The Cheeses

Sharp favours supporting Canada in all endeavours whenever possible. In that spirit, our cheese picks come from within the bountiful shores of our proud nation.

Geai Bleu (NB): Geai Bleu is a raw-milk, artisanal blue cheese from New Brunswick. It is creamy, pungent, and delicately sweet. Of the many myths surrounding raw milk, all you need to know is this: raw milk cheeses have more microbes in them, which contribute to a deeper, richer and more intense flavour. There was a time when the only chance you’d get to try a raw-milk cheese was in Europe, but as of late, Canada has been loosening its laws on the matter, so finding raw-milk cheeses no longer requires a passport.

Thunder Oak Gouda (ON): Gouda (hilariously pronounced how-da by the Dutch) is the

Will Smith of cheeses; everybody likes it, regardless of background or means. Not only will your foodie pals enjoy its subtle nutty, almost fruity flavour, it won’t intimidate any cheese newbies that might find themselves at your table. Aged Thunder Oak gouda is considered by many as the best artisanal gouda in Canada.

Saint-Maure (QC): When you cut into the Saint-Maure, don’t be alarmed if you find a wooden straw running through the middle of it, it’s there to make sure this goat cheese ages to perfection. The Saint-Maure may be drier than the goat cheeses you find in grocery stores, but it has far more flavour, and that’s exactly why you should include it on your plate.

Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (PEI): This couldn’t be farther from the hyper-orange mutant cheese you find in giant bricks beside the singles slices. Most well-aged cheddar is off-white, crumbly and laced throughout with deliciously crunchy crystallized bits of calcium. Since Avonlea makes relatively few wheels each year, it can be hard to find, but it’s well worth the hunt.

Sauvagine (QC): While you could opt for a classic Brie de Meaux (the original French brie) or the ever-potent Camembert, why not give Sauvagine a go. It’s a buttery, creamy Quebec made cheese that is a fine substitute for the other, better known soft cheeses. It was also recently voted Grand Champion of the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, making it, for a time, the best cheese in Canada. Feel free to mention that tidbit at your next cheese party.