Bringing in the Cheese

I'm going to Montreal next week and I'm wondering about the current state of bringing cheese back into the country. Is it only raw milk cheese that might be frowned upon by customs, or is it any cheese at all? If I find something good, I'd love to bring it home for possible use at the picnic.

Hi Steve--

According to the CBP website, the following is admissible:

-Cheese- Solid cheese (hard or semi-soft, that does not contain meat); butter, butter oil, and cultured milk products such as yogurt and sour cream are not restricted. Feta cheese, Brie, Camembert, cheese in brine, Mozzarella and Buffalo Mozzarella are permissible (USDA Animal Product Manual, Table 3-14-6). Cheese in liquid (such as cottage cheese or ricotta cheese) and cheese that pours like heavy cream are not admissible from countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Cheese containing meat is not admissible depending on the country of origin.

I hope you will have a chance to visit Chez Hamel in the Jean Talon market (actually, in a permanent building alongside the market). It is a wonderful cheese store.

Maple Leaf wrote:Hi Steve--

According to the CBP website, the following is admissible:

-Cheese- Solid cheese (hard or semi-soft, that does not contain meat); butter, butter oil, and cultured milk products such as yogurt and sour cream are not restricted. Feta cheese, Brie, Camembert, cheese in brine, Mozzarella and Buffalo Mozzarella are permissible (USDA Animal Product Manual, Table 3-14-6). Cheese in liquid (such as cottage cheese or ricotta cheese) and cheese that pours like heavy cream are not admissible from countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Cheese containing meat is not admissible depending on the country of origin.

I hope you will have a chance to visit Chez Hamel in the Jean Talon market (actually, in a permanent building alongside the market). It is a wonderful cheese store.

Thank you Maple Leaf. I certainly plan on visiting the Jean Talon Market, so a trip to Chez Hamel is definitely in the cards.

Just be aware: you will be dealing with customs agents who may (to put it politely) be clueless when it comes to cheeses and other culinary items (I've experienced this firsthand). So, be prepared to explain and prove that you can import what you'd like to import.

BR wrote:Just be aware: you will be dealing with customs agents who may (to put it politely) be clueless when it comes to cheeses and other culinary items (I've experienced this firsthand). So, be prepared to explain and prove that you can import what you'd like to import.

I've printed out the page from the customs website and I'll be sure to have it with me, should I decide to bring back some cheese.

"Bringing in the cheese, bringing in the cheese, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the cheese!

But if you're flying, that's a whole other story. I had a perfectly ripe Camembert from Laurent Dubois seized from my carry-on at CDG because it's a "paste". They did let me eat in the security area (which you would think would prove to them that it's not a dangerous substance) but I couldn't finish it. So I had to throw the rest of the very ripe (read: stinkilicious) cheese in the open garbage bag in the middle of the room.

http://www.fromageslaurentdubois.fr/

Louisa,
Right, that's NY biggest peeve with the TSA rules: if it's too dangerous on a plane, why is it ok in an open open trash bin?

I brought cheese from Montreal a couple of weeks ago - nothing unpasteurized (but one was soft, creamy - all were stinky). Had only carry on luggage. After the security check in the breakfast spot I asked for ice in a plastic bag over which I kept the cheese until I got on the plane. On board they let me stash the bag in the cold bin. No problems with security - the only things they checked to confirm were liquids the small bottles of ice cider.