Les Amis du Fromage

[maxmillan]

This store is on 1752 West 2nd Avenue 604-732-4218 (They moved from their 10th and Alma location last year.)

They specialize in cheese and have other stuff like truffles, oils and vinegars.

Right now they are selling off some flavoured Stilton and Cheddar (wax covered) from England. Strawberry, blueberry, port, whiskey are some of the flavours. These were going for 3 for $5, quite a deal. These are good for a few months in your fridge.

They also have various cheddars from England also 3 for $5 (vacuum packed triangle.) The expiry date is May/June/July 04. Freezing is not suggested.

I also bought an herb and a pepper cheese for spreading on crackers for half price ($2 each.)

I think it's an economical way to try something new (instead of Kraft) and I understand the blueberry flavoured cheese is to die for as my friend had tried it.

I'm not a fan of strong cheese but they are certainly delicious for cooking.

This beats buying processed cheese as the price is comparable and quality is much superior.

If you have change left, try out Patissiere LeBeau next door. An excellent Belgium baker...unfortunately they are closed Monday and Tuesday.

[LEdlund]

I love this place. Everytime I come to Vancouver (from Seattle) this is one of my stops. Alice and Allison (and Allison's boyfriend) are fabulous. My favorite thing to get is the Salt Spring Island goat cheese.

Click here for their web site.

[Coop]

I find the sheer number of cheeses available in this shop to be staggering. Have recently had Poplar Grove Blue, cave aged French Gruyere and an aged Mancheggo from this store, all were very good.

As for the Pattiserie Le Beau their Pate sandwich was excellent. Both are worth the effort. Bring change for parking meter.

[Sam Salmon]

While the variety of cheese appeals to many the smell does not.

An associate of mine lives in the same (quite tony) building and the Strata Council had a devil of a time rerouting the air ducts to stop the smell from the cheese shop from infiltrating the lobby, being sucked up the elevator shaft and blanketing the whole place.

[tasty]

Les Amis is a great little cheese store and the staff is friendly and helpful...when not slammed with customers that is!

My personal favourite is the cave-aged gruyere. It's almost like a parmesan complete with sugar crystallization it's so old.

yum.

[drinkingchef]

The last time I visited Les Amis they had this fromage frais covered in raisins. mmmmmm. I could eat that for breakfast everyday for the rest of my life and be blissfully fat and happy. And around Christmas they carried a cheese called vacherin mont d'or. It has a rind like brie, but it is sooo gooey in the center. At room temperature it is the texture of nacho cheese (but in a good tasting way) and you spoon it on to bread. Hands down the most satisfying chesse that has ever entered my mouth.

[maxmillan]

That cave-aged gruyere is something I've got to try.

I'm eating a mild-cheddar from England that I got from the sale. It is soooo good!

For a mild cheddar it is packed with so much more flavour than Kraft. I toasted it on a multi-grain rye bread which I got from a little bakery on 41st and Boulevard (Kerrisdale, next to the liquor store.) They've got one of the best rye.

Hope you got to take advantage of their sale before it's all gone. I agree, the staff is extremely helpful.

What other cheese have you tried (that's not stronger than Stilton) that you can suggest?

[tasty]

i think your best bet is to ask the staff there. they know more than me.

however, if you like creamy brie, i believe i've tried drinkingchef's vacherin mont d'or or "runaway brie" as my cheese cohorts like to call it. it truly does ooze out all over the place when at room temp. and drinkingchef's assessment is correct: it's brilliant!

[Daddy-A]

While the variety of cheese appeals to many the smell does not.

Ha! I know all about that smell! Try living over a butcher shop sometime! Or spending 4 summers working at a seafood shop!

Seriously though, unless you're prepared, walking into this jewel of a shop can feel a little like a kick in the chest ...

Then again ... I do like a bit of stinky cheese ... a pungent ghastly piece of stinky cheese!

DA

[Keith Talent]

Are you a gnome by any chance?

[Daddy-A]

Are you a gnome by any chance?

Troll, actually