December Days - 12.27.10

On many occasions I have made my affection for Tillamook Cheese widely known.  I've been a Fan of the Month, blogged numerous times about my favorite varieties, and even been a Tillamook Cheese evangelist in the midwest where most think it's best origins lie north in Wisconsin.  In my world though, nothing beats  Tillamook Cheese.

This post isn't about cheese though.  I want to dedicate this post to another Tillamook Creamery favorite, their ice cream.  In my experience, this has proven much harder to find outside of Oregon, it certainly isn't available in Indiana.  So on our annual trips home to Oregon, a healthy dose of Tillamook Ice Cream is a must.  The words on the label call it 'Premium Ice Cream' but that may not say enough. I would suggest that it change to 'SUPremium Ice Cream'.

Here are my top ten favorite flavors (in no particular order) from their nearly 40 to choose from, you'll notice none of these are types of cheese so you can hold back your cheddar flavored ice cream jokes....

Oregon Strawberry - I'm drawn to this one in the summer months. Not your typical strawberry pink strawberry ice cream, this one has big chunks of real Oregon strawberries.  Want a taste of Oregon in the summertime? This is it!

Old-Fashioned Vanilla - totally lives up to it's name.

Caramel Toffee Crunch - First time I had this one I thought 'Heath bar and vanilla ice cream, ok.' Wrong!  Yes, the vanilla ice cream is the base, but mixed in are caramel, cookies, coconut, chocolate, toffee, pecans, and almonds.  Goes best with a good cup of coffee.

Udderly Chocolate - I grew up knowing this as Brown Cow. It's my father-in-law's favorite and a staple in my in-laws home.  White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and chocolate flakes - YUM!

Rocky Road - They use Almonds in this favorite!  Ok, maybe this one is my father-in-law's favorite....

Mint Chocolate Chip - It's a classic flavor done just right.

Marionberry Pie - A combination of two flavors from home: Tillamook Ice Cream and Marionberries. Even has chunks of pie crust in it to wound out the experience!

Peppermint Candy - this is a holiday favorite in our family.

Coffee Almond Fudge - The name says it all.  My favorite amongst the favorites.

Chocolate Peanut Butter - Maybe this one is my favorite...Creamy chocolate ice cream with ribbons of creamy peanut butter flowing through it.

If you've never had this ice cream and the opportunity comes knocking on your door, do yourself a favor and answer that door!  

December Days - 12.2.10

Our main Christmas tree in our house (we have three this year, but that's a topic for another blog) has an eclectic mix of ornaments and decorations, but each one has specific meaning and importance to an individual member of or the entire family.  New ornaments will make their appearance each year as reminders of special trips or experiences. As the tree is decorated each year, it's a bit of a game to count how many times someone says "oh, remember when..." as they see an ornament from years past that stirs a special memory.

I have a new and favorite ornament that I added to our tree this year, and frankly, I'm surprised how long it took me to get this particular ornament.  During our trip home to Oregon this summer, we made our annual trip to "Mecca" - for those not familiar with our family and food choices, "Mecca" is the Tillamook Cheese Factory.  As I walked through the gift shop eating a waffle cone of Tillamook's Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream, I found the ornament of ornaments and had to get it!  Today. it hangs proudly on our Christmas tree, front and center for all to see! After all, what is Christmas cheer without a little cheese?!

It's not cheese...it's Tillamook.

A couple months ago I found a facebook page for Tillamook cheese and quickly signed up to be a "fan".  I signed up for the Tillamook newsletter and in doing so shared my Tillamook story.  After a couple months of waiting, I got the call - actually, an email - congratulating me as April's Fan of the Month!  So, this last week through the jokes and kidding from friends and co-workers, I have been spreading the gospel of Tillamook.

It's difficult to explain to people who have been eating Kraft singles or the generic brand at the local grocery store what makes Tillamook so good.  In fact it really has to be experienced.  I've committed to creating a Tillamook experience for everyone by bringing in a cheese platter or having a taste comparison, but for me and my family I believe the experience of Tillamook extends beyond great taste and texture.

It's our connection to a place we still call home, although we're a couple thousand miles away.  A reminder of family trips to the Oregon coast with a stop for "squeeky cheese" and a couple scoops of our favorite Tillamook ice cream.   Standing on the observation level, looking down at the factory floor and asking the question "where do all the cheese scraps go" as the baby loafs are being cut, and then answering that same question when my own kids ask it 20 years later.  

So while my taste buds are certainly appreciative of the great products the good people of Tillamook have been producing for 100 years; the rest of me is grateful for the field trips, experiences, and memories I am reminded of each time I slice open that shrink wrap packaging.