The three finalists in our 3rd annual Tillamook Cheese Factory Grilled Cheese Contest cook-off competed last Saturday, April 27 at the Cheese Factory to determine who makes the best darned Tillamook Grilled Cheese sandwich on the planet. From a field of 90 entries, narrowed to seven semi-finalists, these three grilled cheese lovin’ finalists did their best to impress six judges to take the Grand Prize Winner title. And impress they did with three very different, unique, and cheesy recipes.

Colleen Bill of Post Falls, Idaho brought her Grilled Stromboli, with lots of Tillamook Shredded Italian Blend Cheese and Vintage White Smoked Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese and was our 2nd runner up. Donna Beck of Bonney Lake, WA competed with her Cheddar and Ham with Spiced Apple Bacon Compote and Maple Butter, a slightly sweet and spicy delight with our Sharp Cheddar. Donna went home with 24 pounds of cheese and a goodie basket as our 1st runner up. But at the end of the day, the creator of the unique and savory Spicy Turkey Cranberry Grilled Cheese walked away with the $500 Grand Prize, along with a gift basket chock-full of Tillamook goodies and bragging rights for the best Tillamook Grilled Cheese. Karla Pollich of Portland, OR, packed her sandwich with thick slices of Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar and Tillamook Swiss, then grilled it up on sourdough bread with herbed Turkey, bacon and a cranberry jalapeno jelly. Karla’s sandwich will be featured at the Creamery Café at the Cheese Factory this week so come on out and give it a try!

Our visitors also got into the act by sampling all three of the contestant’s sandwiches and voting with their applause for the Audience Favorite. This year the voting was closer than ever, with our judges declaring a three-way tie! All three contestants took home coupons for Tillamook Cheese or Ice Cream.

Join us next year for the 4th Annual Contest, and thanks for celebrating National Grilled Cheese month with us this April!

By Susan P.

Do you think you have what it takes to help choose the next winner of the Tillamook Cheese Factory Grilled Cheese Recipe Contest? Tell us why and you could be part of the judges’ panel, spending your Saturday tasting yummy recipes from our three finalists then telling the world whose recipe reigns the cheesiest!

How to Enter
1) Send an email to fans@tillamook.com and tell us why you deserve to be one of the judges for this year’s cook-off. Whether it’s your love for Tillamook Cheese, an eye for the perfect grill mark, an obsession with grilled cheese – or all three! – we want to know!
2) Submit your entry by midnight on Monday, April 15.

The winner will be selected and notified no later than Friday, April 19. The contest cook-off will take place at the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon on Saturday, April 27. See official rules here.

Good luck!

By Loafy

Drum roll please. . . . . .
Announcing the 3^rd Annual Tillamook Cheese Factory Grilled Cheese Contest

Do you have the best tasting, creamiest melting, most unique and utterly irresistible grilled cheese sandwich recipe out there? Then enter the Tillamook Cheese Factory Grilled Cheese Contest! From March 22 through April 15, submit your one-of-a-kind recipe and you could be one of three finalists who will compete in a live cook-off on Saturday, April 27 at the Cheese Factory. A panel of judges including chefs, local personalities such as Marlynn Schotland of Urban Bliss Life, and professional cheese tasters (yes, that is a real job) will pick a winner who will get bragging rights for the best darned Tillamook Grilled Cheese sandwich on the planet – oh, and $500 and a delicious Tillamook goodie basket! There are goodie basket prizes for our runners up, too.

Three easy ways to enter:

1) E-mail your name, city, daytime phone number, and grilled cheese recipe to grilledcheesecontest@tillamook.com (check entry format for instructions on recipe format), or
2) Stop by the Cheese Factory for entry format sample and contest rules; type up your recipe and return it there, or
3) Type your recipe according to entry format and mail it to us!
4) Make sure to follow the entry format or we’ll have to disqualify your delicious recipe!

But hurry – deadline for entries is midnight, Monday, April 15. Click here for all the contest details and official rules!

