Maybe the article focuses on lesser known people, places, or things. In rare cases (not this one), “powerhouse” establishments have been overrated. It ultimately all comes down to the story.

As the comments on this article clearly demonstrate, everyone is already talking about and recommending Jensen Cheese and the Dover Cheese Shop. Everyone is (quite rightly) proud of their success and I am too.I would be thrilled to visit them in the future and I'm confident I'll find their products delicious. But is the best story in writing about what everyone already knows? Is the best story is to write the obvious?

Since this article was published, the lead photograph (showing melting Jensen cheddar cheese) has been extensively shared on social media and has exceeded 25,000 Twitter timeline impressions. It is now the very first result out of thousands on Google Images (Google “Norfolk County Cheese” and then click on “images”.) Not too shabby for a not-included business!

I thank everyone for their honest and spirited comments and invite you to keep them coming. It is through these conversations and debates that we all grow and where I find my inspiration for more stories and travel.