Did you know that Ontario’s Oxford County produces over a billion glasses of milk per year? It comes as no surprise that this area of Southwestern Ontario produces some of Canada’s most un-brie-lievable cheeses.
If you’re looking for an udderly captivating outing in Oxford County, mark your calendars for Big Cheese Days, happening every Saturday in May. Read on to discover the legen-dairy flavours and hands-on experiences to be found in Canada’s Dairy Capital.
The Oxford County Cheese Trail
The Oxford County Cheese Trail is a curated list of 30+ stops featuring cheese, dairy, and interesting experiences that celebrate Oxford County’s rich heritage. You choose the stops you would like to visit based on location and activities.
If you’re daunted by this muenster of a list, Oxford County recommends picking a hub and planning for five stops in a day. Blandford-Blenheim, Woodstock, Gunn’s Hill, Tillsonburg, and Ingersoll are cheesemaking hubs with stops within 5-15 minutes of each other, and most are open from Wednesday to Saturday. Click here to check out a few custom Google Maps routes.
Big Cheese Days: Highlighting Local Flavours and Experiences
Every Saturday in May, Oxford County will host Big Cheese Days. Stops along Cheese Trail ramp up their offerings with exclusive tastes, special activities, and lots of entertainment and fun. You should definitely manchego check it out (okay, we’re done with cheese puns!).
Here are just a few tasty experiences to look forward to this year:
Roll Up Your Sleeves at Golspie Dairy’s “Stretching the Curd” Workshops
Where: 455259 45th Line RR#3, Woodstock, ON
When: Every Saturday in May
Come try out the art of pasta filata at Golspie Dairy! This cheesemaking technique creates stretched- or pulled-curd cheese styles with a deliciously moist, elastic texture. You'll get to knead the curds into a malleable and stretchy dough and decide on a shape, such as mozzarella or bocconcini. Click here for more details and to register.
Pack the Perfect Picnic Thanks to the Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop
Where: T188 Thames St. S. Ingersoll, ON
Hours: 9 am - 5 pm
Stop by The Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop for a rotating Arteflame lunch by Chef Sean on Saturdays or pick up a small picnic-style cheese & charcuterie plate, complete with two non-alcoholic wines for the road. Pre-order with Chef Sean by calling the shop the day before.
Enjoy a Taste of Place with SixThirtyNine’s Big Cheese Days Prix Fixe Menu
Where: 639 Peel St. Woodstock, ON
Hours: All month long, 5-10pm
This prix fixe menu offers five mouthwatering courses of custom culinary creations featuring Oxford County Cheeses. Click here to book a table.
Churn Back Time at the Norwich Museum
Where: Norwich DHS, 89 Stover St. N, Norwich, ON
Hours: Saturdays in May from 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Touch, smell and learn to use everything as you actually churn your own fresh butter. Of course, what would this experience be without enjoying the fruits of your labour? Spread the butter on fresh bread from a local bakery and enjoy. Click here for more information!
Cool Off with Dad's Ice Cream Butter Tart Sundaes
Where: 2 Vance Dr. Tillsonburg ON
When: Last two Saturdays in May from 12 pm - 10pm
Dad’s Ice Cream is a must-try as you wind your way through the Oxford County Cheese Trail. During Big Cheese Days, they’re serving up a special butter tart sundae, featuring butter tarts from The County Table in Tillsonburg layered with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch sauce, peanuts, whipped cream, and a cherry on top! If this sounds like your idea of the perfect treat, click here for more details!
Get a Taste of Farm Life at Udderly Ridiculous
Where: 906200 Township Rd 12, Bright, ON
When: 9am - 7pm daily
Udderly Ridiculous in Bright is churning out gourmet goat milk ice cream in six delicious flavours! During Big Cheese Days, buy one, get one free single-serve ice cream pint in their shop. You can also take a yoga class with the goats or have a picnic with the alpacas, which comes complete with Ontario-made food and trimmings to make a charcuterie lunch. Click here to check out their farm experiences!
Getting to Oxford County
Planning to check out Big Cheese Days? Oxford County is conveniently located in Southwestern Ontario where two major highways (401 and 403) meet. It’s just a 90-minute drive from downtown Toronto and two hours from border crossings at Buffalo, Detroit and Sarnia.
Safe travels and enjoy your Big Cheese Days experience!
