Artisan cheese made here in the Northwest, high-quality domestic cheese as well as classics and hard-to-find cheese make Town & Country Markets destinations for cheese lovers. We carry more than 200 cheeses from at least six US states and 17 countries.
Some of the European varieties have been made in the same place by the same methods for thousands of years – while some of the domestic varieties are crafted at small creameries right here in the Pacific Northwest.
Northwest Cheeses
We have several great Northwest cheeses, including Mt. Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend, Beecher’s Cheese from Pike Place Market, Willapa Hills Farmstead Cheese from Southwest Washington (in the town of Doty, near Pe Ell) and Rogue Creamery near Medford, OR.
Domestic Specialty Cheeses
We carry top-quality domestic cheeses, including Laura Chenel from Sonoma, CA – she is credited with introducing the crafting of artisan goat cheese in America. In the 1970s, with more milk from raising goats than she knew what to do with, she started making her own goat cheese after a trip to France to study the craft. She sold her cheese to Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley and the mother of America’s culinary revolution. Waters is said to be the first restaurateur to serve salads of baby greens with goat cheese. The rest, as they say, is history.
Marin French Cheese of California is said to be the oldest op erating creamery in America – they started making cheese when Abe Lincoln was president. They produce French Camembert and Brie.
We are big fans of Montchevré, the Wisconsin producers of award-winning goat cheeses. Montchevre collects goat milk from Amish cooperatives in Wisconsin and Iowa and combines two rich ideas—Brie and Chevre—to make the delicious and creamy “Le Cabrie.”
We also carry fresh goat crumbles, plain or flavored with onion and basil, which are ideal for sprinkling on salads or pizzas. And Montchevré fresh goat cheese logs are known for their clean and tangy flavor.
For information on Rogue Creamery and the many varieties we carry, continue reading.
Rogue Creamery, which opened in southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley in the 1930s, helped with the war effort by shipping 5 million pounds of cheddar cheese to troops around the world in the 1940s. In 1955, founder Tom Vella and his wife spent a summer in Roquefort, France, to learn the art of making blue cheese. In 1957, after constructing rooms to simulate French caves, Rogue Creamery began to produce blue cheese. When the founder’s son, Ig, took over, he advocated for artisan cheeses and was met with much skepticism – but he eventually became known as “The Godfather” of the artisan cheese movement. The creamery has since sold to two cheese artisans, and the founder’s son still works with them. Over the last half century, Rogue Creamery blue cheeses have received international acclaim and the creamery and dairy have been certified sustainable by the Food Alliance. From Rogue, we’re proud to offer:
- Rogue River Blue: Aged for a year in rooms that simulate caves in Roquefort, France. This aging process imparts subtle flavors of sweet woodsy pine, wild ripened berries, hazelnuts, morels and pears. Each wheel is hand-wrapped in Syrah grape leaves that have been steeped in pear brandy. It is released only once a year and gets snapped up quickly. This cheese has earned multiple awards and accolades.
- Oregon Blue: Aged at least 90 days in their Roquefort-modeled caves. Semi-soft, smooth texture and subtle flavor.
- Oregonzola: Gorgonzola-style cheese, aged at least 120 days in their caves. Sharp, tangy, fruity characteristics. Slight, classic veins of mold and a creamy, buttery texture.
- Smokey Blue: Oregon Blue cold-smoked for 16 hours over hazelnut shells. Balance of sweet caramel and hazelnut flavors that magically contrast the sharpness of the blue cheese.
Champignon from Germany
Champignon is a family-owned cheese producer in the heart of Bavaria in Heising, Germany. Champignon gets most of its milk locally, supporting fourth-and fifth-generation family farmers. We offer these Champignon products:
- Cambozola Classic: Their signature soft-ripened triple-cream Cambozola features delicate blue veining, but is neither blue nor brie. The secret to this cheese’s popularity is the rich milk used in its production, giving it a velvety feel. This cheese is great on any cheese plate, or atop a sandwich and is well-suited for appetizers, salads, sliced meats and sauces.
- Cambozola Black Label: Through a longer ripening time in special cold cellars, this premium triple-cream, soft ripened blue cheese has a savory, nutty flavor with a sweet note. Enjoy it with honeydew or dried cranberries. Or try serving it with warm truffle honey or balsamic reduction.
- Champignon Mushroom: This double-cream, soft-ripened cheese with a mild mushroom flavor, is made with hand-picked champignon mushrooms. Pair this with bread or crackers.
