Bonjour mes amis. Bon retour. Béni de vous revoir. Comment tu vas? Je vais très bien!!!🙏
What's up with the French, you ask?? I'm prepping you for a week of adventure in the Eastern Townships in 'la Belle Province' - Québec where French is the mandated language in many business contexts. Most of the people I met during the week were fluently bilingual and readily switched to English to facilitate our conversation. I had one instance where my good friend Google Translate successfully came to my rescue. I also had occasion to use my limited French to buy lunch. I did take three years of French in high school so the occasional word and/or phrase reappeared in my vocabulary at an opportune time.
Spending the week in Québec had its beginnings in my planned trip to visit my friend Samuel who lives in Montreal. Why not explore more parts of Québec beyond Montreal and Québec City, cities that I have already visited. I discovered the Eastern Townships were about an hour from Montreal so I had an easy decision. I also added a stop in Kingston, Ontario for the return journey to Port Credit as I had heard this Ontario city was a beautiful destination.
May the universe bring endless blessings (blessings in disguise) and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Lots of driving in the past week. It's about 5.5 hours from Port Credit to Montreal. The only day I was stationary was Tuesday as Montreal and surrounding area experienced the season's first major snowfall. I drove for varying lengths of time each day for the balance of the week. I was blessed with my car rental being upgraded (for free) to an Audi A3 (from a Toyota Camry). I appreciated the extra comfort and responsive quattro engine.
Early signs of winter blessed my 5.5 hour drive to Montreal. I experienced flurries of different intensity throughout the trip. I was equally blessed to have avoided a mishap on the bridge I needed to cross over the St. Lawrence River. I encountered two different accidents, less than 300 metres apart, caused by the icing conditions on the bridge. Passengers exiting their damaged car had a hard time standing/walking the road was so icy!
I decided to stay in a small city on the opposite side of the Saint Lawrence River from downtown Montreal. I'm continuing down my path of avoiding large city centres when it makes sense to do so. The neighbourhood I stayed in had old world charm, narrow streets and a patisserie (bakery) within easy walking distance. Better yet, I was only about 20 minutes drive to Samuel's place.
The inclement weather held off for my visit with Samuel on Monday. The heavens opened up on Monday evening with endless flakes of snow. I must confess the snow on the trees was a beautiful sight on Tuesday morning. Trudging through the wet snow to the patisserie was less beautiful!
Samuel was a gracious host treating me to an Americano and homemade tiramisu. I also had the gift of meeting his beautiful wife. Unfortunately I'll have to wait for a future visit to meet their son Leo who just turned two. Samuel shared an in depth view of his business history and the exciting prospects for the future including an impending new product launch! I'm anxious to see where Samuel and Sara land with their company's growth in the months and years ahead. We also agreed to collaborating on a couple articles. One article is focused on
. Pressed sushi, known as oshizushi in Japanese, is a type of sushi made by layering seasoned rice and various toppings in a wooden mold, then pressing them into a compact block. The second article's focus will be capturing the product innovation arising from the impending new product launch. Samuel also treated me to the most amazing lunch at their favourite Italian restaurant!
I continue to be grateful to have the most amazing friends in the world!🙏
I decided to explore the Eastern Townships by following the Cheesemakers Circuit which meandered through most of the local districts. The inclement weather, along with time of year, dissuaded me from traveling the Wine Route, the Summit Route and I was disinterested in the Historic Route. BTW - The
Eastern Townships is rich in Canadian history if anyone is so inclined.
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| My Cheesemaker Circuit Purchases |
I visited the following cheesemakers between Wednesday, November 12 and Friday, November 14. Lots of driving over the most beautiful and varied landscape. There are mountains for skiing/cross country skiing, large expanses of pine forests, lakes, open fields, cycling routes, snowmobiling routes - an outdoor paradise for all seasons. I happened to visit at what I think is an in between time. I look forward to visiting in spring, summer or fall. I will leave winter for other outdoor enthusiasts.
The fromageries were as varied as the landscape. They ranged from self-service entities to large retail stores with a full range of dairy products, complementary products and, in many locations, a restaurant. The cheese overall was simply divine!
I've shared a short paragraph (in italics) that was developed by the respective fromageries to summarize their business. I encourage to click on the various links to learn more about the cheesemakers in this part of Canada.
'We are the first cheese factory in Québec offering homemade cheeses using only Jersey cow milk (the little brown cow that produces chocolate milk !?!). Respecting responsible agriculture, Cousin Pierre's farm offers very high-quality ecological milk. This allows us to offer high quality cheeses made from raw and thermised milk from the greatest European traditions.'
My first stop was underwhelming to the point I forgot to take more photos than the signboard below. The Wisconsin creameries were my benchmark as I started this circuit which are, in general, have a more impressive footprint than the Quebec fromageries. I did buy my first sampling of cheese curds at this location.
'Tasty cheeses are made on-the-spot from unique milk produced by our Jersey cattle. Our cheeses are all made with A2 fresh milk: cheese curds, wheel of cheese, Jersey Royal, delicate and delicious soft cheese (winner of Caséus 2019).'
