From all over the world to your McMinnville table
Subscribe to receive only the most delectable, finest, and craveable cheeses we can find locally and worldwide.
You have to be a romantic to invest yourself, your money, and your time in cheese.
- Anthony Bourdain
This Month in Cheese:
January 2026
Elderflower Tomme La Cigogne
Alsace, France
A delightful, creamy French Alpine cheese from the Haxaire family in Alsace, infused with handpicked, dried elderflowers for sweet, floral, vanilla, and honey notes, with a mild, savory, sometimes oniony finish, making it a unique, aromatic, and versatile cheese perfect with sparkling wine, gin, or fruit. La Cigogne means “the stork” and the smell is mild and sweet rather than earthy and pungent.
Farmer Cheese
Stockholm, Sweden
Farmer Cheese from the Swedish Company Scandic is a regular on the Swedish breakfast table. This cheese is called 'hushållsost' or Riksost, which means 'household' or farm cheese. Farmer Cheese is a semi-soft, mild Swiss-type cheese. The cheese is used in sandwiches, and because it melts well it is also used in pizzas, or other dishes.
Godminster Bruton Beauty Star
Sussex, England
This delightful cheddar is a testament to the quality of British dairy and the meticulous care taken in its production. Its star shape makes it an ideal gift or a special addition to any cheese board. The rich, robust flavor profile complements a variety of pairings, from crisp apples and pears to hearty crackers and robust red wines. The Godminster Sharp Bruton Beauty Star British Cheddar is more than just a cheese; it's a celebration of tradition, flavor, and the art of cheesemaking.
Leonora
Leon, Spain
Leonora is a renowned, artisan Spanish goat cheese from Castilla y León, known for its bright, lemony flavor, creamy texture, and bloomy rind that develops a mushroomy creamline as it ripens, balancing tangy notes with richness. Made from pasteurized milk of Murciana goats, it's shaped like a brick (or pata de mulo) and offers a complex, earthy taste, often paired with honey, fruit, or wine, with a spicy version (a Fuego) featuring paprika
Pecorino con Pistachio Verde di Bronte
Tuscany region of Italy
A true blend of Tuscany & Sicily, this sheep’s milk cheese made at the Busti Creamery in Tuscany has a white, velvety interior and adorned with Pistachio Verde di Bronte, which is a high quality & protected type of emerald-green pistachio from Bronte, Sicily, grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil near Mt. Etna. The pistachio grains boast an intense green hue with hints of purple. This distinctive combination imparts a gently toasted fragrance and a sweet, aromatic flavor profile to this cheese. Aged for 10-15 days before sending out to sale, this is a creamier pecorino than you may have experienced before.
Red Dragon
Wales
By World War II, cheese production in Wales had nearly ceased; run out of business by large cheesemaking factories in England. Fortunately for us, there has been a revival of old ways by a new generation of cheesemakers. Now, they are creating other fine cheeses such as Red Dragon, also known as Y-Fenni. This smooth, firm, tasty cheddar is made with Welsh brown ale and mustard seeds. Red Dragon is a buttery and spicy cheese with plenty of bite.
Suggested adult beverage pairing: Brown ale or full bodied red wine
Suggested food: Charcuterie, apple or try it as a grilled cheese sandwich
Sottocenere al Tartufo
Veneto, Italy
Sottocenere is a rich, semi-soft Italian cow’s milk cheese, meaning "under ash," named for its ash-covered rind infused with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and fennel, with added truffle oil. The creamy, buttery paste contains flecks of black truffle, offering a distinctive earthy, mushroomy flavor that's excellent melted in grilled cheese, risotto, pasta, or on a cheese board.
Mack & Cheese is located at 410 NE Third Street, Suite 7 upstairs above La Bella Casa
Winter Hours: Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm & Saturdays, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Check our Calendar for Holiday Hours
Thursday by appointment only.
Private tastings available on other days as well by appointment.
