where can i get good cheese? what brands?

318POSTS

7 years ago

So far, I haven't found any good quality cheese in Ecuador. I'm not really thinking about rare, fancy artisanal cheeses. More like above average quality, but mass-market, cheese brands lik Tilamook or Cabot. I'm into aged cheddar, havarti, Camembert, Parmigiano-Reggiano, manchego, brie, gouda, Pecorino Romano, full fat Mozzerellar

Specific suggestions (brand name, store name, city)? I'll travel and bring a cooler if I need to!

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antialiased Contributor

136POSTS

7 years ago

Bumped for interest. The only cheese here that I've found edible thus far is the mozzarella, so I use it for every recipe that calls for cheese. Luckily, I usually make pizzas, quiches, and sandwiches for which mozzarella is ok (though an aged cheese, like provolone, would really improve my italian and meatball subs). One thing to note with the mozzarella here is that the moisture content is not even remotely consistent (sometimes shreds/cuts easily, other times almost spreadable).

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lebowski888 Serial expat

318POSTS

7 years ago

Now that I am living here, it's become more of an issue for me.

I didn't remember anything about the cheese quality from my previous trips to Ecuador. I suppose I wasn't paying attention.

I guess I was thinking the cheese in Supermaxi would be similar to the Mexican cheeses that get imported into the USA. Totally wrong about that.

Is it the ultrapastuerized milk? The manufacturing process?

Is it a regional difference in product from the coastal zone, made for the high humidity and heat? Are cheeses in Cuenca and Quito better than the coast?

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gardener1 Serial expat

675POSTS

7 years ago

This thread ran here for a couple of years, but yeah Ecuador has cheese problems.

For Cheese Lovers Only:
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=420648

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OsageArcher Colombia Expert

1660POSTS

7 years ago

Anyone who loves cheese and who is used to the wide variety of home-grown and imported cheeses available almost anywhere in the US, has to be disappointed with the cheeses in Latin America.

You can find some good cheeses, but not with the variety and availability we're used to.

This article writes about some of the cheeses available in Ecuador and their differences:

http://masleche.ec/quesos-del-ecuador/

An internet search for
ecuador queso
will give you a lot of links, but not much satisfaction, I'm afraid...

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lebowski888 Serial expat

318POSTS

7 years ago

gardener1 wrote:
This thread ran here for a couple of years, but yeah Ecuador has cheese problems.

For Cheese Lovers Only:
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=420648

Thanks, some good clues in that post. Arla brand. Who is that "cheese guy" being referred to in Cuenca? Nobody drops the name and contact info

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lebowski888 Serial expat

318POSTS

7 years ago

antialiased wrote:
Bumped for interest. The only cheese here that I've found edible thus far is the mozzarella...

Awesome! Now I remember on my last trip here my girlfriend got a lot of mozzarella. Is there a brand you prefer?

lebowski888 Serial expat

318POSTS

7 years ago

When I find cheese I like, I will post brand, location, price and size of package

antialiased Contributor

136POSTS

7 years ago

Nah. I just buy whatever's cheapest at supermaxi (we don't have a megamaxi in Loja). Since I retired at 39 and am only living on savings, cheese is actually about the most expensive food I buy other than spices, $/kg.

Edit: But as an unaged cheese, it's one that's pretty much impossible to f' up (probably why it's the only decent cheese here).

lebowski888 Serial expat

318POSTS

7 years ago

#10

the cheesy adventure continues.

So I am going to rate the cheeses "pass " which means I will consider buying it again. And "fail" meaning I won't ever make that mistake again.

I couldn't find Arla at Megamaxi in Guayaquil.

PASS:
Toni - Cream cheese
Hacienda Zuleta - Gouda
La Holandesa - Mozzarella

FAIL:
Floralp - Cheddar

GuestPoster6852 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#11

hey guys, cheese!!! if you're looking for the artisan stuff, in quito there are a few awesome and surprising places who make really good cheese - i mean, real aged, fermented and those smelly-goody stuff. i haven't seen any in guayaquil so far. the only thing i've found besides of supermaxi/mi comisariato, was salinerito though... i didn't like their cheese so much. there's one in Buena Vista Plaza which is at the beginning of Samborondon, and apparently another one in Urdesa. please let me know if you find any good place!

vsimple ViP

1224POSTS

7 years ago

#12

wanderer_t wrote:
hey guys, cheese!!! if you're looking for the artisan stuff, in quito there are a few awesome and surprising places who make really good cheese - i mean, real aged, fermented and those smelly-goody stuff. i haven't seen any in guayaquil so far. the only thing i've found besides of supermaxi/mi comisariato, was salinerito though... i didn't like their cheese so much. there's one in Buena Vista Plaza which is at the beginning of Samborondon, and apparently another one in Urdesa. please let me know if you find any good place!

Can you share addresses for Quito?

