Louis d’Or, an outstanding Alpine-style cheese made by Jean Morin of Fromagerie du Presbytère in Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec, was named the 2018 Cheese of the Year in the biennial Canadian Cheese Awards, the biggest cheese judging and competition in the country.
The 2018 Canadian Cheese Awards program, which started at University of Guelph, Food Science Department, with the judging of 375 submitted cheeses, culminated Wednesday evening, June 6, with a presentation ceremony and tasting gala at historic St. Lawrence Market in Toronto.
Loblaw Companies is Marque Sponsor of Awards while Dairy Farmers of Canada is Principal Partner, Cow Milk Cheese.
Complete list of winners by categories:
CHEESE OF THE YEAR
FROMAGE D’EXCEPTION
- Louis d'Or – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec
BEST FRESH CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE FRAIS
- Ricotta – Ferrante Cheese, Woodbridge, Ontario
BEST FRESH PASTA FILATA CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE FILÉE
- Zerto Fresh Mozzarella – Quality Cheese, Vaughan, Ontario
BEST SEMI-SOFT CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE SEMI-FILÉE
- Comtomme – Fromagerie la Station, Compton, Québec
BEST FETA/CHEESE IN BRINE
MEILLEUR FETA/FROMAGE EN SAUMURE
- Krinos Traditional Feta – Krinos, Vaughan, Ontario
BEST FETA/CHEESE IN BRINE
MEILLEUR FETA/FROMAGE EN SAUMURE
—Private Brands Division—
- PC Feta Regular – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario
BEST FIRM CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE FERME
- Louis d'Or – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec
BEST FIRM CHEESE WITH HOLES (Swiss-style)
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE FERME AVEC OUVERTURES
- Swiss Gouda – That Dutchman's Cheese Farm, Upper Economy, Nova Scotia
BEST WASHED RIND CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À CROÛTE LAVÉE
- Le Bocké – La Fromagerie Champêtre, Repentigny, Québec
BEST MIXED RIND CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À CROÛTE MIXTE
- Origine de Charlevoix – Laiterie Charlevoix, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec
BEST MIXED RIND CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À CROÛTE MIXTE
—Private Brands Division—
- PC Belle Riviere Cheese – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario
BEST BLOOMY RIND CHEESE
MEILLEUR PÂTE MOLLE À CROÛTE FLEURIE
- Laliberté – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec
BEST BLOOMY RIND CHEESE
MEILLEUR PÂTE MOLLE À CROÛTE FLEURIE
—Private Brands Division—
- PC Camembert – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario
BEST LACTIC RIPENED CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE LACTIQUE À CROÛTE FLEURIE
- Neufchatel – Golden Ears Cheesecrafters, Maple Ridge, British Columbia
BEST MILD & MEDIUM CHEDDAR
(aged up to 9 months)
MEILLEUR CHEDDAR DOUX & MOYEN
(maximum de 9 mois d’affinage)
- Dairy Isle Medium – Amalgamated Dairies, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
BEST OLD CHEDDAR
(aged from 9 to 18 months)
MEILLEUR CHEDDAR FORT
(entre 9 et 18 mois d’affinage)
- Dairy Isle Old – Amalgamated Dairies, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
BEST AGED CHEDDAR
(aged more than 18 months)
MEILLEUR CHEDDAR VIEILLI
(plus de 18 mois d’affinage)
- Cows Creamery 3 Year Old Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
BEST GOUDA CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE GOUDA
- Mild Gouda – That Dutchman's Cheese Farm, Upper Economy, Nova Scotia
BEST BLUE CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE PERSILLÉE
- Rassembleu – Les Fromagiers de la Table Ronde, Sainte-Sophie, Québec
BEST FLAVOURED CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE AROMATISÉ
- Raclette de Compton au Poivre – Fromagerie la Station, Compton, Québec
BEST FLAVOURED FRESH CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE FRAIS AROMATISÉS
- Chevrai Roasted Garlic Soft Fresh Goat Cheese – Woolwich Dairy, Orangeville, Ontario
BEST FLAVOURED FRESH CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE FRAIS AROMATISÉS
—Private Brands Division—
- PC Fresh Goat Peppercorn – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario
BEST SMOKED CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE FUMÉ