Questions: email Erin
Upcoming Events
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Culture Club Pick Up Party
Thursday, December 18
4:00 - 7:00 pm
At the SpeakcheesyWith our wonderful friends from R. Stuart & Co pouring bubbly & port!
Club pick ups can be made throughout the weekend Dec 19 - 20
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Mack & Cheese Store Hours
Winter Hours
Fridays: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Saturdays: 12:00 - 5:00 pm
If the sign is out, we are in!Thursday by appointment only.
We are located at 410 NE Third Street, Suite 7 in McMinnville, upstairs above La Bella Casa.
Want to schedule a private cheese tasting or a party? Go to our tastings & events page to schedule.
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December Events
Bitter Monk’s Wonderland Brew Fest
Sunday, December 21
12:00 - 6:00 pmCome say hello!
McMinnville Deserves Some Damn Good Cheese.
Nestled in the heart of Oregon’s wine country, on the native Kalapuya lands, you’ll find McMinnville, Oregon: a warm, inviting, and genuinely friendly community. Whether it’s the nostalgic feeling of walking below the twinkle-light filled trees lining the historic downtown or enjoying some of the world’s best Pinot noir, you’re sure to experience the warmth of the people you’ll meet in McMinnville.
Mack & Cheese is a nod to the culture of McMinnville and Yamhill County. Our cheese tasting room is in Suite Seven, above La Bella Casa in Historic Downtown McMinnville. One can come for a visit, the view, a taste-or all of the above.
Open Friday & Saturday 4 - 7pm, Mack & Cheese sells bricks, blocks and wedges of world class cheese and offers complimentary tastings for Culture Club members. Private parties and tastings are also available.
Who’s Picking These Cheeses Anyway?
Meet Erin, the Mind and Mongress behind Mack & Cheese.
Erin Morgan Bowman has lived in McMinnville for nearly 30 years. She was recruited by the McMinnville Downtown Association during the revitalization of the 500 block of Third Street, led by Marilyn and Matt Worrix’s Tempo Building and McMenamins Hotel Oregon. Erin and her husband Marc founded Mes Amies Ladies Fineries in 1998 and Hopscotch Toys in 2001. The Bowmans sold both businesses in 2003, which allowed Erin to focus on raising their three daughters and supporting Marc’s growing career in technology. In 2011 Erin became a partner in 4 elements yoga studio, and Marc started a sensor technology firm in McMinnville in 2017. Today, the Bowmans’ commitment to small business and community has never been stronger.
Erin grew up in Lincoln City, Oregon, where her grandparents owned two grocery stores. “I’ve always loved grocery shopping. I take time to write a list and menu plan. I mindfully choose my ingredients, imagining their origins. I sometimes get lost in the fresh smells of the produce department but most of all, I love cheese.” Further inspired by international travels to France and the growing wine industry, Erin and Marc are throwing their hats in the local food scene with Mack & Cheese, a downtown fromagerie and gathering space.
In addition to tasting, selling and hosting cheese events, the suite of offices will also be the home of Erin Bowman Yoga. “Yoga in the morning, cheese all afternoon.” And really, when you think about it, yoga and cheese have a lot in common.
For more than 5,000 years, humans have been making cheese in nearly every corner of the world. Similarly, the true age of yoga is unclear, but artifacts and ancient texts suggest that the practice has been part of the human experience for more than 4,000 years. It’s impossible for Bowman to imagine a world without cheese or yoga.
“Our family loves McMinnville and we are so grateful for the chance to learn new skills, meet folks and host old friends. With so many wine tasting opportunities downtown, we’re thrilled to jump in and share our love for all kinds of culture—pun intended.” Mack & Cheese is located above La Bella Casa in Suite Seven, the previous home of the International Pinot Noir Celebration.
Mack & Cheese will be serving the community with subscription cheeses, just like a wine membership with monthly allotments and tastings.