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One of my favorite things to do in Amish Country when I “play tourist” is to visit the cheese houses. A delicious cheese platter is one of my go-to dishes for carry-ins and potlucks. With a seemingly endless selection of cheeses in the Berlin and surrounding area cheese houses, I am always finding something new to sample.
Donna’s signature Meat & Cheese Platters, which feature local cheeses, are a guest favorite to add on as a stay enhancement. You can view the different platter options as well as other packages HERE.
Heini’s Cheese Chalet has been making some of the finest cheeses in the area since 1935. The owners of Heini’s Cheese, the Dauwalder family, traveled all the way from Switzerland and brought with them their coveted family recipes. Heini’s offers their family’s version of traditional Swiss cheese, an award-winning favorite but also features unique varieties made from raw, pastured milk as well as yogurt cultures, which produces a lactose free cheese. There are savory cheeses, soft cheeses and even dessert cheeses. With so many varieties to choose from, Heini’s allows customers to sample them all in their Bunker Hill retail shop that highlights an array of other local and regional products.
One of my favorite things about Heini’s in their commitment to making cheese traditionally. The milk in Heini’s cheese is still delivered by dairy farmers in old fashioned milk cans. Their cheeses are free of artificial growth hormones and are made from all natural ingredients.
With more than 70 different varieties of cheese as well as meats, fudge, a gift shop and more - you won't go away hungry or empty handed after visiting this local shop! Try a free sample or two during your next visit to Ohio's Amish Country!
Whenever I think of a delightful cheese plater, my mind always wanders to a wine to compliment it. For over sixty years Broad Run Cheeseehouse specialized in cheesemaking only; and has several awards to show for their efforts. But recently they announced a partnership with Swiss Heritage Wines. Swiss Heritage Wines are bottled exclusively at Broad Run Cheesehouse and pair wonderfully with their cheeses.
With cheesemaking viewing available, Broad Run provides an opportunity to watch grand champion cheesemakers at work during select hours. If your schedule allows, I would highly recommend stopping in and watching the experts at work, just call ahead to make sure you will arrive when the magic is happening.
Guggisberg Cheese is home to the original Baby Swiss variety of Cheese. Founded by Alfred Guggisberg in 1947, this factory in Charm, Ohio uses only high quality Amish milk from local farmers to make their cheese. They say that the minerals in the soil give the cow's milk a unique flavor and is part of the reason for their incredible flavor.
Guggisberg Cheese features a unique set-up where visitors can see the cheese making process as they shop. Large windows show everything from the milk entering the vat to the finished cheese wheel on the other side.
With the success of the cheese house, the Guggisberg’s branched out and built a restaurant across the road in the 80’s called Chalet in the Valley. The restaurant which features Guggisberg cheese, serves Amish foods with a European twist. Some of their most popular items on the menu include Schnitzels, bratwurst, cheese fondue, strudels, black forest cake and apple dumplings. And more recently, the Guggisberg’s have added a winery, Doughty Glen Winery which sits atop a hill overlook the beautiful Doughty Valley.
Stay tuned to the blog as I review a couple more Amish Country cheese house favorites: Pearl Valley Cheese and Shisler's Cheese House.
Which Amish Country Cheese Houses are your favorite?