You say you’re not much of a cook but still LOAF to eat Tillamook grilled cheese sandwiches? Then you will want to enter our contest to become our Celebrity “Best Tillamook Cheese Fan” judge at the recipe cook-off! Details on this contest coming soon so stay tuned as the Loaf Life Blog celebrates National Grilled Cheese month, which begins April 1!

By Susan P.

What are you doing for Spring Break this year? If you’re thinking of taking a little vacation, you should take a drive to the Tillamook Cheese Factory!

• Drive over to Cape Meares for a view of the ocean. While you’re there, check out the lighthouse, see some huge Spruce Trees (seriously), or even walk down to the rocky beach.

• Stock up on Squeaky Cheese – it’s only available at the Cheese Factory!

• Swing by a surprising little gem in Tillamook – the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum! There you can learn a little about Tillamook County’s history and see over 35,000 historic artifacts gathered from Tillamook pioneers.

• Enjoy a free, self-guided tour where you can watch our cheese making and packaging operations and try free samples of Tillamook Cheese. Don’t forget to round it off with a scoop of Tillamook Ice Cream!

Before your trip, take a look at our special offers at the Cheese Factory – if you plan it right, you might get yourself some tasty opportunities (waffle sandwiches, anyone?). We hope you come to visit us at the Tillamook Cheese Factory!

By Katie

To help curd-loving fans across the country, and to support our partners at the Oregon Food Bank, we released the curds to our Online Shop for one day only on our 104th birthday! Squeaky Cheese Curds are highly perishable and start to lose their “squeak” after just a few days, so we’ve never been able to facilitate shipping them on a daily basis before. In order to ship these squeak-packed bags of curds, the Tillamook Marketing team took several days away from our regular jobs to personally hand-pack and ship orders from the Tillamook Cheese Factory! Here are some photos from our adventures in shipping Squeaky Cheese Curds.

Here come the curds! The curds we sent were taken fresh out of the vat at 6am (boy, was it early!) so we had time to pack all the boxes.

Good morning! We shipped brand-squeaking fresh curds with overnight shipping, to ensure optimal squeak when they arrived at their final destination.

Here are some empty boxes, waiting for their curds! Each box of curds was handpacked with two bags of curds, an ice pack, a packing slip, and lots of love.

Here’s our UPS truck, squeak-packed with our first day’s shipment of cheese curd orders.

We had a fun time packing all 700+ orders of cheese curds! Thanks again for supporting Tillamook and celebrating our 104th birthday. We hope you can visit us soon at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, where you can get cheese curds all year round.

Yours cheesefully,
The Squeaky Cheese Team

By Katie

Many of us take for granted the fact that we always have a hot meal waiting for us at the end of the day, or a Baby Loaf of delicious Tillamook Cheese sitting in our fridge. But the fact is, hunger has reached an all-time high in the U.S., and more families are seeking emergency food services than ever before. Here in our home state, we know that 1 in 5 Oregonians struggle with hunger, and one-third of those that receive food boxes from local food banks are children. These numbers are pretty astonishing, especially when you consider that many of these people who are struggling to put food on their table each day might be your neighbors, co-workers, and friends.

As a food producer and community leader, we at Tillamook feel it is our responsibility to help make a difference in the lives of people who are fighting hunger every day. That’s why we are proud for the seventh year in a row to support the KGW Great Food Drive, an incredibly valuable public service campaign that helps bring the community together to fight this serious issue of hunger.

During the month of March, we will be donating a portion of proceeds from any size or variety of Tillamook Cheese sold at stores throughout Oregon and SW Washington to the Great Food Drive, which supports the Oregon Food Bank.