- Appletree Smoked Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
BEST GRILLING CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE À GRILLER
- Queso Fresco – Sabana, Oakville, Ontario
BEST COW’S MILK CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE VACHE
-
Cows Creamery 3 Year Old Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
BEST GOAT’S MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE CHÈVRE
- Tomme Haut Richelieu – Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser, Noyan, Québec
BEST SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE BREBIS
- Madelaine – Fromagerie Nouvelle France, Racine, Québec
BEST WATER BUFFALO MILK CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE BUFFLONNE
- Fuoco – Fromagerie Fuoco, St. Lin-Laurentides, Québec
BEST BLENDED-MILK CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT MIXTE
- Pionnier – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec, and Fromagerie Nouvelle France, Racine, Québec
BEST FARMSTEAD CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE FERMIER
- Figaro – Glengarry Fine Cheese, Lancaster, Ontario
BEST ORGANIC CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE BIOLOGIQUE
- Alfred le Fermier 18 mois -Fromagerie la Station, Compton, Québec
BEST RAW-MILK CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT CRU
- Louis d'or vieilli 2 ans – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec
BEST NEW CHEESE
(Introduced to market during 2017)
MEILLEUR NOUVEAU FROMAGE
(Mis en marché en 2017)
- Mountainoak Farmstead 3 Year Old – Mountainoak Cheese, New Hamburg, Ontario
BEST B.C. CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LA COLOMBIE BRITANNIQUE
- Neufchatel – Golden Ears Cheesecrafters, Maple Ridge, British Columbia
BEST WEST CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE L'OUEST
(Alberta, Saskatchewan et Manitoba)
-
Bothwell Cheddar White – Bothwell Cheese, New Bothwell, Manitoba
BEST ONTARIO CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE L’ONTARIO
-
Zerto Fresh Mozzarella – Quality Cheese, Vaughan, Ontario
BEST QUEBEC CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DU QUÉBEC
- Le 1608 – Laiterie Charlevoix, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec
BEST ATLANTIC CANADA CHEESE
MEILLEUR FROMAGE DES PROVINCES ATLANTIQUES
- Cows Creamery 3 Year Old Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Biggest cheese competition in Canada
Judging by a jury of 14 cheese experts took place at University of Guelph, Department of Food Science. A total of 117 finalists were selected from the 375 cheeses entered by producers from Newfoundland to British Columbia.
The 2018 Canadian Cheese of the Year and champions in 33 categories were announced at the Awards Ceremony on June 6 at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto followed by an Awards Tasting Gala. The next day, winners will be featured at Canadian Cheese Expo for the trade followed by Canada’s first Artisan Cheese Night Market open to the public.
Fifty-six of the 117 nominations went to 22 Québec cheese producers led by Fromagerie La Station, 7 finalists, Laterie Charlevoix, 6, and Fromagerie du Presbystere, 5.
Sixty-one of the 117 nominations went to 23 producers in English-Canada, led by Cows, 12 finalists, Glengarry Fine Cheese, 5, and Amalgamated Dairies, Cross Wind Farm and Mountainoak Cheese, 4 each.
Canadian Cheese Awards is the only pan-Canadian cheese competition open to all milks used in cheesemaking—cow, goat, sheep and water buffalo—with only pure natural cheese accepted for judging. That means no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and no modified milk ingredients.
"We aim to honour and celebrate 100% pure natural cheese that has achieved technical excellence and exhibits the highest aesthetic qualities," says Georgs Kolesnikovs, Awards Chairman.
The biennial Canadian Cheese Awards is produced by Cheese Lover Productions with the support of Loblaw Companies as Marquee Sponsor and Dairy Farmers of Canada as Principal Partner, Cow Milk Cheese.
The Great Canadian Cheese Festival in Picton, Ontario, is on hiatus in 2018 to allow resources to be devoted to the launch of Artisan Cheese Night Market and related events.
- Cheese Awards website: http://cheeseawards.ca
Source: Canadian Cheese Awards