I had the most delightful orientation to the cheesemaking and cheeses at this location by a young woman who had continued working at the fromagerie after finishing high school. She was both knowledgeable and welcoming. I just had to buy cheese from her. Did you know the Jersey cow produces a richer cheese than Holstein cows (which is where much of the store bought cheese originates - so she said!)
Wow! Did I ever mess up on this visit. I walked into what I thought was a restaurant while looking for the cheese display. This was my first instance of what a fromagerie could be in Quebec - a combo location with cheese and a restaurant. I only discovered my instance of mistaken identity much later in my journey. All this to say I have zero photos! I'm sharing the above link to cover off on my goof up!
I chose the wrong day to visit this location. It was closed. The self-service area was well equipped with a range of products and the flexibility for payment.
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| Store front |
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| Self-service (Libre service) area |
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| Peeking inside from self-service area |
I discovered this fromagerie was opened about two years ago. Yet another location where I forget to take photos inside the building. This is an impressive store with appealing displays, lots of different cheeses and complementary products.
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| Store front |
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| Gotta have at least one cow statue photo |
'In 2009, Jean-Paul and Marie-Chantal Houde, brother and sister, decided to join forces to develop a sheep farm and dairy project that would be structuring and rewarding for the family farm. Jean-Paul has significant assets and knowledge in animal breeding, milking and agriculture. For Marie-Chantal, her passion is cheese making, acquired through solid training in France and through years of practice in the field. Since 2010, Fromagerie Nouvelle France has won more than 42 awards in various competitions, including the 2011 Best Cheese in Quebec and Zacharie Cloutier cheese in 2014.'
This fromagerie is one of my favourites. The store is so well merchandised along with having tasty cheese primarily made with sheep's milk. I was blessed to have an employee spend time with me to explain about the cheese and insist I try some samples. I had a delicious sandwich after buying three different types of cheese. I'm starting to notice I tend to make purchases when I'm engaged in a conversation and offered samples.
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| Store front |
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| Roadside signage |
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| Great merchandising |
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| Store has a small eating area at the far end |
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| Look at their awards! |
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| My most appetizing sandwich |
'Homemade cheese producer, we specialize in cheddar cheese made with 100% pure milk, fine herbs cheese, brine, smoked, grain or block.'
Another underwhelming fromagerie, at least from my perspective. They had a very small variety of cheeses with a focus on cheese curds. Sadly, I walked into the store and walked out within a few minutes.
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| Store front |
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| Interior - cheeses on left |
'Our mission is to introduce a variety of Latin American cheeses to a diverse clientele of all ages, enabling them to experience a part of Latin American culture.'
This is yet another place I walked in and out of fairly quickly. It is now getting later in the day so, to be fair, my interest is waning. There two women behind the counter who were engrossed in conversation. One woman acknowledged me briefly, then resumed a spirited conversation with her colleague. There was a stand up cooler with several cheeses which failed to catch my attention. The Latino orientation on cheeses was lost on me!
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| Store front |
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| Roadside signage |
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Much more of a restaurant with a small
display of cheeses |
My last stop on Wednesday was at this location. I was enamoured with the dairy machinery behind the sales counter. Of all the fromageries I visited, this one had the largest viewing area and seemingly largest vats for making cheese curds. It's now getting dark. Time to head to Lennoxville to check into my accommodation for the night.
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| Store front |
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| Sales counter |
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| Watching curds being made |
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| Watching curds being made |
'Fromagerie La Chaudière was created in 1975 by Vianney Choquette and his family. The business was flourishing to the delight of all. Today, it counts more than 200 employees and 50 representatives on the road. Now at its third generation, this company has retained the authentic taste of its recipes. Come and taste fine regional and imported cheeses, ice cream, delicious treats, maple products and refreshing beverages, not to mention our famous cheese bread and pastries baked on site.'
Thursday held great promise for finding cheddar cheese aged longer than two years. Preliminary research for this fromagerie, which was over an hour's drive away, gave me great hope. I was seeking aged cheese for friends who enjoyed its sharp taste. Sadly, the most any cheese aged in this location was two years. I was impressed by the store merchandising and home baked breads. For context, this location is feels somewhat remote. I did find tourtière, French Canadian meat pie, which I bought immediately. My mom used to make the most excellent pie for our Christmas meal every year. Truly a treat to look forward to at Christmas time!
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| Store front |
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| Roadside sign |
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| Loads of stuff to buy beyond cheese |
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| Impressive merchandising |
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| Picked pork tongues.. yummy! |
'Fromagerie P'tit Plaisir de St-Gérard de Weedon is a business that has managed to maintain a warm and friendly atmosphere since 1997. The history of this family business is a true model of self-sufficiency in the region. All our products come from our land to your table. Cheeses, butter, ice cream and gelato come from our dairy herd, without modified milk ingredients.'
I had initially decided to ignore this location given its relative remoteness on the circuit. The trip to Fromagerie La Chaudière put the destination back on my itinerary. Interestedly, I purchased three different types of cheeses with one cheese being an award winner. The flower on the packaging had caught my attention. This location had a great variety of cheeses along with a large restaurant.
