Sweet dreams are made of cheese and this past weekend, cheese lovers rejoiced at the sixth edition of the Great Canadian Cheese Festival held in the historic Crystal Palace in Picton, Ontario. It is a quintessential destination filled with magical spots and less than an hour drive journey, exploring the outside limits of my city's bubble is always a fun filled (of course foodie) adventure.
This year the journey commenced on Saturday morning with copious amounts of coffee and scrumptious meals filling our bellies at one of my favourite cafes - Pan Chancho Bakery in downtown Kingston. With my foodie partner-in-crime and our travel buddies, the roadtrip to Picton from Kingston was quite smooth. With cooler bag and camera in hand, we were ready for a fabulous day of cheese satisfaction.
Throughout the festival we had a swell time savouring cheese, supporting producers from coast to coast and celebrating a wonderful community of locavores and passionate entrepreneurs. This was a full weekend of meeting and mingling with Canada’s best cheesemakers and artisan food producers, tasting the best cheeses and artisan foods, plus wine, cider and craft beer.
The Cheese Festival was the picturesque moment for cheese lovers, foodies and culinary tourists alike but it was also the the perfect chance to expand their palettes and sample pickles, jams, crackers, honey, charcuterie, and other compliments to cheese. As my fourth year in attendance with my foodie partner-in-crime (shocking right!), I am always amazed with the new additions of vendors and the gracious enthusiasm that fills the air.
{Honey wine by Honey Pie Hives & Herbals}
My favourites this year included: Goat Cheese Chocolates from Haute Goat, Dog House White from Three Dog Winery, Asiago Cheese by Ontario Water Buffalo Co., Five Brothers Cheese by Gunn’s Hill, Pixie Sparkling Rosé by Rosehall Run, Cinnamon honey and mead Honey Pie Hives & Herbals and the list continues!
The highlight of the festival was of course indulging in cheesy purchases amongst which was Canadian Cheese of the Year - Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar of Cows Creamery.
{Canadian Cheese of the Year}
{Canadian Cheese of the Year}
As the day came to an end and with a sufficient amount of vitamin d, my group was getting a tad peckish - the fellas went with shaved Water Buffalo sandwiches, while the gals had refreshing ice cream to cool off and blood orange lemonade for road.
{Water Buffalo Sandwich thanks to Ontario Water Buffalo Co.}
{Strawberry and Cream London Ice Cream}
With excitement and new purchases, I obviously had to indulge when I got home and make a cheese and carb loaded dish - hello mac n cheese casserole i.e. cheat meal. Stay tuned for a recipe blog post!
Don’t miss out on The Great Canadian Cheese Festival next year, which promises to be much cheesier than ever! See you on June 3-4th, 2017!
Satisfy your cheesy side by visiting the festival's site: www.cheesefestival.ca
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