Cheese Importer (Longmont)

I've been meaning to go to the Cheese Importer for a while now, but I never seemed to be in the area. Or, more accurately, I'd be near Longmont but zipping past it, on my way to a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park or a visit with family in Ft. Collins. Even growing up, I only stopped in Longmont if I hit a red light while driving between Ft. Collins and Boulder.

But, after a friend raved about the store's cheese selection, I decided that I needed to check it out. And so, rather than driving by, through, or around Longmont, I made my first ever trip to the town, and to the Cheese Importer.

And, it was worth it. Inside an industrial-looking building on a Longmont parkway is a trove of imported foods and kitchenware. Towards the back of the store is a large refrigerated room full of cheese. And cheese samples.

Cheese Importer carries a number of imported cheeses (organized by country of origin), as well as local varieties such as Haystack. This trip, I sampled bits of cheese with made with port and cheese dotted with with cranberries. After some deliberation, I bought a beautiful chunk of creamy mango-ginger stilton (pictured above, about $9 for 8 ounces) -- basically, like a fantastic mango-ginger-laced cheesecake. I also bought some gruyere (same price range) and a block of rBGH-free cheddar cheese ($3.99 for 8 ounces), which will make their way into beer cheese soup this weekend.

Cheese Importer
33 South Pratt Parkway (just north of the intersection of Ken Pratt Blvd and Pratt Parkway)
Longmont CO
303-772-9599