T is for...Tillamook Cheese Factory

It's a beautifully sunny day here in Oregon...the perfect day to not be at work.  Alas.  I'm a little later than usual in my posting for today, but I have a good excuse :)  I spent most of my day stuffing envelopes at work (not a good excuse) and then giving away free books to promote literacy for World Book Night (a GREAT excuse).  I love this organization!  Check it out.

Moving on to today's T inspired Oregon landmark...




Tillamook Cheese Factory

Oh, cheese.  Glorious cheese!  The Tillamook Cheese Factory is, fittingly, located in Tillamook, Oregon along the Oregon Coast and Highway 101.  Founded a little over 100 years ago, the Tillamook Cheese Factory is the 44th largest dairy in the US and is sold from coast to coast, though more so in the West.  Making everything from their signature cheese products to butter, ice cream, yogurt, and sour cream, the brand won the gold medal at the World Cheese Championship Cheese Competition for Best Cheese in 2010 for their Tillamook Medium Cheddar, beating 59 older cheeses.  

The factory itself is open daily for self-guided/self-paced tours to the general public.  Admission is completely free and samples are abundant (that's the best part).  Going through the factory allows visitors to see the cheese making process, complete with the history of the company and region, the actual working machinery and it gives visitors the opportunity to try multiple kinds of cheeses.  Once you've gone through the factory and the cheese sampling line (you can go through as much as you like), you exit into the cheese gift shop where you can purchase any of the products produced by the factory, as well as multiple souvenirs.  Once you've made it through this portion (purchases are optional, of course), you have the opportunity to have a delicious scoop or two of Tillamook Ice Cream.  All of the choices are fresh and range from Peanut Butter Pistachio to Boysenberry and Marionberry and from your run of the mill Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry...all with actual berries, nuts, and other accompaniments.  This is totally worth the lines.  Yum! 

Daily, the factory produces 167,000 pounds of cheese every day and over 1 million pounds in a week.  The factory has the capacity to age 50 million pounds of cheese at any given time.  Definitely shoot for a visit if you're ever in the vicinity.

Happy Tuesday, fellow A-Zers!


Comments

  1. Nick WilfordApril 24, 2013 at 4:09 AM

    Mmm... that's a lot of cheese. Sounds like a tasty place to visit!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bon Bon MomApril 24, 2013 at 9:50 PM

    Love me some cheese curds!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. sherileeApril 27, 2013 at 7:47 PM

    I love cheese more than I should! I have been to the Tillamook factory many times, but I am also a big fan of the long lines for ice cream, after the tour! Mmmmm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MelApril 29, 2013 at 12:39 PM

      The long lines are completely worth the ice cream ending!!! And cheese is delicious...you really can't go wrong :)

      Delete
  4. MarcyApril 30, 2013 at 10:38 PM

    We visited the cheese factory 4 years ago when we attended our Dear Son and Dear Daughter In Law's wedding. It was my second visit to Oregon and I can't wait to return. Beautiful country!

    ReplyDelete

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