Banana Split Ice Cream

National Ice Cream Day (July 15th) is a big day here at Tillamook! The Cheese Factory knows how to celebrate with games, prizes, and a special Mint Chip Fudge Sundae, complete with fudge on the side!

For those of us that can’t get to Tillamook, Oregon for the festivities, we have to dream big to find the right way to celebrate. I can’t think of anything bigger and better than one giant banana split. So, this Sunday, gather all the kids or kids-at-heart you know, and head outside. The outdoors is critical because who has room in their house for a 10 foot banana split?

Stock up on a few bananas, some cherries, hot fudge and your favorite Tillamook Ice Cream. I recommend Oregon Strawberry, Old Fashioned Vanilla, and Banana Split. Then follow these instructions at Oh Happy Day and poof, you’ve got the perfect way to celebrate this very important day!

If a food fight ensues, send pictures!

By Kelly

How do we love our 4-legged Holsteins, Jerseys, and Guernsey’s?  Let us count the ways!

We love that they give us the freshest, highest quality milk for use in producing Tillamook Cheese and Tillamook Ice Cream.  We love the livelihood they provide to all the farmer-owners of our cooperative.  We love how picturesque they are in the rolling meadows and hills of Tillamook county.  Heck, we even love the “dairy air” they provide!

So to all our hard-working Tillamook dairy cows, as well as their cousins nationwide: WE APPRECIATE YOU!

Join us at the Cheese Factory on Sunday, July 15th to help us celebrate our dairy cow herds. The first 500 visitors to the Tillamook Cheese Factory will receive a FREE “Tillie from Tillamook” toy cow.

In the 1950’s, a little brown cow named Tillie of Tillamook entered the spotlight as a cartoon cow in a newspaper ad for Tillamook cheese.  Tillie was a popular gal.  By 1958 she was making appearances in Oregon stores as a squeaky toy.  She’s still a fond memory for many people who owned one of the original Tillie toys, and a replica of Tillie can be yours if you are one of the first 500 people visiting us on Sunday!

And don’t forget to stock up on some cheese, ice cream, yogurt, sour cream, and butter, made possible for you by your friends and ours, the cows.

See you at the Cheese Factory!

By Susan P.

When the subject of ice cream comes up, it is directed my way. I have the sweet tooth of the tour, and share my love of sweets with everyone else while on the road.

I blame my family for my addiction to Tillamook Ice Cream. When our freezer is stocked with ice cream, we don’t know how to have just one scoop. Every time we treat ourselves, we really go for it. I’m talkin’ at least three scoops at once, and that’s not even a challenge. It’s so bad in fact, that when my Dad met my sister’s boyfriend for the first time and he offered my Dad the smallest container of ice cream ever made (thimble-sized), he assumed it was a joke, because who would only want a thimble-sized container of ice cream? We had to teach him the family ways so my Dad could give his official approval of the boyfriend.

I have to give credit to my sister for introducing me to my favorite ice cream of all time (and I mean that literally because when I told her I was writing this she demanded to be acknowledged as the first person that showed me Tillamook Ice Cream). We all know that everyone has something that their mother or grandma makes better than anyone else in the world. There’s that one meal or dessert than no one does better, and therefore you are spoiled with this one item to the point that you won’t eat it unless your grandma made is especially for you. For me, it’s my grandma’s pie. And not just any pie. Fresh baked buttery crust that flakes apart as you eat it, pie filled with plump Marionberries fresh off the vine. That is the pie. So naturally, when my sister pulled Tillamook Marionberry Pie Ice Cream from her freezer, it was like the heavens opened up and the ice cream gods told me they loved me. The light from the freezer reflected off the crystals in such a beautiful way (sparkly vampires had nothing on this), I had to literally stop and take in the moment. This ice cream is the best of both worlds. It’s like my grandmas Marionberry pie had babies with the smoothest ice cream ever made. From the vanilla ice cream to the berries, and finally: real pie crust. It truly is like little angels dancing on my tongue. When’s the last time you had something that made you think that? As Dandy Andy would say, “it’s like a mouthful of awesome!”.