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| Roadside sign |
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| Store front |
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| More cheese |
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| Cheeses galore |
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| Cheese display area |
By far the greatest discovery of note was the Abbaye. A large modern monastery in a beautiful setting. Gosh, those monks sure find the best places for practicing their faith. The abbaye boutique also had the most impressive cheese selection with the added bonus of large section dedicated to my favourite food - chocolate. This was the first fromagerie offering blue cheese, a personal favourite. Yes, I bought a small sample for myself!
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| Abbaye entrance |
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| Corridor to church |
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| Looking to rear |
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| Looking to altar |
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| Altar view from entrance |
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| Chapel |
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| Corridor looking towards entrance |
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| Daily prayer schedule |
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| Cheese and chocolate heaven |
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| Cheese heaven |
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| Cheese and chocolate heaven |
'Laiterie de Coaticook Ltée is one of the largest ice cream manufacturers in Quebec. We offer various products made from milk and cream: ice cream, ice milk, ice cream log and cheese. Discover our delights and visit our museum of milk.'
Welcome to ice cream heaven! I succumbed to my ice cream weakness to enjoy a double scoop maple flavoured ice cream cone. The young man serving me automatically and graciously switched to speaking English. I think he also gave me the two scoops, or at least a healthy one scoop that I ordered, for the cone I ordered. Definitely a place to stop for your ice cream fix when in the Townships! The laiterie also has a small museum section documenting the company history and the various tools used in the ice cream making process over the years. Enough to see and read about while you enjoy your double scoop ice cream!
'Family-owned business in organic farming. Located on the farm, the Fromagerie La Station prepares cheeses made from organic raw cow’s milk. We have opted for organic pastures that give our cheeses a very local flavour.'
My day's last stop. Beautiful store with great merchandising and loads of award winning cheese products. The sad reality is that I can only buy so much cheese to eat. My biggest challenge is I leave for Barbados on November 19 and want to avoid taking cheese with me. Perhaps this is a mistaken approach, hmmm.
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| Awards display |
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| More than just cheese |
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| Cheese and more |
'Ferme les Broussailles is certified organic and is dedicated to raw milk cheese making. We process the raw and organic milk from our goats as well as from our sheep.'
This location was my very last fromagerie visit. The boutique is located on an unpaved road about a mile from the main road. I confess to initially missing the boutique. I parked in the owner's personal driveway and was trying to find the store in the personal residence. I discovered the boutique as I was exiting the personal residence driveway. As the photos below reveal, this was another self-service location with a small fridge with limited product inside. Yes, an uninspiring end to my cheesemaker circuit adventure!
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| Cheese for purchase |
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| Directions on where to find the cheese |
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| Cheese making process |
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| Purchase instructions |
Non-Fromagerie Highlights
Yes, there is a world beyond the fromageries. Here are a few highlights I captured in my travels through the gorgeous countryside.
Deer
There were a couple places where I met up with deer. A good reminder to be vigilant about the possibility of deer suddenly appearing on the highway in front of your vehicle.
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| Stopped to pose for me |
My good friend Mike mentioned he attended this private high school when I was sharing my plans to travel into the Eastern Townships. As the universe would have it, my accommodations were a four minute drive from the campus. What an amazing setting! The school is located on 250 acres of land with easy access to outdoor activities along with easy access to the local community. I watched the ten minute promotional video on the school website. This school appears to be a terrific place to attend high school (boarding facilities available) - should your budget have the necessary flex.
It's a gift to have the chance to share in a friend's history and background. I know this brief experience has broadened my appreciation for Mike!
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| Entrance |
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Former chapel used for large
assemblies |
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| One of the residences |
Mike also suggested stopping by this hotel which was a twenty minute drive from Lennoxville. Mike's parents used to take their children to the hotel for special occasions. What a beautiful hotel in a most amazing setting.
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| Hotel entrance |
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| Hot chocolate with a view! |
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| My view while sipping hot chocolate |
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| Lake view from terrace |
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| Imagine the view in the other seasons! |
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| Time for a dip in the heated pool??? |
Patisserie Et Gateau Lorraines
Welcome to bakery heaven. I met Lorraine, the owner, and Lorinda, the employee, in my two visits to the bakery. I had a wonderful chat with both of them on Saturday morning as I bought my homemade blueberry pie and tourtière. Lorraine had started the bakery 20+ years previous, after working in a bakery. Her bakery had started with a six day/week operation having Sunday as the only day off. Her current hours are 9am to noon on Friday and Saturday so I count myself lucky to to be around during their open hours/day. On a sad note, I missed out on the rhubarb/strawberry pie, my all time fav, that I saw on Friday. It had been bought just before I arrived on Saturday morning!
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| Bakery entrance is up the steps |
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Bakery displays - bread was about to be
placed on left hand shelves |
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| Muffins and more. Cash only please! |
I'm off to Barbados on Wednesday morning. Monday and Tuesday are dedicated to final travel preparations like redepositing stuff in my storage locker and any purchases (like cinnamon for my oatmeal) for my upcoming stay. More about my blueberry pie and tourtière experiences as well!
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