Who doesn’t love cheese? California loves cheese so much there’s an actual California Cheese Trail! We picked our favorite stops for the ultimate Cheese Road Trip. All cheese stops are founded upon natural, dairy (free of hormones) and are worth the trip from mid-coastal California all the way down to SoCal. Here’s your guide to your California Cheese Road Trip.
The first stop on your Cheese Trail road trip is Cal Poly Creamery – a passionate, data-driven center that has been making cheese and dairy products for the community since 1903. Cal Poly students follow the university’s philosophy of “learning by doing”, utilizing a combination of coursework, technology in dairy production, dairy processing, and dairy manufacturing, to produce high-quality dairy products in the process. Cal Poly dairy products are considered “farmstead” – produced on site from cow milk. Go through the Creamy Drive Thru to pick up delicious ice cream pints including flavors like Mustang Mint, Mud Pie, and Maple Sea Salt, and cheeses like Triple Peak Brie, Fromage Blanc, and White Cheaddar.
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Family-owned by couple Sara and Dennis, the Santa Barbara Cheese Co. has a warmth about it that can be unmatched. Sara grew up on her family farm and looped Dennis in when they got married. The pair have a “homestead” that includes a home garden, chicken, ducks, geese, and turkeys. “We love making products that are fresh and wholesome for our family and yours to enjoy. Making our own food is something we love doing…and not just with cheese,” they say. The cheese is made with family cow milk. The classic cheese box is filled with cheese favorites including Cheddar, Montecito Gouda, & Cuyama Chipotle Jack.
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“Fior Di Latte” means “Flower of Milk” and there is no other more appropriate name for the thoughtfully curated cheese and charcuterie brick-and-mortar Long Beach store, Fior Di Latte Cheese Shop. Made with seasonal and artisanal ingredients from award-winning artisans, the colorful and beautiful charcuterie boxes are worth bringing with you on your travels. “Life’s a Picnic” feeds 2-3 people and includes two types of artisans cheeses and cured meats, plus dried fruit, nuts, crackers, and sweets.
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Owner and CEO, Peter Zien, of award-winning brewery, AleSmith Brewing Co. cultivated his love for beer and then for cheese with CheeseSmith Artisan Creamery. In 2000, he made his first batch of cheese at home, and then pursued cheese-making courses at Cal Poly SLO for 11 years before opening CheeseSmith Artisan Creamery in 2018. Fresh batches of Midwest-Style-inspired cheese curds include specialty flavors like Bacon Cheese Curds, Truffle Curds, and Everything Bagel curds, and there are cheese and bee pairings, too, in collaboration with AleSmith Brewing Company.
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