And of course there are other Tillamook Ice Cream flavors that will make you squeal with delight. April Focheezy swears by the Tillamook Mint Chocolate Chip because of its “huge chocolate chunks!” NoelleLLT says that Tillamook Grandma’s Cake Batter
is amazing because “it really is like cake and ice cream in the same bite!” Peppercorny Pakou likes the rich and yummy combination of two of her favorite flavors with Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter. Regardless of whether you prefer chocolate to caramel or Huckleberry to Marionberry, you are sure to find a Tillamook Ice Cream that will have you jumping for joy during this summer season.

Smiley Kylie :)

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By Kylie

Enjoy Tillamook Fudge on June 16!

Creamy, sweet, indulgent treats – of course we’re talking about Tillamook Fudge! This Saturday, June 16, fudge takes center stage at the Cheese Factory because we’re celebrating National Fudge Day! And what better way to do so than by introducing the newest flavor to our fudge line up. Drum roll please for. . .

Salted Caramel - a decadent combination of milk chocolate swirled with rich, gooey caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. A little bit of sweet and salty that’s just right.

But for National Fudge Day, we need more than just a new flavor. So we’re also offering a special deal for all our Tillamook Fudge fans.  When you buy a pound of any flavor of Tillamook Fudge we’ll give you ¼ pound free! Mix and match any combination of our 30 plus flavors, and then choose yet another flavor for your free ¼ pound. And that’s not all – if you visit between 11am and 6pm, your purchase gives you a chance to Spin the Wheel to win more treats!  You could win a fudge pretzel cup, or a fudge hazelnut cup – even a full pound of our new feature flavor.

So don’t miss the fun on National Fudge Day at the cheese factory.  We’ll see you there!

For a full list of Cheese Factory happenings click here.

By Susan P.

Photo: St0rmz/Flickr

Yippee! School’s out!!! We can’t think of a better way to start summer vacation than with a special Tillamook Ice Cream sundae created just for June.

This month’s special is our Caramel Delight Sundae. To start we take our very popular Caramel Toffee Crunch Ice Cream, which is loaded with chocolate chips, toffee pieces, coconut, and nuts, and mixed with a gooey caramel swirl. Then we top it with even more soft, sweet caramel and add whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry. But wait – there’s more! We also put two pieces of Heath Bar English Toffee fudge on your sundae. Nothing could be more decadent. What a great treat to give yourself after working hard all year in school. Our special runs all month – come get one for only $3.95!

Are sundaes not your thing? How about a thick, creamy milkshake? Stop by the Tillamook Cheese Factory on Thursday, June 19 to celebrate National Vanilla Milkshake Day with us. Choose your favorite Tillamook Vanilla Ice Cream: is it Vanilla Bean? French Vanilla? Or classic Old Fashioned Vanilla? We’ll whip it up with fresh, cold milk and voila – you’re ready for a vanilla party. And we’ll even take $1.00 off that Vanilla shake for you.  When we celebrate, we do it right!

So come on out to the Tillamook Cheese Factory – er, we mean the Tillamook Sundae and Milkshake Factory. We look forward to seeing you and your ice cream sweet tooth there!

For a full list of Cheese Factory happenings click here.

By Susan P.

As we ease into summer on the Oregon coast, the days are getting longer and the weather’s drying out, so there’s no better time to plan a trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory! Here are some of our favorite things to do at the Cheese Factory before the crazy summer crowds descend on us:

• Take a picture in the Loaf Love Tour bus and send to all your friends and family.
• Try a sample of creamy, luscious Tillamook Chocolate Ice Cream on Thursday, June 7 to celebrate National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! Learn more.
• Taste the six daily varieties of cheese at the sample counter, and don’t forget the Squeaky Cheese - fresh cheddar cheese curds.
• Wave to the friendly workers sporting their Loaf Love on their uniforms in our packaging department. You can take one of those shirts home with you, too!
• Put together a picnic basket of cheese, fudge, and other delicious Pacific Northwest goodies like smoked salmon, beef jerky, hazelnuts, crackers, and Marionberry jam. You’ll find everything you need in our gourmet shop.
• Go fly a Loaf Love Tour kite!
• Warm up from a breezy beach walk with an ooey, gooey Tillamook grilled cheese sandwich at the Creamery Café, accompanied by our homemade tomato soup.
• Cool down with your favorite flavor of sweet, rich, dreamy Tillamook Ice Cream at the ice cream counter. Can’t choose just one flavor? Have a 3 scoop or 5 scoop sampler!
• Send a CheeseMail video postcard to make all those friends who didn’t come to the cheese factory wish they were there with you!
• Celebrate National Fudge Day with us on June 16 when we’ll introduce our newest fudge flavor, Milk Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt. After all, we are on the Pacific coast. Learn more.

