Where to Find Artisan Cheeses?
Artisan. Artieesen. However you pronounce it, I’ve seen some people asking where are local artisan cheeses at? I am so excited to share one of the best kept not-a-secret spots I’ve come across…
Drizzle in Fairhaven!
Drizzle Olive Oil and Vinegar Tasting Room is known for it’s oils which are also DELCIOUS and you simply must visit but I’d say only in the past year or so has The Husband (I think that’s his official title for these blogs for now) and I started to go to Drizzle for cheeses. The Husband who is also The Chef at our house is very brilliant at where he chooses his ingredients and is truly an excellent cook and he tells me all the time it starts with your ingredients.
We recently popped in Drizzle because it was cold and were making soup and grilled cheeses. I love the staff at Drizzle, they are always delightful and welcoming and open to questions and as you move further into the back of the shop you’ll discover more cool items like candles and meats — But let’s stick with cheeses.
I love that Drizzle lets you try the cheeses too. The gentleman behind the counter always has great recommendations too. I think recently he let us try a cheese that was covered in ash which sounded weird but tasted SO good. Then another time a gal gave us a great sample and excitedly shared it as follows:
“You know that part in Willy Wonka where the girl eats the gum and says it’s like a Thanksgiving dinner? That’s what this cheese is like but with tomato soup. You have to try it"!”
So we did, and she was spot on! I wish I could remember the names of these cheeses but this all happened before I started this blog, so I’ll get better at that. So, one place to find artisen cheeses in Bellingham is Drizzle for sure.
Community Food Co-op
This would be my next recommendation for artisan cheeses. Community Food Co-op has a location Downtown and in Cordata. They have a decent collection and is often where we go to grocery shop. The one cheese I always want that they don’t have is Mizithra, that’s a Haggen pit-stop.
Samish Bay Cheese in Bow
This is a really cool spot with a great story. I visited here for work because the the whole farm and the business is for sale so the current owners can retire. I have no doubt some of it will change when that purchase and change to new owners comes through, but for now I’ll share my experience meeting the owners and walking the space and main shop.
So, when I went and visited this place for the first time a few years ago I wasn’t really a cheese person. I’d pass on the cheese on charcuterie boards but after visiting this spot and of course, they constantly were handing me pieces of cheese as we walked through the shop, the storage, and where they make the cheese, I realized: OH NO. I’VE BEEN MISSING OUT! They completely had me hooked on Ladysmith Cheese which was designed and invented by Roger Wechsler in January of 2009. It has a couple variations to choose from and each one was so smooth an tasty. If you’re coming to Bellingham from down south you should take a little detour for sure. Visit Samish Bay Cheese website.
More Places to Find Artisan Cheeses in Whatcom and Beyond:
Twin Sisters Creamery up in Ferndale
Appel Farms Cheese in Ferndale
Graze & Gather in Lynden
Les Amis du FROMAGE in Vancouver B.C.
Granville Island Market in Vancouver B.C.
In Summary ~ EAT ALL THE CHEESE!If you’re looking for local artisan cheeses in Bellingham I recommend Drizzle, The Community Food Co-op, and Samish Bay Cheese as your go-to spots for fresh, high-quality, and specialty cheeses.
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