ARCATA, Calif. – Cypress Grove Chevre’s® Purple Haze™, a fresh chevre sprinkled with lavender buds and wild harvested fennel pollen, worked its magic on the California State Fair judging panel, winning both Best of Division and a Gold Medal in the Soft Goat Cheese Category. Cypress Grove also was awarded Gold Medals in the Semi-Soft Goat Cheese Category for Humboldt Fog® and Truffle Tremor™.
“The growth of artisan cheesemaking in California makes this competition more exciting and interesting every year,” said Cypress Grove Chevre Founder Mary Keehn. “We are thrilled that three of our cheeses were awarded four medals. Our winning cheeses are made with the same passion, quality and attention to detail as the first year each of them was entered. These awards validate that we have set a standard for ourselves and for the category.”
Purple Haze, with its delight-to-the-senses blend of fennel pollen and lavender, was introduced nearly 10 years ago. Humboldt Fog, which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year, is an “American Original.” It is a soft, elegant, surface-ripened cheese with a creamy texture and subtle tangy flavor. Each hand-crafted wheel features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash through its center, giving the cheese a distinctive cake-like appearance. Introduced five years ago, Truffle Tremor is a velvety marriage of smooth goat milk and earthy truffles in a soft-ripened cheese.
For the California State Fair Cheese Competition, cheeses in each category are judged using the following scorecard: Aroma (10%), Texture/Body (20%), Appearance (20%), and most importantly, Flavor including Finish (50 %). To win the Gold Medal a cheese must score 95 percent or higher. This year, 154 cheeses entered the competition and 151 of them were selected to be judged.
About Cypress Grove Chevre (www.cypressgrovechevre.com)
Cypress Grove Chevre is the leading producer of fine American goat cheese, including the top-selling American artisanal classic, Humboldt Fog®. Founded in 1983 by Mary Keehn, Cypress Grove Chevre® continues a tradition of innovation by introducing original American cheeses to the marketplace, such as Truffle Tremor™ and new Herbs de Humboldt®. Based in Arcata, CA, where the Redwoods meet the Pacific, Cypress Grove’s award-winning family of products can be found at fine retail outlets and restaurants across the country. Cypress Grove’s mission is to provide its customers with an innovative and unique selection of cheeses while taking care of its employees, community, dairies and the environment.
Source: Cypress Grove Chevre