Dairy Farmers of Canada crown Canada’s top cheese
By Food in Canada staff
Business Operations Food Trends Dairy Dairy Farmers of CanadaCanadian Cheese Grand Prix award winners announced
Montreal, Que. – The Dairy Farmers of Canada have announced the winners of the 8th Canadian Cheese Grand Prix awards. And for the first time ever an Ontario-made fresh cheese, Quality Cheese Ricotta, was declared the Grand Champion.
The biennial event is sponsored and hosted by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, and celebrates the “high quality, versatility and great taste of Canadian cheese made from 100% Canadian milk.”
The country’s top cheeses were decided by a jury of food industry experts, who selected the ricotta from among 19 other category winners. In total 225 different cheeses from producers across the country were entered in this year’s competition. Cheeses were judged on appearance, flavour, colour, salt content, texture and body.
Quality Cheese Inc., based in Woodbridge, Ont., manufactures, distributes and retails Italian speciality cheeses. The company’s Ricotta was recognized by jury members for its creamy texture and milky aroma.
This year’s 20 category winners were:
| 1. | Fresh Cheese | Ricotta, Quality Cheese Inc., Ont. |
| 2. | Fresh Cheese with grilling properties | Queso Fresco Cheese, Latin Foods Inc., Alta. |
| 3. | Soft Cheese with bloomy rind | Le Noble, Fromagerie Domaine Féodal Inc., Que. |
| 4. | Semi-soft Cheese | Tre Stelle Feta Cheese, Arla Foods Inc., Ont. |
| 5. | Washed OR mixed rind Cheese (Soft, Semi-soft and Firm) | Le Mamirolle, Fromagerie Éco-Délices, Que. |
| 6. | Firm Cheese | Gunn’s Hill Five Brothers, Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese, Ont. |
| 7. | Gouda | Grizzly Gouda, Sylvan Star Cheese Ltd., Alta. |
| 8. | Swiss-type Cheese | Louis D’or 18 months, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Que. |
| 9. | Pasta Filata | Not enough entries. |
| 10. | Mozzarella (Ball, Brick or Cylinder) | Tre Stelle Mozzarella Cheese, Arla Foods Inc., Ont. |
| 11. | Blue Cheese (various rinds, with or without veining) | Bleu d’Élizabeth, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Que. |
| 12. | Flavoured Cheese with added non-particulate flavourings | Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Cows Creamery, P.E.I. |
| 13. | Flavoured Cheese with added particulate solids and flavourings | Raclette de Compton au poivre, Fromagerie La Station, Que. |
| 14. | Mild Cheddar (aged 3 months) | L’Ancêtre Organic Mild Cheddar, Fromagerie L’Ancêtre, Que. |
| 15. | Medium Cheddar (aged 4 to 9 months) | Medium Cheddar, Maple Dale Cheese, Ont. |
| 16. | Old Cheddar (aged from 9 months to a year) | Cheddar 1 year, Fromagerie Perron, Que. |
| 17. | Aged Cheddar (more than 1 year up to 3 years) | Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, Cows Creamery, P.E.I. |
| 18. | Aged Cheddar (more than 3 years) | 5 Year Aged Cheddar, The Black River Cheese Company Ltd., Ont. |
| 19. | Farmhouse Cheese | Grizzly Gouda, Sylvan Star Cheese Ltd., Alta. |
| 20. | Organic Cheese | Bleu d’Élizabeth, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Que. |
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