Known as ‘The Oscars of cheeses’, the World Cheese Awards They become one of the most important events for the cheese sector every year. You just need to take a look at the figures of your latest edition, number 36, held this past weekend: 4,786 cheeses participants, coming from 47 different countriesevaluated by a panel of 240 judges.
© guildoffinefoodAll a participation record the experience this time for these awards that it organizes annually The Guild of Fine Food (British organization dedicated to the promotion and support of producers and distributors of quality food and beverages) and which on this occasion has had as headquarters in the Portuguese city of Visau.
Divided into up to 104 tablesall the pieces were first evaluated by small groups of judges, in charge of awarding gold, silver or bronze medals to the pieces that, in his opinion, deserved it. Furthermore, the best cheese was chosen from each table and that selection was then evaluated by a grand jury made up of big names in the sector. Your mission? Of all of them select the best 14 cheesescreating a ranking from which it would come ‘The best cheese in the world’. It was after passing all these phases that, finally, it was proclaimed winner of Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado.
© queijosoalheiraINTENSE AROMA AND A VERY CREAMY TEXTURE
It was in 1983 when it opened in the Portuguese town of Soalheira Quinta do Pomar cheese factory, where this winning cheese is produced. He is responsible for its preparation the Spanish cheesemaker Sonia Marroyo that, although he could not be present in the competition, he did enter zoomscreen through, to show your appreciation. ‘It is a very important award for us’, she explained, claiming to feel very excited with this recognition.
© queijosoalheiraAnd how about that winning cheese? Those who have tried the typical Expremadura cakes (MarrySerena…) can get a rough idea. It is a cheese made with raw sheep’s milk and vegetable rennet, with an intense smell, very creamy texture, with small bitter and herbal notes.
TWO SPANIARDS AMONG THE 14 BEST CHEESES IN THE WORLD
From among that Top 14 chosen by the jury, we find two cheeses made in Spain: La Cava Barusby García-Baquero and the cheese Valleclarofrom Cheeses and Kisses (Jaén cheese factory that You already know what it is to succeed in the Word Cheese Awards). Here the ranking complete.
1. Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado. Quinta do Pomar (Portugal – 86 points).
2. Founded Tea. Chascharia Val Müstair (Switzerland – 84 points).
3. Alpenhorn Mifroma. Elsa Group (Mifroma) (Switzerland – 84 points).
4. La Cava Barus García-Baquero, Lácteas Garcia Baquero SA (Spain – 84 points).
5. Bayley Hazen Blue. Cellars at Jasper Hill (USA – 83 points).
6. Pecorino Bislacco al Rum e Tabacco. F.lli Petrucci (Italy – 82 points).
7. Blugins. La Casearia Carpenedo (Italy – 82 points).
8. Affineur Walo Creamy Lion Cheese. Thurgau from Walo von Mühlenen (Switzerland – 82 points).
9. Passionata. Biopark (Brazil – 81 points).
10. Snertingdal ysteri Godbiten. Snertingdal ysteri drift AS (Norway – 79 points).
11. Alte Hexe 9 Monate gereift. Bodensee Käse (Switzerland – 78 points).
12. Valleclaro. Cheeses and Kisses (Spain – 77 points).
13. Baldauf 1862 Meisterstück Alpkäse. Baldauf Käse (Germany – 75 points).
14. Tatie. Latteria Moro di Moro Sergio (Italy – 72 points).