The delicious world of artisanal cheeses 

Artisanal cheesemaking is a marvel. Handmade in small batches, using traditional craftsmanship, these locally created products add wonderful variety and complexity to an already beloved food. Cheesemaking is a labour of love for the producers, who often begin their days at 4 am and work well into the night.

The Atlantic provinces boast some of the finest artisanal cheeses in Canada. Here’s a sampling of what to look for in your travels.

Armadale Artisan Cheeses, Sussex, NB

Established by Dutch immigrants Jozef and Regina Duivenvoorden and now run by their granddaughter Hetty and her husband Ian, Armadale Artisan Cheeses is renowned for its goudas, fetas and quark.

Gouda flavours range from cumin, onion, smoked, garlic, paprika, herb, cracked black petter, to peppercorn hoop, Acadian, Cajun and caraway. 

Their feta is made with cow’s milk, which gives it a milder but traditional salty taste. 

Armadale also produces Italian-style cheese, cheddar, Havarti and parmesan.

Fromagerie au Fond des Bois, Rexton, NB

In 2012, Belgium immigrant Didier Laurent purchased Fromagerie au Fond des Bois from its original owners in 2012. He was briefly trained, then left to his own devices to care for a newly inherited goat herd of Nubians, Alpines and Saanens.

Laurent produces 40 goat milk products including Acadiac, a ripened cheese; Tomme, a small, round cheese; and Pelerin, the creamery’s artisanal blue goat cheese.

Laurent has plans to produce several cow’s milk cheeses in 2022 and become federally licensed to sell across Canada.

Cranberry Cheddar, Dill and Chives Havarti and Smoked Gouda from Foxhill Farms. Photo credit Anna Embree

Fromagerie les Blancs d’Arcadie, Caraquet, NB

Alberte Doiron took over Fromagerie les Blancs d’Arcadie—famous for its cheddars—in 2004. Her sons Bertin and Jean-Yves now run the dairy and source cows’ milk from local producers.

Popular cheddar flavours include Emerillon, fine herbs, pesto, marble, orange and Les Fils d’Arcadie, made with beer from local distillery Fils du Roy.

The fromagerie also produces cheese curds, cream cheese and salted twists
called Tortillon.

Glasgow Glen Artisan Cheese, New Glasgow, PEI

Jeff McCourt developed an interest in artisanal cheesemaking when PEI’s gouda “cheeselady,” Marina ter Beek, contemplated retirement after 25 years in the business.

McCourt apprenticed with ter Beek before opening Glasgow Glen Farm in 2014.

Glasgow Glen produces popular artisanal gouda cheeses in flavours such as caraway, smoked, peppercorn, beer, pizza and “bluda”—a blue gouda.

Fromagerie PEI, Mont-Carmel, PEI

Mathieu Gallant founded Fromagerie PEI in 2016 after studying cheesemaking in Paris, and sources milk from local dairy farms in the Evangeline region of the island.

The fromagerie is famous for its “Squeak-ies Cheese Curds.”

An avid environmentalist, Gallant utilizes a biomass heat source for cheesemaking, allowing him to work toward his goal of carbon neutrality.

Roma Cheese Ltd, Hants County, NS

Roma Cheese Ltd. produces authentic artisanal Italian cheese. Owner Ciro Comencini began making cheese in Italy at the age of six and now lives on his Woodland, Hants County farm with his wife and six children.

Comencini produces artisanal asiago, taleggio, mozzarella, burrata, ricotta, scamorza, and stracchino, which are in high demand at fine restaurants and
local retailers.

Ran-Cher Acres, Aylesford, NS

Famous for its feta, Ran-Cher Acres was founded by Randy and Cheryl Hiltz in 1987.  The Hiltzs source milk from more than 100 Saanen goats to make their cheese, yogurt, kefir and milk.

Ran-Cher Acres goat cheese varieties include cayenne and garlic, Italian blend, herb Provence, chives, dill and peppercorn. 

Holmestead Cheese Sales, Aylesford, NS

Established in 1985 by Nick and Susan Tziolas, Holmestead Cheese Sales is one of the largest feta cheese producers in Canada. Using recipes common to northern Greece and Bulgaria, Holmestead feta maintains an authentic flavour distinct from other varieties. 

Holmestead also produces Myzethera—a fresh low fat, unsalted whey cheese—ricotta, parmesan and pressed greek yogurt.

Blue Harbour Cheese, Halifax, NS

Founded by Lyndell Findlay in 2013, Blue Harbour Cheese produces European-style cheeses in a federally licensed plant.

The fromagerie is popular for its Urban Blue—a semi-soft blue veined cheese—Hip Hop, a semi-soft washed rind cheese made with local organic ale; Electric Blue, a semi-soft blue veined cheese; and Storm Cheese, a firm alpine cheese inspired by Swiss gruyere.

Fox Hill Farm, Port Williams, NS

Fox Hill Cheese House is situated on a sixth generation farm in the Annapolis Valley and owner Richard Rand sources milk from his own Holstein and Jersey cows.  

Fox Hill is known for its quark, cheese curds, smoke-flavoured gouda, dill and chives Havarti, and cranberry cheddar.

Rand also produces whole milk and chocolate milk—sold in bottles—yogurt, and Italian-style gelato.

Five Brothers Artisan Cheese, Goulds, NL

The only artisanal cheese producer in Newfoundland, Five Brothers Artisan Cheese is operated by partners Julia Bannister and Adam Blanchard, strong advocates for food self-sufficiency in their province.

Their popular products include “Bergy Bits” curds, Avalon Smoked Cheddar, White Fleet—their queso fresco—and mozzarella.