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Best Cheese Shop

pho

By pho
in Ontario: Cooking & Baking

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pho

pho

Posted
Posted

Could someone please recommend to me the best cheese shop in Toronto for Quebec cheeses? Thank you in advance.

estufarian

estufarian

Posted
Posted

There are excellent selections at 'All The Best Fine Foods' (part of the 5 thieves, just south of Summerhill Liquor Store) and Whole Foods Market (in Hazleton Lanes, Bloor & Avenue Road).

Haven't checked recently, but good chance you'll find some at Cheese Boutique (Queensway & South Kingsway), Pusateri's (AVENUE Road & Lawrence) and Alex (St Lawrence Market).

pho

pho

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I think you meant Oka. ;)

Some of my favourites: Le Migneron de Charlevoix, Pied-de-Vent or Lechevalier Mailloux.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
gourmande

gourmande

Posted
Posted

While there are countless great cheeses from Québec, here are a few that have not been mentioned in this thread but that are well worth trying, if you can find them where you live:

Raw

Le fêtard – a hard, moderately salty cheese

Le Ciel de Charlevoix – a semi-soft blue-veined cheese

Mi-carême – a soft and slightly bitter cheese

Le Riopelle de l’îsle – a soft mild cheese

Pasteurized or thermised

Le Lavallois – a soft Camembert type cheese

Mamirolle – a semi-soft sharp cheese

Saint-Damasse – a soft sharp cheese

Cheese: milk’s leap toward immortality – C.Fadiman

  • 3 weeks later...
malcolmjolley

malcolmjolley

Posted
Posted
Chris' Cheesemongers, which is an offshoot of Alex at the St. Lawrence market specializes in Canadian raw milk cheeses, most of which are from Quebec.

Just bought a big hunk of Pied-de-Vent at Chris' - excellent selection of raw milk Quebecois cheese. Yum.

Apparently the new alex Farms in the ManuLife Centre also carries Quebec Cheeses, although in the Market they leave it to Chris'.

Malcolm Jolley

Gremolata.com

  • 1 year later...
itch22

itch22

Posted
Posted

Anyone know a place that sells great cheeses? French, Italian, Swiss, American, any or all of the above?

-- Jason

Jake

Jake

Posted
Posted

Alex Farms at the St. Lawrence Market or the location on Bayview in Leaside. Good Quebec cheeses too, and excellent hand trimmed proscuitto (at least at Bayview).

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

marlowe

marlowe

Posted
Posted

Ditto Alex Farms at the market, but there are a few other good cheesemongers there too, with a good selection of Quebec farmhouse and artisanal cheeses. Also All the Best Foods at Summerhill and Yonge; there is some interesting sampling of three or four varieties on Saturdays. Whole Foods on Avenue Road has a good selection, and some of the staff at the cheese stall are very knowledgeable. Both of the latter two venues are pricey, however. Alex Farms at the market seems to have gone out its way to present Spanish cheeses, and also has a number of Neals Yard imported goat cheeses from England. Enjoy.

malcolmjolley

malcolmjolley

Posted
Posted

Alex farms also has a great new(ish) store in the ManuLife Centre - in the basement, not far from one of Toronto's better Vintages boutiques. Perfect for a bottle of Rhone (incredible values lately in Ont.) and a big wedge of Pied-de-Vent.

The BEST cheese boutique in Toronto - maybe in North America (I've never been to Murray Cheese in NYC, so I'm not sure) is the Cheese Boutique.

Fatos Pristine is a cheese fanatic - his cellars are legendary. This man loves the stink and purveys it enthusiastcially. If it has been affinaged, it's probably there.

Malcolm Jolley

Gremolata.com

itch22

itch22

Posted
Posted
Perfect for a bottle of Rhone (incredible values lately in Ont.)

This is probably due to the mass over production by French wineries.

-- Jason

Librarian_chef

Librarian_chef

Posted
Posted

Global Cheese shop in the Kensington Market.

Alex Farm on Yonge, Bayview or in the St. Lawrence Market.

Both Pusateri's on Avenue Road and Longo's have some pretty good cheeses as well, but nothing artisan.

Personal favourites: Unpasteurized Manchego, Greek Feta, Raclette, and Muenster.

Mark

piperdown

piperdown

Posted
Posted

My vote is for Alex Farm as well. They even deliver. They have incredible Swiss chesses, and I got this triple cream Pierre-Robert cheese there awhile ago, that was just awesome. Every time I'm in T.O. I'll go there and stock up, since the cheese selection in Kingston kind of sucks.

itch22

itch22

Posted
Posted
...the cheese selection in Kingston kind of sucks.

I seem to remember the old cheddar at Cook's being quite good and no too expensive.

Really? I find Cook's to be expensive, at least for most items they sell. There is a Cook's near here as well as the two in Kingston. The drive to the St. Lawernce Market is worth avoiding Cook's.

-- Jason

itch22

itch22

Posted
Posted

Well the Cooke's Old World Shop (COWS) in Picton has a rival directly accross the street, Taste Your World (TYW). I went to both the other day. TYW has a smaller selection, and doesn't offer cheese and coffee beans like COWS, but the following items (that I bought) were not to be found at COWS in Picton.

Fleur de Sel, Hawaiian sea salt, and dried porcini.

Also, TYW carried some Asian products, not carried by COWS, but still not as good as local Asian grocers.

At COWS I fortified my pantry with some more olive oil and 6 year old Balsamic vinegar. COWS also still has this copper bowl made in France for whisking egg whites. It's $150.00 so I have not bought it (yet), but damn it is tempting! :unsure:

-- Jason

  • 2 weeks later...
dodz

dodz

Posted
Posted

i'm all about alex farms too....although that cheese boutique is mighty fine lookin'!

i'll have to check it out....

  • 7 months later...
jayt90

jayt90

Posted
Posted

The only good guide to finding cheese in Ont. on eg is Gremolata, and it is Toronto centered. I find it difficult to find nice cheeses, and not so nice, in the burbs.

Any suggestions?

Recently I found a decent Stilton at Costco, but it is gone now. They just brought in a Bridel Brie at $13/kg, worth a shot...

Librarian_chef

Librarian_chef

Posted
Posted

Alex Farm Products have a number of stores throughout Toronto and have excellent cheeses in stock. Global's in Kensington has always had a good selection as well.

My personal favourite is Manchego (preferably un-pasteurized).

Costco is okay for Parmagiano Reggiano, Asiago, and some of the Québec soft ripened stuff.

Pusateri's on Avenue road is pricey, but has a good selection of cheeses.

Mark

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