FAQ
Q: HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE THE NAME OF YOUR SHOP?
A: Our shop derives its name from tomme, a French word for a small wheel of cheese. We use the slightly anglicized pronunciation which rhymes with “home.” Remember it like this: There’s no place like TOMME.
Q: WHEN WILL MY CHEESE SUBSCRIPTION BOX BE READY FOR PICK UP?
A: The Ultimate Cheese Subscription boxes are packed and ready during the first week of each month. Just prior to them being ready, we send out an email to subscribers to schedule deliveries/pick ups.
Q: I’LL BE AWAY NEXT MONTH. CAN I PUT MY CHEESE SUBSCRIPTION ON HOLD?
A: Yes. You have until the 20th of the month skip your next scheduled subscription box. Just send us an email or give us a call to let us know which month you’d like to put on hold.
The cheese and other items in each subscription box are not pulled from our existing inventory. They are ordered exclusively for our subscribers each month. As special orders, we need to finalize our quantities by the 20th of each month.
Q: HOW COME I ONLY RECEIVED 1 PIECE OF CHEESE WHEN I ORDERED 2?
A: When our customers order more than 1 unit of a given cheese, we send them the total weight as a single piece. We do this best preserve the quality of the cheese—a single piece keeps better, with less drying out, than two or more individual pieces.
For example, if you order 2 units of Parmigiano Reggiano which is sold in 100 g incremends, we will send you a single 200 g piece of Parmigiano Reggiano instead of two 100 g pieces. We want your cheese to stay in the best condition for as long as possible.
If you would prefer to receive two separate pieces of cheese, just let us know in the notes section of the shopping cart when you check out.
Q: WHEN WILL MY ORDER ARRIVE?
A: Delivery times depend on when you placed your order and where it is being delivered. Please check our Shipping Policy page for details.
Q: I WANT TO BUY A DIGITAL GIFT CARD FOR SOMEONE ELSE, SHOULD I USE THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS OR MY OWN AT CHECKOUT?
A: To ensure you receive your purchase confirmation, you should use your own email address and contact information when purchasing one of our gift cards.
After you've checked out, you'll receive a separate email with a link to the gift card. You can then forward this email along to the recipient who will be able to easily access the card and start shopping online or in the store with the 16-digit gift card code. Alternatively, you can print the gift card and give it to the recipient in person.
Q: I HAVE A TOMME GIFT CARD PURCHASED PRE-COVID. CAN I USE IT TO PURCHASE SOMETHING ON THE WEBSITE?
A: We switched gift card systems in Spring of 2020. Our old gift cards (black with a photo of several wheels of cheese on the front) are still valid but cannot be processed on our website. We will be happy to convert your old gift card to a new digital gift card which you can use on our site and in the shop. Contact us at info@tomme.ca for details.
Q: HOW SHOULD I STORE MY CHEESE?
A: Assuming you don’t eat it all in one sitting (always a danger), simply keep your cheese in the paper we wrap it in. This cheese paper is specifically designed to keep your cheese from drying out while allowing just enough moisture to escape and air to circulate to keep mold from developing for as long as possible.
If you don’t have our cheese paper, wrap your cheese in parchment paper and then store it in an OPEN zip-top bag or reusable container, preferably in the vegetable drawer.
Q: DO YOU SELL WINE AND BEER?
A: We do! We’re fully licensed to sell beer, wine, and cider for pickup, take out, or delivery.
We offer a selection of wines from around the world, local craft beers from our friends at Royal City Brewing, Fixed Gear Brewing, and Collective Arts Brewing, and ciders from Revel Cider.
Q: DO YOU SELL CHEESE CURDS?
A: We usually don't. The perishable nature of cheese curds' beloved squeakiness is to blame. We've found it pretty much impossible to sell through the minimum order of curds we need to purchase from the producer before that all-important squeak disappears. And who wants cheese curds without the squeak??
Q: DO YOU SELL FOIE GRAS?
A: We don't any longer. At one point we did sell foie gras products, but we have since decided that due to concerns over animal welfare, we will no longer carry foie gras including many products that contain foie gras such as terrines, rillettes, and pâtes.
Q: DO YOU SHIP TO THE U.S.?
A: Unfortunately, we are not permitted to ship to the U.S. American regulations do not allow cheese shops in Canada to ship products across the border.
Q: CAN I BRING IN MY OWN CONTAINERS FOR THE CHEESE I BUY?
A: Unfortunately, we've had to suspend our bring-your-own-container program due to COVID-19. We hope to bring it back once it's deemed safe to do so.
We recently switched to a fully recyclable and compostable cheese paper to help reduce our environmental impact.
Q: WHERE DOES YOUR CHEESE COME FROM?
A: Mainly cows, goats, sheep, and the occasional cashew.
All kidding aside, our cheeses come from all over the place. We are proud to carry a wide variety of local, Canadian, and international cheeses at TOMME.
Q: DO YOU EXCLUSIVELY CARRY CANADIAN CHEESE?
A: Not exclusively. While we carry many amazing choices from across the country, we also sell many classic cheeses from Europe.
Q: DO YOU MAKE ANY CHEESE AT THE SHOP?
A: No. We leave the cheesemaking to the pros.
Q: DO YOU SELL CHEESEMAKING SUPPLIES/RENNET/OBSCURE BACTERIAL CULTURES?
A: No, we don’t carry any cheesemaking supplies. We suggest you try Glengarry Cheesemaking.
Q: DO YOU SELL VEGAN CHEESE?
A: Yes! We sell a lovely selection of cashew- and soy-based vegan cheeses made right here in Guelph by Green Goddess.
Q: HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THAT MONTY PYTHON SKETCH?
A: Yes, yes we have.