Cheese Country
The best place to look for cheese is where it's made or sold in abundance. For example, you could fill months (no doubt years) sampling artisanal cheeses in France, but perhaps only a few hours sampling imported cheeses in Alaska. The first rule of thumb, then, is to head straight for cheese country. With a little research and planning, your trip will be successful.
Do a Little Research
Start with countries where cheese is abundant: Holland, Denmark, Norway, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, England, the United States, and Australia. Then think about what kind of cheese you most want to try.
Food tours are becoming more popular every day. To find a good cheese tour, check the Internet under “cheese tours” and browse the listings, but be sure to carefully check the tour's reputation, reliability, and refund policy. Check with travel agencies, and ask your fellow food friends or local cheese monger for recommendations. The foodie network is spectacular!
When traveling for cheese, go places where you can find ones you are most curious about or want to try. Are you delighted with bloomy- and natural-rind chèvres? Then head for northern California, Vermont, or the Loire Valley. Or, do you want to try a dozen different Goudas? Then head straight to Holland.
Local visitors bureaus and Chambers of Commerce are also good resources, and don't forget about travel guides. They often include places to eat and places to tour, and they'll know if there are any cheese-making operations open to the public. Use travel guides to help you find cheese shops, cheese festivals, and specialty food shops.
Take a Cheese Class
Places like Artisanal Premium Cheese in New York offer regular classes on cheese appreciation, cheese tasting, and pairing cheese with beverages and other foods. Many specialty food stores like The Pasta Shop in Oakland, and Murray's in New York also offer classes.
As mentioned previously, when signing on for a guided tour, follow the three R's: reputation, reliability, and refund policy. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find good tours, so ask your friends who love to travel. They may not have taken a food tour, but they may know a reputable tour company that can help you find food tours.
Perhaps you will be in the area for another reason, and if so, take advantage of the opportunity to take a cheese class. Or, if you're really a devoted cheese lover, plan an entire trip around a cheese class and make sure you take the time to visit specialty food shops and cheese makers in the area you're visiting.
Plan Ahead
Whether you are on a tour or driving yourself, it's good to have a map along. Good directions will keep you from getting lost and discouraged. If you're on a tour, you can use the map to see where you are (this is particularly good if you'd like to return on your own at another time). And, when you return home, you'll be able to see where you were. It makes the trip that much more memorable.
Be Comfortable and Cool
Avoid wearing cologne or perfume while on a cheese tour. People on any food- or-beverage tasting tour need all their olfactory senses to concentrate on what they are tasting. If you wear cologne or perfume, it will distract your fellow travelers from being able to taste and smell the cheese.
Nothing ruins a good gastronomic experience faster than tight-fitting clothes, heat, and sore feet. Plan ahead by dressing in climate-appropriate clothes that are comfortable. Take along a bottle of water that you can refill as you go. Wear comfortable shoes, and if you'll be touring creameries or farms, wear shoes that can get wet and muddy.
Take a Camera
Cheese country is always picturesque. There are pastures, animals, barns, cheese makers, and cheese, all of which make for spectacular photos. If you're visiting a city, cheese displays make gorgeous photos. You don't want to miss any of it, so be prepared to take as many pictures as you want.
