The numbers have been tallied, the food has been weighed, and Tillamook is extremely proud to have been a part of making this year’s KGW Great Food Drive the most successful ever!

Thanks to generous individuals and companies, this year’s Great Food Drive raised more than 1.2 million pounds of food for the Oregon Food Bank, more than DOUBLE this year’s campaign goal of 600,000 pounds, and far surpassing last year’s campaign results as well. Here at Tillamook, we’re thrilled to have contributed $30,000 from the sales of our cheese in Oregon and southwest Washington during the month of March. Additionally, our Tillamook employees alone donated more than 13,000 pounds of food to the Great Food Drive during March as well.

Overall, this year’s campaign raised enough food to provide more than 900,000 meals to those in need in our communities. Knowing that we were part of making a positive impact on that many lives here in our home state of Oregon means so much to us.

We had a lot of fun seeing our fans at food collection events throughout the state and welcoming our good friend and KGW NewsChannel 8 morning show personality Drew Carney to the Tillamook Cheese Factory to help promote the cause!

To all of the Tillamook fans that bought extra cheese in March to support this very worthy cause, thank you!

The problem of hunger is a year-round issue for adults and children across our state. To find out how to support the Oregon Food Bank throughout the year, visit www.OregonFoodBank.org.

By Tori

April 12^th is National Grilled Cheese Day, and Tillamook is helping you celebrate!

Tillamook is taking over San Francisco to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Day! Stop by The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen for a FREE grilled cheese sandwich, prepared by gourmet grilled cheese master and Tillamook Kitchen Chef, Heidi Gibson! Stop by The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen at 1 South Park from 5-7 PM for your free sandwich.

Plus, enter to win a year’s supply of cheese! Share your cheesiest grilled cheese moments on Instagram from April 8-12! Use #Cheeseaholic and tag @Tillamook to enter. Click here for official rules.

By Tillamook

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.

We’re so proud of our Dairy Products Quality Manager, Jill Allen, who had the incredible honor of judging at the 2013 United States Championship Cheese Contest®. At Tillamook, Jill and her team taste test hundreds of cheese samples every day to make sure each little loaf delivers the consistent quality our fans love. Although Jill didn’t judge any Tillamook Cheese at the competition, she put her fine-tuned taste buds to good use by grading several cheeses from across the country. Jill wasn’t the only one to receive recognition at the championship; check out the awards our own Tillamook cheeses took home! I had the opportunity to chat with Jill about her exciting experience.

Q: Was this your first time judging a cheese competition?
A: Yes, this was my first professional judging competition. I was very excited to judge at a National Level.

Q: How were you selected to be a judge?
A: I obtained my Wisconsin Cheese Graders License, and then was nominated to judge by other grading professionals.

Q: Which types of cheese did you taste?
A: I graded Flavored Semi-Soft Cheeses, Smoked Hard Cheeses, Reduced Fat Soft and Semi-Soft Cheeses, and Reduced Fat Hard Cheese.

Q: What were you looking for in each category?
A: We judged the cheese based on flavor; body and texture; makeup and appearance; color; and rind development.

Q: How many samples do you think you tasted altogether?
A: Probably around 100.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about the judging process? Did you eat or drink anything to cleanse your palette in between samples?
A: I was partnered with another judge and we worked as a pair. Each judge had to be precise and assess the cheeses individually, but also collaborate as a team. After each tasting we cleansed our pallets with tart green apples and water.

Q: Did you learn anything surprising during the competition?
A: It was great being able to experience the excitement of judging at the US National Cheese Contest®. Judges came from all corners of the country. It was an experience like no other; to be part of an elite judging team that gets to experience and choose the best cheese in the United States.

Q: How much cheese do you taste each day at Tillamook, and do you ever get tired of eating it?
A: Tillamook has a grading team of 6 members, and together we probably grade around 400 pieces of cheese a day. My team loves what we do and loves Tillamook cheese!

Q: What’s your favorite type of Tillamook Cheese?
A: My favorite Tillamook Cheese is any of our Cheddars, Yellow or White.

Q: What is the weirdest type of cheese you have ever tried?
A: At the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest, I tasted a semi soft cheese, wrapped in seaweed!

By Callie

What happens when the most creative people around, the best burger under the Austin sky, and the tastiest cheese in the world team up? Magic! Like a unicorn that shoots rainbows; except better! Magic may be the best word to describe what happens when Tillamook is added to anything! Thankfully you can experience this type of mouthwatering euphoria on Saturday, March 9 from 12:30pm-3:30pm at Hopdoddy Burger Bar on South Congress. You’ll go for the Terlingua burger and the Buffalo Bill burger with a Caramel and Sea Salt Shake (say that 5 times fast)! What you’ll get is all that AND samples of the world’s best Medium Cheddar Cheese (used on the “Terlingua”) and Pepper Jack Cheese (used on the “El Diablo”). Oh there’s more! Your visit won’t be complete without great Tillamook coupons, cheesy recipes, and tons of smiles!

What are you doing Saturday that could possibly be more fun than this?! Nothing. You know you’ll have a hankering for a good time, so just come on out and see our beloved new Tillatruck, say, “Hey” to our friendly brand ambassadors, grab some delicious cheese, and get your hands on the best dang burger you’ll ever have! This is one cheesy event you won’t want to miss. See you Saturday! If you can’t make it Saturday, Tillamook will be in Austin until the 18, so check the schedule to make sure you can come out to experience the YUM! We can’t wait to see you.

By Matt

We know you have been waiting! It’s that time of year again when our group of energetic, cheesy cheese-loving brand ambassadors hit the road in Tillamook orange in a city near you! They will kick off the tour in Phoenix and Lubbock spreading the Loaf at a store near you. Don’t miss meeting the team! See pictures below and read a short bio about each unique team member and don’t forget to check out the schedule online!

WEST TEAM

Madison O.
Hey cheese lovers! My name is Madison Ornstil and I grew up eating awesome Tillamook Cheese in Oakland, California. I come from a sports loving family, so when I am not eating yummy Tillamook cheese you can likely find me cheering on my favorite teams.  My only issue with sports games is people eating all that processed nacho cheese. To them I say, “GIVE ME TILLAMOOK!” I moved to Portland after graduating college in Chicago. Chicago was great, but I needed more natural cheese in my life, so I decided to move straight to the source.  Can’t wait to see you on tour!

Matt M.
Monterey Matt checking in from Portland getting all excited to hit the road and visit y’all! I have grown up on Tillamook my entire life and am ready to share some of my memories and experiences with you and hope you will share in return. Tillamook Cheese goes best on nacho cheese chips melted in the microwave or on a juicy burger piled high with an egg and bacon. When I am not sharing all my knowledge about Tillamook, I will be enjoying the sunshine in Southern California, spring training in Arizona, and attending many, many country concerts wherever they are. Some favorites include Brad Paisley, Eric Church, and of course George Strait. I can’t wait to hit the road and see all your smiling faces after I give you the most amazing cheese. Here’s to a great Loaf Love Tour 2013!!!

Pokou X.
*Waves* Greetings Tillamook Lovers! My name is Pakou and I’ll be on the road spreading the loaf love! I was first introduced to Tillamook Cheese and all of their dairy goodies when I moved to Portland, Oregon from Northern California. Since cheese was not something that was a part of my culture, I grew up thinking that processed cheese was real cheese. Boy was I wrong, and once I learned the difference, I haven’t gone back! Tillamook is about the only cheese you’ll find in our refrigerator these days! This is my second year on tour, so I look forward to catching up with people that I’ve met last year and meeting with new people! See you all soon!

Virginia H.
*Dancing in the Cheese Aisle!* I’m Virginia and I love Tillamook Cheese! When I heard there was a job telling the world about what awesome cheese Tillamook makes, I knew it would be the perfect job for me and my cheese shaped earrings! I can’t wait to go to new towns and share the great products that Tillamook makes! If I’m not sharing our cheese samples with you, I may be in the ice cream isle looking for my favorite Tillamook Marionberry Pie Ice Cream!

Dee Dee R.
Hi Guys! My name is Dee Dee! I am so excited to be a part of the Loaf Love Tour!!! To represent a company from Oregon that I truly love! I can’t wait to share the products that I enjoy with the West Coast! I have enjoyed Tillamook products all my life! My favorite Tillamook product is the Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Pair that with a Summer Sausage on a Ritz crackers and Yummmm it’s tasty! Our team will be hitting many cities up and down the West Coast and I can’t wait to rollerblade the Boardwalks of California! Perhaps wearing a Tillamook shirt while rollerblading? You might just see me! You can follow me on twitter @CheesyDeeLLT! Tweet Me! I’d love to hear from you!

Ray W.
Hi! I’m Ray, my Twitter name is @LoafOutLoud because I am always laughing. I grew up in a little barn house on the Little Nestucca River. That’s just south of the Tillamook Cheese Factory! I was raised on Tillamook Cheese, and have even met several of the farmers and their cows. My favorite cheese is Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, because it’s like a huge kick in the mouth (in a good way, of course)! I’m a dork and you’ll notice this when you meet me. Be prepared for some cheesy puns and a hearty laugh!

Elisa B.
New girl on the block here, CheesyLisy checking in from the road! Originally from Oregon’s very own state capital, Salem, I am ecstatic to be a part of the Love Loaf Tour to tell you all about Tillamook’s yummy cheeses! I tend to only like the best of the best so naturally I have been a Tillamook connoisseur since I started buying my own groceries. In fact, I love Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream so much I had a bowl of it EVERY night my first year of college! Mmm. Another thing about me is my love for swimming, so I am looking forward to checking out some of the local beaches we stop by on the tour! Maybe I’ll catch you there or you can follow me on Twitter @CheesyLisy to find out all about what’s happing on the Love Loaf Tour!

EAST TEAM

April A.
April FoCheezy 2.0! It’s that time of the year again where I get to load up my suitcases and fly on out to Texas to represent my favorite, Tillamook Cheese! I was lucky enough to be a part of the Loaf Love Tour in 2012 and am so excited to be back for the LLT’s fourth year! Growing up in Portland, my family always had Tillamook Cheese in the house. Throughout the years I’ve tried almost all of the different cheesy flavors we offer, but my favorite has always been our World’s Best Medium Cheddar! I love making my homemade Mac ‘n’ Cheese with the Medium Cheddar! It is always so creamy and flavorful and doesn’t require any other seasoning than a little salt and pepper!

Last year on the road I was able to do a lot of exploring in the different cities around the country we were working in.  Since I’m a pretty adventurous person, I’m very excited to get back out there and see what the cities will have to offer me this year!

Katie L.
Hi my name KT Loaf Love, but you can call me Katie. I was raised in Portland, Oregon on all Tillamook products. I am so excited to travel the country and tell you all about what Tillamook has to offer. My very favorite Tillamook products are the Medium Cheddar and Sharp Cheddar. They make the very best grilled cheese sandwiches! Other than traveling the country and talking about Tillamook, I enjoy going out with friends and enjoying all that Portland has to offer, and trust me, there is quite a lot. I can’t wait to meet all of your new faces on the road very soon!

Ashley R.
In the Tillamook community I’m known as Tillatastic Ash. I am a cheese-lovin’ veteran of the 2012 Loaf Love Tour and am beyond excited to be back for 2013! It was an easy decision to join the LLT team again this year because I’ve been a fan of Tillamook my whole life…but I really just couldn’t resist being around Tillamook Cheese 24/7 for another year! My grandparents took me to the Oregon Coast and Tillamook Cheese Factory every other summer when I was a little kid and I’ve been eating Tillamook products ever since! One reason I loaf being on the road is because I love adventure-I’ll try almost anything once. I enjoy being active outside; hiking, playing catch, going to the river, site seeing in new places! I’m entertained easily and excited about everything! Find me driving the new Tillatruck in Texas this year and I’ll share the loaf love!

