America's Oldest Cheese Shop Is A Scenic California Attraction Both Tourists And Locals Love

California is known for its striking coastline and fun cities, perfect for road tripping, but the Golden State is so much more than just the coast. Exploring California's inland and more rural areas can yield some delightful surprises, like getting a chance to visit the country's oldest cheese shop — Marin French Cheese Co. It's just about an hour's drive from San Francisco (depending on the traffic) in the scenic hills of Marin County. Artisan cheese has been made here since 1865, and you can visit the factory store where you can sample its soft cheeses, buy some of your own, and even enjoy a picnic out next to a picturesque pond. It's hard to imagine a more idyllic setting.

You might be most familiar with the idea of terroir as related to wine, but it applies to cheese as well. Terroir is all about how the environment something is produced in has an impact on the final results. Marin County often has cool, foggy mornings, warm afternoons, and relatively temperate climate, and this all translates to robust grasslands, perfect for grazing, and that in turn leads to high-quality milk production. Marin French Cheese Co. gets its milk fresh from local dairy farmers who treat their cows well. Then, as its French-style Brie and Camembert cheeses are aged on-site, natural cultures (including unique cultures in the air) help give the cheeses their unique flavors. So even if you had the exact recipes and techniques, if you were anywhere else in the world, you wouldn't be able to replicate the taste exactly.

You don't necessarily need to know the history of Marin French Cheese Co. to enjoy how yummy the cheeses are, but understanding its context can help you appreciate the company even more. In 1865, Jefferson Thompson, a dairy farmer from Illinois, made the trek out west and bought a 700-acre ranch and started producing butter and cheese. In the years leading up to Thompson's ranch purchase, San Francisco's population had been growing quickly, thanks in large part to the Gold Rush. This massive influx of people ended up leading to an egg shortage — one egg went for $1, according to Smithsonian Magazine. People were literally fighting each other over eggs.

In response to this situation, Thompson came up with what is now called the Petite Breakfast Brie to sell as an egg alternative for San Franciscan's morning meal. It's not a traditional brie; it doesn't get aged, so it doesn't have a rind, and it's not as soft and creamy. Instead, it's easily sliceable and pairs well with everything from jam to salad, and you can see how it would work well as a breakfast protein replacement. As you eat it, it's fun to think that you're enjoying something that people over 150 years ago also liked.

From those humble beginnings, the company has expanded its award-winning lineup over the years to include a rich triple créme Brie, along with Bries flavored with jalapeño, garlic and pepper, and truffle. It also has some specialty, seasonal options, like the Petite Boo Brie, which is perfect for a Halloween charcuterie board thanks to its orange tint and light layer of black vegetable ash underneath the white rind.

When you visit Marin French Cheese Co., you'll get a chance to sample some of its different products. You can also pick up everything you need for the perfect picnic: cheese (of course), along with crackers, jams, chocolate, wine, beer, and more. And what's cool about it is that lots of the products are also made in the area. Plus, they've got a deli counter where you can order a sandwich or a salad, and they have picnic tables around the property, including beneath massive shady trees next to a pretty pond.

If you love cheese as much as we do, you're in luck. Marin French Cheese Co. is just one stop on the California Cheese Trail, which highlights dozens of artisanal cheesemakers. Some people might plan a California road trip around national parks, but you can also plan one around cheese.