Questions we’re asked…frequently
Posted by: Bothwell Cheese Team
WHAT ARE YOUR CHEESE SHOP HOURS?
Regular Cheese Shop Hours
Monday-Friday – 8:30am – 6:00pm
Saturday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday – Closed
Holidays – Please call for hours (1-800-361-9542)
OUR CHEESE SHOP CLOSES ON LONG WEEKENDS (Thanksgiving to May Long Weekend)
WHEN ARE FRESH CURDS/BLOCKS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE CHEESE SHOP?
Please call 1-800-361-9542 to confirm availability of SQUEAK’RS cheese curds and fresh cheddar blocks for purchase at the cheese shop.
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR MILK AND HOW ARE THE ANIMALS TREATED?
The milk supply is managed by Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, and all milk is sourced fresh and within minutes of our plant.
Take a virtual farm tour to discover more about some of the typical family dairy farms we have in Canada. You can also checkout this fact sheet to learn about housing and cow feed.
CAN YOU MAIL CHEESE TO ME / CAN I SAFELY MAIL CHEESE TO A FRIEND?
We don’t ship our product in this manner. Once it leaves our facility we cannot control how it is stored and handled, which may present a food safety concern.
If you do decide to ship cheese, it must be in an insulated package with sufficient freezer packs to maintain a proper temperature and should be shipped over night.
www.cheesyplace.com sells our Red Wine Extra Old Cheddar and our Black Truffle online.
HOW DO YOU SMOKE YOUR CHEESE?
We cold smoke our cheese in-house using only real wood.
Maple Smoked Extra Old Cheddar – Maple wood
Smoked Gouda – Blend of maple and hickory wood
Smoked Parmesan – Maple wood
HOW MUCH CHEESE SHOULD I BUY FOR MY EVENT?
For most events we recommend 5 kilograms (10LBS) of cheese per 100 people.
For smaller events like wine tastings we suggest 2.5 kilograms (5LBS) of cheese per 100 people.
DO YOU DONATE PRODUCT FOR CHARITABLE FUNDRAISERS OR WEDDING EVENTS?
We are committed to supporting communities locally and across Canada.
As you might expect, we receive numerous donation and sponsorship inquiries. And although we’d like to fulfill each and every one, it is simply not possible to manage the volume of requests. Instead, we have formed close partnerships with a handful of Canadian charitable organizations that share our core values and give back to the community. For this reason, we no longer accept unsolicited donation and charitable requests. For more information please click here.
We do however offer discounts on product purchased for fundraisers, funerals, wedding socials and wedding receptions. Orders must be purchased and picked directly from our Cheese Shop in New Bothwell, MB.
Call 204.388.4666 / 1.800.361.9542 for further details.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE AND COLOURED CURDS?
The only difference between our white and coloured curds is that the white curds do not contain our natural annatto colouring. Annatto is a seed from the achiote tree commonly found in Latin America. Annatto has a similar molecular structure to Beta-Carotene, the substance that naturally makes carrots orange.
WHY DO YOU PUT COLORING IN SOME OF YOUR CHEDDAR CHEESE?
Traditionally in North America colouring was added to Cheddar cheese because the colour of milk varied depending on the season and the crops dairy cows were consuming – which in turn would affect the colour of the cheese. Cheesemakers started adding colouring to ensure visual consistency in the product. Consumers grew accustomed to this tradition, which is why many Cheesemakers (like Bothwell) continue to offer this type of Cheddar.
HOW MUCH MILK DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE CHEESE?
It takes approximately 10 liters of milk to produce 1kg of cheese.
HOW MUCH MILK DOES ONE MILK TRUCK HOLD?
Average of 22, 000 liters / Approximately 712,000 liters per week
HOW OFTEN DO YOU RECEIVE MILK?
We receive milk from 5 trucks per day, 7 days week.
HOW MUCH CHEESE DO YOU PRODUCE IN ONE DAY?
We produce approximately 15,000kg of cheese each day.
HOW MANY DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF CHEESE DO YOU PRODUCE?
We produce 25 traditional and innovative flavours of cheese. Click here to discover all of them.
IS YOUR CHEESE PRODUCED IN A NUT-FREE FACILITY?
We don’t make any products that contain tree nuts, but we are not a certified nut-free facility. Some of our suppliers which we source ingredients from for our flavoured varieties do have tree nuts in their facilities. They all have allergen programs in place to prevent cross contamination within their facilities. That being said, to be absolutely sure we recommend sticking to our non-flavoured varieties.
To help avoid possible cross-contamination from these ingredients within our facility, we produced our non-flavoured cheeses (Mild, Medium, and Old Cheddar, Mozzarella, Edam, Monterey Jack etc.) in the morning (before producing our flavoured varieties) or on a different day than our flavoured varieties. Also, all of our employees thoroughly wash their hands prior to working with the cheese including after all breaks.
IS YOUR CHEESE GLUTEN-FREE?