Inge P.
Hello I’m Inge from Newberg, OR and my favorite Tillamook products are the Tillamook Cheese and Tillamook Ice Cream. I’ve been eating Tillamook products as long as I can remember. I really love visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory and picking up a bag of Squeaky Cheese. I also slice a piece (or 2) of Sharp Cheddar off the loaf for my sandwiches. When I’m not eating cheese, I’m usually planning my next adventure trip overseas, playing basketball or decorating cakes.

Shelby J.
Hi there, I’m Shelby! And I am crazy in love with Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese…we were introduced by a friend a few years ago and I’m certain I’ve found the Loaf of my life. I’ve been eating Tillamook Cheese for 24 years. I was raised on this stuff and will raise my own family on this stuff. Cheese makes everything better, and makes its way into just about every other, if not every dish that I make, I can’t help it, I LOAF the taste! Not to mention, I am a health nut and Tillamook Cheese is natural, WIN! I will eat cheese any way, but my favorite is melted in and over a hot dish of chicken enchiladas with a creamy white sauce, both topped and filled with cheesey goodness. Apart from my love for food and cooking, I am totally Oregon made, I love the outdoors!! I crave adventure and spontaneity, and will jump at any opportunity to do something I’ve never tried before, minus sky diving. One of my favorite recent adventures was going spear fishing in Hawaii! What are your favorite adventures and loaf love stories? Let me know on Twitter @shellBEsharp. Catch ya lata!

Elida G.
When I first learned that the tour I had applied for had something to do with Tillamook Cheese I nearly fell out of my chair, proceeded to shout “I LOVE CHEESE!” and “This is THE job for me!” Keep in mind I hadn’t even been called for an interview and I was still so excited, so when I received a call from the team offering me a position on the Love Loaf Tour I immediately accepted. I wish I could garnish my love for cheese with lavish adjectives, but it’s just so simple. I love Tillamook Cheese, and can’t wait to share the cheese with the rest of the country. Oh, I forgot to mention, I’m Elida! Feel free to follow me on my journey via Twitter @ElidaCheddar!

By Tillamook

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

Being born and raised in Portland, Oregon, I was never introduced to a proper biscuit until later in life when I was able to travel to the south. Now living in Portland as an adult, I know the only place to go get the real thing in town is Pine State Biscuits. That’s why I am ecstatic to welcome Pine State Biscuits as the next Tillamook Kitchen restaurant. Even better, I got to spend a whole day at the Alberta location talking about food and nibbling on some of the best grub in town!

Walt Alexander, Kevin Atchley, and Brian Snyder, the owners of Pine State Biscuits, getting their profile pictures for Tillamook Kitchen. All originally from North Carolina, they showed us some true southern hospitality. They’re down to earth, super welcoming, and the type of guys you immediately want to sit down and have a beer with.

Right when you walk in the door of Pine State Biscuits there’s an instant warm feeling. The flakey biscuits in the oven, the homey atmosphere, all the people enjoying their delicious food… It’s a true neighborhood joint and a place where everyone is welcome.

Pine State Biscuits started at the Portland Farmer’s Market and although it’s grown it hasn’t lost that local culture. Even the grits they use come from a local farm. Tillamook, of course, is also a local ingredient. My favorite bite of the day was the first ever Chatfield (fried chicken, bacon, cheese, and apple butter) made with Smoked Medium Cheddar Cheese!

Thanks, Pine State Biscuits, for being such gracious hosts for the day and letting us into your kitchen! You can get more of Pine State Biscuits on Facebook and Twitter!

By Laura

Celebrate our 104^th birthday with us by munching on Squeaky Cheese Curds fresh from the Tillamook Cheese Factory. For today only, we’re opening the vats and releasing Squeaky Cheese Curds on the Online Shop. Supplies are limited, so get ‘em while they squeak! Funds raised will benefit the Oregon Food Bank to support hunger relief.

Order your tasty curds here!

By Callie