Also – each week in March, we will be featuring a different special at our Tillamook Cheese Factory Visitor Center in support of the Great Food Drive. So, if you stop by to visit us on the coast, bring in 2 non-perishable food items or $2.00 to donate, and enjoy these special offers:

March 5 – 11: 10% off any purchase of Tillamook Cheese (no additional discounts apply)

March 12 – 18: Purchase the Great Food Drive Lunch Special at the Creamery Café of a Tillamooker Grilled Cheese sandwich and a cup of soup, and receive another Great Food Drive Lunch Special FREE (no substitutions)

March 19 – 25: Purchase any Tillamook Ice Cream item at the dipping counter, and receive a second item FREE (free item of equal or lesser value)

March 26 – 31: Purchase one pound of any variety(s) of fudge, and receive ½ pound FREE

Last year the Great Food Drive campaign raised more than 755,000 pounds of food for the Oregon Food Bank, which was enough to provide nearly 600,000 meals to those in need in our communities. Working together as a community, we hope to raise even more food and funds this year, so that we can continue to combat this serious issue. We hope you’ll join us!

By Tori

If you’ve been out to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory recently, then you’ve seen (and maybe tasted) these tasty new additions to the Tillamook Ice Cream lineup!

Fireside S’mores
We’ve taken your favorite summer camp treat and turned it into ice cream! Toasty marshmallow cream and graham cracker bits are actually inside this rich chocolate ice cream. Tastes just like those campfire s’mores you remember!

White Chocolate Raspberry Yum
This decadent new flavor has a swirl of ripe Northwest raspberries suspended in a rich, creamy white-chocolate base. You won’t be able to resist this flavor after just one bite!

Be sure to check the Where to Buy tool to see if these flavors are available in your city, or come visit us at the Cheese Factory and try them out!

By Tillamook

Over the years, we’ve heard countless stories of curd-lovers driving for hours to the Tillamook Cheese Factory just to get their Squeaky Cheese Curds. Because of the short shelf life and to maintain the freshness and quality of Tillamook Cheese Curds, they are normally sold exclusively at the Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon… but if you’re a curd-lover, we’ve got great news!

In honor of our 104^th birthday, we’re releasing the curds on February 13 for one day only! There will be a limited supply of Squeaky Cheese Curds for sale on our Online Shop! Squeaky Cheese Curd Day will benefit the Oregon Food Bank in supporting hunger relief. Click here to learn more!

This is so exciting! But why can’t Tillamook ship cheese curds every day?
Squeaky Cheese Curds are extremely perishable, and start to lose their “squeak” after just a few days. Because of this, cheese curds require overnight shipping very quickly after they are made, which we cannot facilitate on a daily basis. To make sure curd-lovers around the country are able to get fresh curds to celebrate Squeaky Cheese Day, the Tillamook marketing team will actually be taking several days away from their regular jobs to personally hand-pack and ship your order from the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We wish we could spread cheese curd joy all the time, but for now, you can satisfy year-long cravings for cheese curds by visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, OR.

What is a cheese curd?
Cheese curds are created at the very beginning of the cheddaring process, when small pieces of cheddar cheese separate from the liquid whey naturally found in milk. These “curds” are usually then pressed together to form 40 lbs. blocks of our cheddars that will go on to naturally age for up to three years. However, we do save a small amount of the fresh curds to be sold at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. They taste mild and salty, and when they’re really fresh they make a slight “squeak” noise when you eat them! Try them for yourself on Squeaky Cheese Day!

What makes a cheese curd “squeaky”?
The squeak you might hear when you munch on cheese curds comes from the protein composition of fresh curds. When the protein in the cheese rubs against the enamel of your teeth it makes a “squeaky” sound. As cheddar ages, more moisture is released in the form of whey, and the protein in the cheese consolidates. Here at Tillamook, this consolidation is how cheese curds turn into Baby Loafs! That’s why our other cheddars (and curds older than a few days) don’t squeak! The cheese is still delicious to eat after it has stopped squeaking, but the squeak effect will be gone forever for that little curd.

Find out how you can get your squeaky cheese fix!

Get cooking with our Top 5 Cheese Curd recipes here!

P.S. You can follow the conversation about Squeaky Cheese Day with #ReleaseTheCurds on Twitter!

By Tillamook

Receive a free Tillie when you purchase $25 or more in merchandise from the Tillamook Cheese Factory this holiday!

The tree is up and decorated, the lights and the garland are strung, the poinsettias are all around, and the cheese gift boxes and baskets are ready. Make plans to join us during December at the Tillamook Cheese Factory to celebrate the holidays! We’ve got lots in store for you.

Be delighted by the hundreds of beautiful, sparkling ornaments on the prettiest tree on the coast while the kids are having their picture taken with Santa! He’ll be visiting us on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16, from 11am to 2pm on both days, and will have a treat for everyone. While you’re here, make sure to enter our giveaway for a giant Tillamook Cow or Tillamook Bear who need loving homes this holiday season. Just drop your name and phone number in the box at the entrance to the gift shop. We’ll be drawing the winners on Tuesday, December 18!

For those who are Willow Tree by Demdaco collectors, we also have a drawing for a new piece in that line. “The Christmas Story” is on display at the gift shop, so make sure you enter to win that for your holiday decorating collection. Winners for this drawing will also be chosen on Tuesday, December 18.

Are you stumped trying to figure out the perfect gift to give?  You’re worries are over. Just think: does anyone NOT want to get Tillamook Cheese for the holidays?  You’ll find every size of your favorite Tillamook variety at the cheese factory, because let’s face it, ONE size definitely does not fit all.  Pair it with mustards, crackers, smoked salmon, summer sausage or any of the delicious northwest gourmet products you’ll find in the shop for all your holiday entertaining. Then wander on over to the gift shop where you’ll find some great Tillamook stocking stuffers. How great is that – one stop shopping! Make sure you take advantage of our complimentary gift wrapping for all your purchases.

And as a special gift to all our visitors this holiday, when you purchase $25 or more in merchandise, you will receive a FREE Tillie from Tillamook! (One per customer, please.) And don’t forget we have complimentary gift wrapping on all your purchases.

We wish everyone a very happy, healthy and fun holiday season!

Holiday hours:
Christmas Eve: 8am – 4pm.
Christmas Day: Closed
New Year’s Eve:  8am – 6pm
New Year’s Day:  10am – 6pm

By Susan P.

Picture you and your loved ones striking a pose here

Let’s face it – even though we’ve barely finished the Thanksgiving leftovers, the pressure to find just the right gift for our kids, friends, and family this year has been hanging over us since Halloween. What to do? What to give?

This year, forego another doll for Susie and Legos for Charlie; forget one more tie for Dad and perfume for Mom. You know your friends certainly will get enough gift cards. This year, give the gift of the Tillamook Cheese Factory! Gather up the kids, go get Grandma and Pa, pack up the gang, and take a trip out to the Oregon coast. To Tillamook. To the Cheese Factory. And spend some time making new memories or reliving cherished ones.

There is something for everyone to enjoy and remember. Photos in the Loaf Love Tour bus, or pretending to be a Tillamook farmer and his favorite cow. Watching the Baby Loafs move down the conveyor belts in the packaging room on the way to your grocery shelf. Feeling the “squeak” on your teeth from the cheese curds for the first time. And the ice cream and fudge!!!

If you’ve been here many times and can recite Tillamook trivia in your sleep, or if you’ve never been before and can’t wait to see where it’s made, now is the time to put this on your wishlist to Santa.

This year, give those you love an adventure to the Tillamook Cheese Factory!

While you’re there, make sure to enter our giveaway for a giant plush Tillamook Cow or Tillamook Bear who both need loving homes this holiday season. Just drop your name and phone number in the box at the cheese sample counter. We’ll be drawing the winners on Tuesday, December 18!

Holiday hours
Christmas Eve: 8am – 4pm
Closed Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve: 8am – 6pm
New Year’s Day: 10am – 6pm

By Susan P.