From hiking to antique hunting, the Armstrong Spallumcheen area has something for everyone. The Village Cheese Company, located at 3475 Smith Drive in the town of Armstrong has over 30 different cheeses displayed in what they call the “jewelry box.” For spring, manager Kelly Baird recommends their white wine Havarti made with Gewürztraminer for its light, creamy, salty and sweet taste. To serve with red wines, she suggests smoked cheddar or smoked Gouda. The Village Cheese shop has their own smoke house – no liquid smoke for their cheese. Stop in on Mondays or Wednesdays to see fresh curds, popular for tourists and locals alike.
Wine and cheese make a perfect pair and this spring, Edge of the Earth Vineyard reverts from weekend to daily openings on March 20th. Owners Marni and Russ Niles will tempt palates with what Russ calls everyone’s favourite – the Marechal Foch as well as Edge of the Earth’s signature white, Argus. While the popular 2016 Ortega has sold out, the 2017 will be available in April. Their wines can be purchased at the farm (4758 Gulch Road) and at the Vernon Outdoor Farmer’s Market.
For something completely different, Fieldstone Organics carries certified organic, non-GMO grains, legumes and seeds. All their grains are BC grown. A focus for Fieldstone and of increasing interest to customers is their ancient grains – Einkorn, Emmer, Khorasan and Spelt. Like all Fieldstone products the ancient grains are not processed. While the staff at Fieldstone believes processing whole grains reduces nutritional value, they recognize that certain recipes demand flakes or flour. Customers can purchase grinders designed specifically for this purpose. Visit Fieldstone Organics at 4851 Schubert Road.
There’s plenty more to see in the Armstrong area. Visit www.aschamber.com for more ideas.
~ Sue Harper