GuestPoster6852 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#13

hi vsimple! i see you everywhere hahaha! sure thing:

.1 hay pan: the bakery of chez jerome; here basically they always sell whatever is available. so it's a matter of luck whenever they sell cheese. the yogurt (atlas) is the real greek yogurt. also, their bakery products are awesome. best baguette in town and try 'matapalo' which is like a batard with lots of seeds on it.
.2 la maison du fromage: this one, i honestly doubt. though nearby, the location i went when i visited was across the street, and the "environment" seems different... even the logo, perhaps... i saw pictures on google street view and, didn't seem like it. anyway, it's a young couple who make their own cheese. they even pair it with ecuadorian wines!
.3 chez mathilde: she's a relative or something of the cheese producer 'mondel'. however, she sometimes brings cheese from other countries.
.4 a nice tip: right across mathilde, there's a small deli called 'trayana'. they're the nicest people in the neighborhood, and the pioneers in this type of delis in quito. anyway, i strongly suggest you to try their sandwiches and empanadas; all made by them. even their sauces are made by them.

buen provecho!

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vsimple ViP

1224POSTS

7 years ago

#14

I found good cheese. I repeat I found good cheese. At Megamaxi, on 6 de diciembre. I haven’t been there for a while since I moved a bit more up north. But, they got the good stuff now.

I’m talking about genuine savory swiss cheese (emmental) that is imported from Denmark. The local importer’s name is Arla, so that’s the local brand. However, make sure you are getting the importado (imported), why do I mention this?

Because this same company Arla also sells other cheeses that are packaged the same way, but it’ll only mention something like Danish recipe on the package. You don’t want that. You want the importado (imported) direct from Denmark and distributed here.

Oh yeah I’m happy because I loves me some Swiss cheese.

Man, I had 2 sandwiches when I arrived home with some deliciously sweet masala chai, if you don’t know that combo, then you don’t know.

Ok, now for price. They sell it for $5.50 per 150 grams, about 6 or 7 slices. That’s about $16.65 per pound.

So what.

What’s important is that we have some delicious cheese, finally. I think they have the real cheddar too, the red variety, it’s by the same company (President) that has been selling the processed cheddar slices.

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lebowski888 Serial expat

318POSTS

7 years ago

#15

I've started to narrow down my cheese list. Again, I'm looking for above-average quality, but mass-market, easy-to-obtain cheese brands, equivalent to Tilamook or Cabot.

Artisan cheeses are interesting, but often don't fit the "easy to obtain" part. I've got an artisan cheese producer from Manabi on my street. Despite her low prices, her cheese isn't my style.

Well, I haven't found the equivalents of Cabot or Tilamook, but I have found some pretty good mass-market Ecuadorian cheese producers, and at this point, i'm pretty ok with them.

Here are the consistently good mass-market producers I have tried so far (pass): Hacienda Zuleta, Kiosko, La Holandesa, Arla.
Here are the ones that have failed me: Floralp, Gonzalez.

I seem to have the best luck when I try cheeses labled "maduro" and/or made with "leche entero"

Megamaxi's selection seems to be getting bigger, so there are new ones on my list to try. Occasionally I go to Comisariato and find different ones there too

enlguy New member

3POSTS

4 years ago

#16

@OsageArcher The U.S. is mostly mass produced crap that's been processed, I never found much good cheese in the U.S. Not sure why it's mentioned as though everyone on this board is from the U.S. when it's a global expat site, so you invited the little dig (but true... if you think Tillamook is good cheese, you've never had good cheese, clearly - it's the same overprocessed, bland crap as everything else).

Try living in Latin America as a cheese lover having lived in France, where even a chain grocery store will have at least 20 varieties of fresh artisanal cheeses, and a corner convenience store will have several fresh options (when was the last time you walked into a 7-11 and found St Marcellin?).

I've simply learned to put up with it, I just accept I eat shit cheese these days. If you know where to look, I've found a couple very overpriced imports in Mexico, and a passable chèvre in Colombia. Ecuador is flat-out impossible for finding legit cheese. I looked into making it myself, but then considered the aging process, and realized I'd likely be back in Europe before I had a chance to even properly age my own cheddar. It is a little sad that you can get premium aged cheddar at chain stores in Europe for about $1/100g, and here anything even called "cheddar" might as well just be plainly labeled as "crap imitation," which might as well be the translation for "tipo" when you see it on cheese packaging (starting to think I should even put "cheese" in quotes).

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Listening Member

17POSTS

3 years ago

#17

I will be setting up to make cheese in a few months. Whether it's any good will be another question. I'll need a while to adjust to the milk alone.

lorinadams70 Member

2POSTS

3 years ago

#18

My parents had a milk cow when I was young. We would enjoy fresh cream, butter and matzarella cheese. Fond memories of my childhood.

bigdaddyhooz Member

1POSTS

2 years ago

#19

All i want is good american processed cheese. The stuff i’ve found so far in guayquil is absolute garbage . No flavor and so thin you can’t even peel it off the plastic