Today is….wait for it….National Strawberry Picking Day. And since it’s peak strawberry eating season (April – June), these little bursts of natural sweetness make the perfect afterschool or anytime snack. And so to celebrate, we’re hand-picking (pun intended) our top 5 things to dip strawberries into…once they’ve been picked, of course.

1. Tillamook French Vanilla Bean Yogurt – Light and naturally sweet, it’s like they were made for each other!

2. Lemon Curd – Tart, sweet…perfect. If you’re like us and believe everything tastes better with lemon curd, then this is a must try.

3. Peanut Butter – Give your apples a break and try something a little more seasonal with this yummy ode to PB&J.

4. Tillamook Sour Cream + Dark Brown Sugar – For the cheesecake lover in all of us, this is the perfect bite sized treat.

5. Nutella – Few things are simpler or more delicious than this decadent combo of chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberries.

How do you dip? Let us know at Facebook.com/Tillamook or on Twitter @TillamookCheese.

By Tillamook

Tillamook Ice Cream Sundae - a fun summer treat!

School is out (or just about to get out!) and here at Tillamook we’re looking forward to summer. What are you excited about? Barbecues? Weekend adventures? Staying up late and having it still be light outside? Here are my top 10 favorite things about summer, with a Tillamook twist.

1. Summer = BBQ season. Light those grills and add some Tillamook Cheese to those burgers. You won’t regret it! Need some inspiration? Here are some yummy burger recipes.

2. Need dessert for the BBQ? Don’t forget about Root Beer Floats!

3. See cheese being made! Did you know the Tillamook Cheese Factory is on the Oregon coast? Take a weekend trip and stop by! See what’s happening.

4. You don’t need lemons to make lemonade; you just need some Strawberry Lemonade Yogurt and you’ll feel refreshed.

5. Want an even colder refreshing yogurt snack? Try frozen yogurt! Here are two ways to try it: as a Yogurt Dessert Parfait or in Frozen Yogurt Pops.

6. Tilla-Moos make the perfect snack and energy boost for hiking.

7. It’s warm again, which means when it’s time for dessert, Tillamook Ice Cream comes out… okay, who are we kidding, I eat ice cream all year round, but it does help you cool off in the summer!

8. Want a dessert that’s a little hot and cold? Try making Grilled Cheese Ice Cream Sandwiches for a new twist on the classic.

9. It doesn’t have to be Memorial Day to have a Sundae Bar!

10. See the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor. Has your Tillamook Ice Cream Bucket Garden grown anymore?

By Laura

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.