Our facility is not certified gluten free and we do not test internally for gluten. We have however asked all of our ingredient suppliers if their products contain wheat or gluten sources—all of them have said they do not. To the best of our knowledge we don’t have gluten in our products, but we cannot guarantee this.
DO YOU OFFER PUBLIC FACTORY TOURS?
We currently do not offer public tours, we do this to ensure the safety of our production staff and you, our valued customer, and to ensure we have a clean production facility which enables us to continue to produce the highest quality product possible.
I’VE HEARD THAT CHEESE IS GOOD FOR MY TEETH. IS THIS TRUE?
Yes. Studies show that eating cheese helps prevent cavities in many ways. The calcium and phosphorus found in cheese penetrates plaque surrounding the teeth to re-mineralize enamel and prevent erosion. Cheese also stimulates saliva production to clear away food particles. The protein and fat in cheese protects teeth from cavity-causing acids created as carbohydrates ferment. In fact, many dentists suggest eating a piece of cheese before bed when brushing isn’t possible.
DOES CHEESE CONTAIN “BAD FAT”?
No. Cheese contains small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats that are not associated with health problems. In fact, research suggests that the CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) found in cheese may be beneficial to health and protect us from certain types of cancer. Artificially produced industrial trans fats found in vegetable shortening and many commercially produced fried foods are often confused with good trans fats. These bad fats lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol which increases the risk of heart disease. We do need to have some fat in our diets to enable our bodies to process vitamins A, D, E and K. For more information read our blog post, “Cheese – Friend not Foe“, from our official Registered Dietitian Nita Sharda.
HOW LONG CAN I SAFELY KEEP CHEESE?
For optimal taste, it is recommended that cheese be consumed within the best before date. Cheese that is refrigerated and not exposed to oxygen (sealed in its original package) can be kept and safely consumed past its best before date; however, undesirable flavours may develop. Once opened, cheese can be stored for over 8 weeks under the right conditions.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE CHEESE?
It is best to store firm and semi-firm cheeses tightly wrapped in plastic film or waxed paper in the refrigerator. Avoid touching unused portions whenever possible because natural bacteria present on hands could promote the growth of mould.
IS IT SAFE TO CUT THE MOULDY PART OFF A PIECE OF CHEESE AND EAT THE PART THAT ISN’T MOULDY?
It depends. Surface mould can’t generally penetrate far in firm or semi firm cheese and can be trimmed from a block of cheese and the inner cheese may be eaten. Cheese with excessive mould that has penetrated close to the centre should be thrown away. Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese should be thrown away, and any cheese that is crumbled, sliced, or shredded.
If you are unsure, the safest option is to discard the cheese.
CAN I FREEZE CHEESE?
Most cheese may be frozen for up to 6 months. But firm and semi-firm blocks of cheese like the ones we produce will not maintain their texture after freezing. Freezing “un-knits” the curds that have been joined together during the cheese making process to form a block of cheese. This results in excessively crumbly cheese once it is thawed. It is best to shred cheese first if it must be frozen and then use it in cooking. Shredded Bothwell Cheese or SqueaK’rs will freeze well for up to 6 months.
DO YOU PRODUCE LACTOSE FREE PRODUCTS?
We are proud to offer lactose-free cheese to our lactose-free customers. Available in five varieties, these naturally lactose-free cheeses are made with 100% Canadian milk and no modified milk ingredients. No ingredients are added or removed to make the cheese lactose-free.
All of our lactose-free varieties include a unique interactive smart packaging experience tied to an Augmented Reality (AR) app. Simply scan the QR code located on the bottom right corner of every lactose-free block and follow on-screen instructions to launch the experience. Within this virtual platform you’ll meet Chef John, learn more about our lactose-free line cheeses, and get access to lactose-free recipes and a $1.00 off digital coupon.
HOW DO YOU COLOUR YOUR CHEESE?
We use an Annatto based colour in some of our products. Annatto is a seed from the achiote tree commonly found in Latin America. Annatto has a similar molecular structure to Beta-Carotene, the substance that naturally makes carrots orange.
DOES CHEESE CAUSE CONSTIPATION?
No. Cheese itself is not responsible for constipation. A diet containing fibre will alleviate constipation in most people. Foods like prunes and bran are best but fruits and vegetables in general are recommended. Increasing liquid intake and regular exercise are also recommended.
WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FUNDRAISING PROGRAM?
ML Signatures manages our Fundraising Program. Information about the program can be found on our Fundraising page.
IS YOUR PACKAGING BIODEGRADABLE OR RECYCLABLE?
Our packaging isn’t biodegradable and the choice as to whether plastic items are recycled or not depends on your individual municipality.
Our packaging is categorized as “7” for “other”.
A visit to your local recycling program website will be able to tell you if this type of packaging is accepted in your area.
For Manitoba inquiries visit the Simply Recycling website.
WHAT WINNIPEG RETAILERS SELL A WIDE VARIETY OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
Selection varies by retailer, but the following is a list of stores that tend to carry the majority of our products: