A Unique Culinary Journey: Quesos Canaan

When most people think of must-visit destinations in Costa Rica, they probably aren’t thinking about a cheese factory. For many, Costa Rica is thought of as a tropical tourist destination for beaches, waterfalls, and rainforests. While those are all amazing parts of the country (and also must-see destinations), no trip to Costa Rica is complete without an agricultural tour. Costa Rica has historically been a strong agricultural economy, which is why agriculture is intertwined with Tico culture. Quesos Canaan, a family-operated dairy farm and cheese factory in the San Isidro de El General area, captures much of what makes Tico culture so great: diversity, sustainability, ingenuity, respect for nature, and quality.

Guests are unable to enter the aging room, but there is an open window that you can look in and catch some of the most amazing wafts of air through.

Quesos Canaan started as a family operation almost 25 years ago, using traditional Swiss cheesemaking techniques and a herd of Jersey cows to make aged cheeses. Over time, the farm has mixed the genes of their herd with many other species to help their cows tolerate the warmer climate while producing high-quality milk. The result is a unique herd of cows and a variety of cheeses that are difficult to find in most parts of Costa Rica. The most common cheeses in Costa Rica are soft, unaged, mild cheeses like Queso Palmito, Queso Fresca, and Queso Turrialba. At Quesos Canaan, you can find some of these traditional Costa Rican cheeses as well as a variety of original-recipe aged cheeses that are uniquely delicious. The tour culminates with a charcuterie sampler that showcases the full range of cheeses and is equally as impressive as the operation itself.

This charcuterie board featuring the full breadth of Quesos Canaan's products will knock your socks off.

Experience the Farm Firsthand

At the start of the tour, you will get to observe the herd grazing in one of the many rotational pastures. If you’re lucky, you’ll be escorted by Caramelo, the family dog. At the time of our visit, the herd consisted of 11 milk-producing cows. After learning about the cows, their feed requirements, and the chemical-free methods of field and pest management, it will be readily apparent not only how much care and respect these cows receive, but also the reverence for nature at the core of this operation. The farm is nestled at the foothills of the Talamanca mountains, which is an enormous habitat and safe-haven for diverse wildlife. After a few years of wildlife being drawn to the farm and losing a few animals to pumas and equipment to monkeys, the farm created a natural buffer by maintaining a strategic stand of fruit trees to intercept wildlife that would otherwise venture into the pastures and facilities.

Hands-On Milking Experience

You will have the chance to milk a cow by hand, observe how modern milking machinery functions, and sample the fresh, raw milk. The facility maintains incredibly high standards for milk safety and tests their cows twice a day for potentially harmful bacteria, but the staff is incredibly understanding if you opt out of this part of the experience. After milking was complete, we were able to take the milk to bottle-feed the baby calves.

How can you not fall in love with this sweet calf?

Innovative Sustainability Practices

The final walking portion of the tour allows you to observe one of the most unique parts of the farm, the biodigester. This system collects the manure that the cows generate near the feeding station and mixes it with water and bacteria. As the waste decomposes, it produces methane, which is captured by a large balloon-like contraption. This not only eliminates odors that would otherwise permeate the surrounding area, but enables the methane to be piped into fuel lines to supplement the propane supply used to create heat during the cheesemaking process. The remaining biowaste is added to a large worm bed, where worms continue to break it down into useful fertilizer for use on the pasture to promote healthy grass growth.

Some of the millions of worms that support the sustainable bio-digestion process

More Than Just Cheese

In addition to cheeses, the farm produces other dairy products like butter and yogurt. They also operate a small café and sell other locally-made products, including some phenomenal artisanal coffees. For anyone planning a visit to the San Isidro de El General area, we highly recommend a tour and any of the products they sell. The quality is unmatched, and you will get a unique and beautiful glimpse into what makes Costa Rica so special. If you want to optimize your trip to the San Isidro de El General area, consider a 30-minute consultation to enhance your experience.