Some things are worth occasionally splurging on and for me it is Tillamook cheese. Tillamook cheese is not only a really good cheese, but it is a taste of the Northwest for me. It is a reminder of home.
I have been able to find Tillamook Cheddar cheese at a few stores here in Oklahoma for awhile, but when I recently discovered that Sam’s Club is now selling the colby jack and the monterey jack Tillamook cheese, I decided to spend a little extra and treat myself to some.
I am so looking forward to a grilled cheese sandwich made with Tillamook cheese. It is one of my favorite comfort food type meals. And I am thinking enchiladas might just be on the menu plan next week, so that I can use some of the monterery Jack cheese. I see lots of cheese filled dishes over the next few weeks for us.
What occasional food treat do you like to splurge on?
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m grew up in Beaverton, OR and now live in South Carolina. I miss Tillamook cheese sooo badly! I’m thoroughly jealous now
Lynn, this is so nice to read! Thanks so much for writing about Tillamook. I’m glad to hear you’re able to get Tillamook in Oklahoma. If you haven’t seen our Where To Buy page, it might also help you track down more stores that carry Tillamook where you live – http://www.tillamook.com/wheretobuy/index.html. Hope you’ll stay in touch!
~ Jala of the Tillamook Team
Amen!! When we were stationed in South Carolina there wasn’t any anywhere. My husband and I are Tillamook Cheese snobs and it was hard for us to eat anything else. Now that we are somewhere where we can buy it, it is a “necessary” splurge for us!
We like to splurge on Parmagiano-Reggiano (sp?) when we can. It lends such flavor!
I agree! I love to get that when I can also. It adds so much to many dishes.
I sooo love Tillamook cheese. I grew up in Washington state so it was always readily available for us. We’d go to the factory (which has even more delicious flavors than in the stores) every time we made a trip to the Oregon coast. My husband is in the Army and we’re stationed overseas in Germany and the only thing they carry in our commissary is Kraft cheddar which isn’t anywhere near the same. Oh how I miss it!!!!
Kraft cheese is okay, but not nearly as good, so I can see why you miss it. I have been to the Tillamook factory several times since I grew up about 1 hr from it and it is a fun tour to do. (And thanks for your service to our country and the sacrifices you make. We appreciate it!)
I love Tillamook cheese! I haven’t been able to find it in New Jersey or New York. When I was back in Washington for Christmas I made sure to have tillamook cheese, maple bars, and marionberry pie!
p.s. I recently found frozen marionberries at Costco which was a lovely discovery.
Maple bars and marionberries are definitely a NW thing and I miss them. I love it when our vacations out there are in the summer and I can get a taste of fresh NW berries. I will have to watch for marionberries in the frozen section here. I would love to have a marionberry cobbler again.
Spent some time in Bend/Redmond, OR. Actually got to visit the Tillamook factory and go on a tour! Now in north Texas…Costco sells their products as well!
I totally agree with you! I was born and raised in Eugene, but have been in Indiana for the past 30 years. I still consider myself an Oregonian! And Tillamook cheese is still my favorite…especially on grilled cheese! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one out there who feels this way.
Grilled cheese is not grilled cheese without Tillamook cheese.
And I am glad to know there are others out there that miss this Oregon specialty.
Tillamook is the only brand my husband will eat. I occationally try to save money and buy something else and he gives me really dirty looks. I love the pepperjack. We recently grated it and put in on pizza it was a nice change.
Tillamook is the best BY FAR!! I am a cheese snob for sure. My other splurge is fresh raspberries! Every once in a while I just NEED to taste a little bit of “Summer”.
Tillamook is one of the best cheeses! It is something to splurge on sometimes.
When I moved away from the NW I couldn’t afford to buy Tillamook cheese so I started eating the cheap stuff. I’d eaten it for so long I forgot how good Tillamook was until my folks came down to visit and were horrified by the cheese I had in my fridge. There was an emergency trip to the store, as soon as we got home my Dad sliced off a piece and handed it to me, there’s been no looking back since.
I love Tillamook cheese! It is far superior to other cheeses IMHO. I can buy it here in Utah at pretty much all of the grocery stores, and even Sam’s Club, Costco and Walmart. I hope you enjoyed that grilled cheese sandwich!