November 23, 2005 | Tips from Us >
Kelowna, Dining
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Recently, I took a trip to the Okanagan with plans to stop at a few wineries during my stay. What I didn’t count on is finding a gem of a place called
Carmelis Goat Cheese Boutique. This is not just a place to shop for cheese; I learned all about the traditional cheese making process and discovered you can make more from goat’s milk than just feta!
Carmelis is a small, family owned, low quantity/high quality dairy producing 20 varieties of goat cheese. I didn’t realize that it is quite rare to find hard cheese made from goat’s milk. In fact, this is one of the few places in the world that makes it!
I was encouraged to sample any of the varieties before purchasing and I sampled a lot. The Yogurt Cheese (a soft, spread cheese) topped with olive oil and a blend of spices was out of this world. Want something unusual? Try the Goatgonzola.
This is actually a great place for the whole family. The operation is small so the goats are pretty much right there in full view. There were 110 female goats, 3 Billy goats and tons of baby goats (kids) running around. Lucky Billy goats!
The tour I took included a look into the dairy plant where the cheese is produced, a visit in the aging cellar, a stop at the milking station and a look at the goats with more chances to sample their varieties.
For 2006, they are planning wine and cheese pairing lessons. I think I just found another good reason to go back to the Okanagan.
The farm is located about 12 km south of downtown Kelowna.