Small-town Cultured

In a little hamlet 20 minutes north of Belleville, Ontario, you’ll find what is probably one of Canada’s earliest factory outlets. There are no designer clothes on the racks, but rather some of the finest traditionally crafted cheeses in the country.

“Ivanhoe probably produces more varieties than any other cheese-maker in Canada,” says Paul McKinlay, Vice President of Ivanhoe Cheese Inc., which, after operating continuously since 1870, recently became part of the Gay Lea Foods Co operative. Still, some things in the way it does business haven’t changed in over a century.

“When it comes to natural cheeses, we only use 100% Canadian milk and absolutely no modified milk ingredients, as these do not make for the same kind of product at the end of the day,” he adds.

Ivanhoe Master Cheese Maker Chris Spencer says it has to do with the way milk proteins are altered when they are extracted. “All the flavour contributors of fresh milk are simply not there. That’s why we’re still making the cheese the same way it was made over 100 years ago. Because customers and other cheese lovers instinctively know that better ingredients make a better end product.”

But even Canadian traditions are being challenged by changing tastes. Take Ivanhoe Old Sharpe Cold Pack. The velvety smooth combination of aged cheddar, fresh cream and butter preserves all the robust flavour and sharpness of firm Aged Cheddars in a spreadable format. It’s won accolades at the world’s biggest cheese shows. While Canadians’ tastes grow in daring and sophistication, ironically so does a certain hesitancy on their part. Too often McKinlay hears things like “I was going to have that wine and cheese party, but I just don’t know how to pair these up.”

Paul is quick to come to the rescue. “Pair your favourite cheeses with whatever you like,” he says. “If it’s a Riesling, that’s fine. If it’s a deep Burgundy, that’s okay too, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to enjoying great Canadian cheeses and great Canadian wines.”

You’ll find the Ivanhoe brand of fine cheeses in Sobeys, Metro and other fine food stores across Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. Over 50,000 customers visit the Ivanhoe Cheese Factory Outlet every year to sample some of the best cheeses in Canada.

You should, too!