Well, we could go on and on but we’d rather have you come say hello and tell us: What’s your favorite thing to do at the Tillamook Cheese Factory? We’ll be waiting for you!

By Susan P.

Cheese sampling!

Do you like helping others? Are you upbeat and cheery and looking for a fun place to work? Do you have experience in a retail environment? Our busy Tillamook Cheese Factory needs you this summer! We’re looking for team members with strong customer service and cashier skills to assist visitors with friendly, knowledgeable service.

We are seeking Visitor Customer Service Representatives to work part-time, between 16-40 hours per week.  Applicants must be available to work weekends and weekdays throughout the summer and early fall season. You will operate computerized cash registers, stock merchandise, help with cleaning and assist at the fudge and cheese sample counters, as needed.  You must be able to stand for a full-shift and obtain a Food Handler’s card within 30 days of being hired. The pay range is $8.80 to $12.00 per hour, depending on experience.

To apply please visit our Careers page: www.tillamook.com/ourstory/careers

Tillamook County Creamery Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.

So many to choose from!

Yummy fudge!

Ice cream, please!

By Tillamook

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 Recipe Contest! From March 16th through April 9th, 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 21st at the Cheese Factory.  A panel of judges including chefs, local personalities, 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.

How to enter

Three easy ways:

• E-mail your name, city, daytime phone number and grilled cheese recipe to grilledcheesecontest@tillamook.com, or
• Stop by the Cheese Factory for an entry form, fill it out and return it there, or
• Print out an entry form and mail it to us!

But hurry – deadline for entries is midnight, Monday, April 9th.  Click here for all the contest details!

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 to the Loaf Life blog and Facebook!

By Tillamook

Another holiday season is behind us. No more hustle and bustle and crowds and traffic everywhere! Couldn’t be more true than here at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The summer and holiday crowds are gone so January is a great time to come visit. It’s like having the Cheese Factory all to yourself!

Take your time on the self-guided tour and soak in all the Tillamook cheese making history you can. No one is waiting, so dig into those interactive kiosks and really learn how we make Tillamook Ice Cream. You can even play the Super Scooper game over and over and over and over and. . . . . .

Come in out of the coastal storms to relax over a leisurely breakfast or lunch at the Creamery Café. Indulge in a cheese packed omelet, creamy cheesy Mac N’ Cheese or just a good old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwich. For dessert? How about our January sundae special? A cool, minty hot fudge sundae with Tillamook Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream topped with lots of hot fudge, chunks of chocolate mint Tillamook fudge, whipped cream, nuts and a cherry. Just $3.95 throughout January!

We hate to see you go, but when it’s time to leave, we have a great reason not to walk out empty handed. Buy one 56 oz. carton of Pumpkin, Cookie Dough or Udderly Peanutbutterly Ice Cream and get a second carton of one of these three flavors FREE! That’s right, two delicious cartons of Tillamook Ice Cream for the price of one! Just another great reason to head to the Oregon Coast this January!

~ Susan of the Tillamook Team

By Susan P.

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 at the Cheese Factory during December 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 10th & 11th, 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 Ty teddy bear who needs a loving home this holiday season. Just drop your name and phone number in the box at the cheese sample counter. We’ll be drawing the winner on Friday, December 23rd!

The following weekend, Saturday and Sunday, December 17th & 18th, it’s culinary fun for grown-ups as J. Wrigley Vineyards joins us for wine and cheese pairings from noon to 4pm. We’ll have a great selection of gift baskets ready for you to add a bottle of fine Oregon Pinot Noir for an elegant hostess gift.

Speaking of gifts, does anyone NOT want to get Tillamook Cheese for the holidays? Every size of your favorite Tillamook variety is on display at the factory. 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 something for everyone on your list. How great is that? One stop shopping! Make sure you take advantage of our complimentary gift wrapping for all your purchases.

The holidays are always happy at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Hours:
Open 8am to 6pm daily.
Special holiday hours: Christmas Eve 8am – 4pm.
Closed Christmas Day.

By Susan P.