Getting cheese from Italy to Canada

I'm not from Canada, but are you sure you can't find an online retailer for your gourmet cheese? When it comes to cheese and wine, it seems like a lot of choices exist online so that it doesn't even make sense to try to drag it back from Italy. The site I use is www.igourmet.com. I don't know if they only deliver in the US and I'm not denying they are not inexpensive (mostly because shipping costs and special packing for perishables), but I can order pretty much everything from them. I'm sure other options exist as well...have you looked at online options first just as a comparison?

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/travellers/what-can-i-bring-into-canada-/eng/1389648337546/1389648516990#a2

Dairy products
cheese:
up to 20 kilograms per person
Please note that quantities in excess of $20.00 may be subject to high rates of duty. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for determining customs and duties for items coming into Canada.
These items are not allowed
milk
milk products (whey, cream, skim milk, butter oil, and so on)
in these forms: dried, frozen, reconstituted, or fresh

The US customs rules allow for hard cheese but not soft cheese. The Canadian rules don't seem to discriminate between hard and soft cheeses, but prohibit milk products in all forms.

My regret in bringing back aged Asiago cheese was not bringing a larger quantity. The only Asiago cheese that I can find in the States is "Asiago style" cheese made here in the States. Hope you enjoy your cheese.

Edgar , I saw your post before and I am going to try and do the same . Did you buy it at a local neighborhood market ? I am going in about 3 weeks so this is a great idea.

bill,

Just curious, what type of cheese are you planning to bring back? I'd be really surprised if you couldn't find it somewhere in Toronto in "Little Italy".

Does anybody remember the 'I Love Lucy' episode when she tried to sneak a cheese into the U.S. by wrapping it up as a baby ?

The Cooperative Supermarket in Asiago had a cheese counter with wheels of local (i.e. Asiago) cheese of varying ages. The one I preferred was the oldest, I think something like two years aged. The cheese man offered samples and would cut wedges of size/weight to order. I think the supermarket was the one located at Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 83, Asiago, Veneto province. But given that the cheese is a local product, I would imagine any of the local supermarkets would have the Asiago variety of cheese.

I want to thank all who have replied already. There are cheeses that are not available in Canada such as all unpasteurised cheeses and small producers who do not sell outside their local market area. Those are the cheeses in which I am intetested. I understand the 20 kilo per person rule but trying to find out what " may be subject to high rates of duty" means is next to impossible. Cdn $20 does not buy much on the way of cheese anywhere. These areas in particular, unpasteurised and the phrase " may be subject to high rates of duty" are where I am seeking guidance and experiences. Again thanks to all who read and respond to this, Bill.

If you keep your quantity to under 20kg, and the total declared value of all goods under your limit, no one will ask you to break down that amount on re-entry. Seriously.

bill,

I've never tried to bring cheese back from Italy, but I suspect that an "unpasteurized" product might be the most difficult aspect to overcome.

Good luck!

The whole plane will stink like dirty feet. Are you sure you want to do that?

Roberto, vacuum wrapped, enclosed in a ziplock bag, or wrapped in alum. foil, the cheese aroma/stink (you choose) will not escape.

FYI, my experience in the USA is the same as Diane's in Canada. I usually write "aged cheese" on my declaration, but the country of origin seems to be the main issue for cheese (e.g., some fresh cheeses from Yemen might be specifically disallowed), more than the age. Over many different arrivals into Seattle, my European cheeses have never been inspected or questioned.

I have brought many cheeses, vacuum packed, but to USA. Never a problem, but I don't know Canadian laws. BTW, nothing ever smelled!!

...stink like dirty feet.

One person's stink is another's perfume.

Edgar, have you ever of the phrase "cutting the cheese"? When a cheese is cut or the packaging opened, if it is not a whole cheese, then and only then are the aromas released. You have probably accompanied many cheeses aromatic or not in your travels. I am quite sure any odors you have noticed more likely came from a tuna sandwich or some such odiferous snack. Thank you to all for participating in my rather odd quest but I think now the matter should be closed, Bill.

I think the lack of pasteurizing is going to trip you up, they're obviously afraid of Euro-cooties invading your land.

Similar problems happens with some types of meat.

I used to bring back wheels of Gouda cheese from St. Maarten into the US; it is sealed in wax for personal use - I just never declared it since it was under the $600 (at that time) allowable duty free amt. If you put it in your check-in luggage it will not smell & will be very cold in the baggage hold of the airplane. Maybe you can find a small uncut amt. & do the same. We used to carry in cases of Mt. Gay Rum also; believing in the old rule that Caribbean rum was duty free. When liquids were banned we just packed it in our suitcases. We were questioned a few years ago because we were over the limit but it was such a small amt. the agent couldn't even be bothered writing up the few $'s that we would have to pay. It wasn't worth his or our time. He just filled us in on the rules & told us to not believe the sales agents in SXM. But again that was years ago before 9/11!!!! This year I brought back some vacuum packed pate from the French side. I guess ignorance is bliss; you can re-think some things too much.

I just never declared it since it was under the $600 (at that time) allowable duty free amt. If you put it in your check-in luggage it will not smell

Then you broke the law - all food must be declared.

ignorance is bliss

Fake ignorance is still breaking the law.

The laws are there to protect the public.

Smirking makes no difference to your attitude to your fellow person.

Food is not a customs issue, its an agriculture issue. They are trying to keep out diseases from other parts of the world from being brought in to North America, you know, like mad cow disease. And yes, diseases can travel even in processed and wrapped food items. Declaring something is not confessing to a crime, its cooperating in protecting public health.

Our airports have "sniffer" dogs which can identify various prohibited items, such as meat, drugs, cheese, etc. that anyone may be trying to sneak into the country. if the cheese sniffing dog is on duty you are in trouble.

Well, Norma, now you've opened the can of worms again by implying that cheese is disallowed in Canada, while Edgar's link clearly states that cheese is allowed. For the USA, it is also allowed. Seattle has sniffer dogs, too, and they're not stopping people carrying cheese.

What is not allowed, and is a separate offence, is failure to declare any item that you are asked to declare.

Laura, I think raw milk cheese is still disallowed. I'd be happy to know I am wrong.