When I first moved to Bellingham, I made it a habit of driving around trying to get lost. I figured the best way to get a handle on my new surroundings would be to pick a new road and see what I could find — and hope I could figure out how to get back home again. What I didn’t realize was that during all this driving, I was actually mapping out my very own self-guided cheese and wine tour.
On one of my very first excursions, I stumbled upon farm stands, cheese stores, and breathtaking views. When friends would come visit I would take them on the same drives (minus the confused U-Turns and brief moments of panic of my solo explorations). We would grab some cheese and fruit and either take our loot back home for a luxurious dinner or find a good spot for a picnic if we happened to be lucky enough for a sun break.
If you haven’t taken advantage of the many farms, dairies, wineries and distilleries Whatcom County has to offer, you’ve been missing out on an easy and inexpensive way to be a tourist in your own backyard. Summer is a natural time to DIY your own self-guided tour of Whatcom County’s dairies, but this can be done any time of year. A few tips to ensure a great tour:
- Keep yourself from feeling too overwhelmed (and from getting cheese overload) with nor more than 3–5 stops in a day.
- Make sure you mix it up a bit: You’ll want cheese and wine, but don’t forget to take advantage of farm stands and markets when in season for a well-rounded meal.
- Bring buddies, or go it alone: A self-guided tour can be just as fun as a solo adventure as it is with friends and family. Need a day on the road alone? Treat yourself!
Whether you feel like venturing out into rural Whatcom County or staying put in the city, these tours are based on where to find cheese (the most important part of any meal) and include ideas for other easy-to-find stops along the way.
Bellingham
Community Food Co-op
If you are crunched for time but want to get a variety of local cheeses, you don’t have to go farther than the Community Food Co-op. The Downtown and Cordata locations each have their own cheese specialists with regular hours, and they’re knowledgeable and friendly. They have personal relationships with the local farmers and can speak from experience when you have questions about Whatcom County cheeses.
“I encourage people to ask for help and suggestions,” says the Downtown Co-op’s Stephanie Willard, my new go-to cheese expert. “It’s one of my favorite parts of my job, suggesting new cheeses and helping people find the perfect one for them. I love food and have lots of ideas on how to prepare different things with cheese. I usually have a few recipes posted near the case with simple recipes for the seasonal cheeses.”
There’s also a container in the cheese case of snack cheeses that they try to keep under $4, so it’s a great way to try something new without breaking the bank.
Cheesemakers without retail stores can be found at the Co-op. Check out Ferndale Farmstead’s artisanal Italian style cheeses (try their Fontina!) and Ring of Trees sheep’s milk cheeses while you’re there.
You can also grab a Washington Cheese Association cheese map near the cheese cases at either Co-op location.
“Most of the dairies are really close to one another,” said Stephanie. “It would be feasible — and delicious — to stop by all of them!” Just make sure you note which dairies have retail shops before you head out for a visit. Not that I made that mistake…
If you want to try a variety of treats but don’t have time to leave town, I suggest stopping by:
- Old World Deli for tasty meats and deli salads.
- Chuckanut Bay Distillery for a sampling of one of their small batch spirits. Pair their gin or vodka with a fresh lemonade and club soda for an easygoing summer spritzer.
- Prefer wine? Try Seifert and Jones Wine Merchants and Vinostrology. It’s a little farther out, but Vartanyan Estate Winery in Bellingham is also worth a stop if you’re up for a short drive.
- Touring on the weekend? A stop by Bellingham Farmers Market is a no-brainer for fresh fruits and produce.
Downtown Co-op
1220 N. Forest St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-734-8158
Cordata Co-op
315 Westerly Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
360-734-8158
Whatcom County
Twin Sisters Creamery
“Twin Sisters Creamery is new up in Ferndale, and they make such a delicious raw milk blue,” said Stephanie. “They have a super cute cheese shop with lots of other good things.” You can usually find cheeses from other local dairies in their case (including nearby Pleasant Valley). It looks like they’ll even be adding cheese classes soon.
Twin Sisters Creamery
6202 Portal Way
Ferndale WA, 98248
360-656-5240
Cheese Shop hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Appel Farms
Appel Farms was the very first cheese shop I ever stumbled upon. Back then, their tiny shop was tucked away down a long gravel driveway, but they’ve recently expanded their operations to a brand new store with gift shop and cafe.
Appel Farms offers a wide variety of cheeses, from cheddars and goudas to feta, quark, and paneer. You can try samples at their full-service cheese counter and have them cut a wedge just for you, or pick-up something from their case of grab-n-go cheeses. They even have a discount bin of perfectly good cheeses that weren’t quite up to their cosmetic standards.
Appel Farms
6605 Northwest Dr.
Ferndale, WA 98248
360-312-1431
Monday–Friday: 6:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m–5:00 p.m.
Pleasant Valley Dairy
This family operated dairy and rustic cheese shop is definitely worth stopping by if you’re interested in raw milk cheeses.
“They have the most delicious gouda ever,” Stephanie said. “It has been, since the Temple Bar started their cheese plate for happy hour, one of my all-time favorites.”
Pleasant Valley Dairy
6804 Kickerville Rd
Ferndale, WA 98248
360-366-5398
Call ahead for hours.
While you’re exploring all things cheesy in the county, you might want to check out:
-
Don’t forget to look up while you’re heading in for a bottle of apple brandy at BelleWood Acres. ©WhatcomTalk. Mount Baker Vineyards and Samson Estates Winery in Everson.
- BelleWood Acres in Lynden is a great stop for apples in the fall, but I love checking out their distillery any time of year (their Eau de Vie is tasty in cocktails or on its own). You can also arrange farm tours.
- Fresh produce, fruits and flowers at Boxx Berry Farm in Ferndale. I recommend their U-Pick dahlia’s to bring a little color back home.
