Blyth home to prizewinning artisan cheesemaker

 

   Huron County once had many cheese factories but consolidation and centralization saw the county bereft of cheese production until a new generation of artisan cheese makers sprang up. One of these is Blyth Farm Cheese on Allboro Line, southeast of the village.

   When Paul and Heleen VanDorp immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands they came with a dream to make cheese – and equipment to do it. Heleen was already a certified cheese maker in the Netherlands while Paul studied at the University of Guelph.

   It took years but finally in 2011 the VanDorps opened their on-farm cheese plant, processing goat milk cheese into gouda-style cheese in seven different flavours from cumin to jalapeno to smoked and mild flavours. The cheese has captured multiple awards at the Royal Winter Fair and was named the cheese of the year at the Canadian Cheese Awards in 2014.

   Blyth Farm Cheese is handily available right on Blyth’s main street at both Scrimgeour’s Food Market and Queens Bakery and is an ingredient in many dishes served in local restaurants.