Wisconsin Excels at 2006 World Championship Cheese Contest
Wisconsin continued its dominance in the World Cheese Championship Contest today by capturing more awards than any other state or nation, including best in class in 18 of 47 cheese categories.
In addition to the best in class wins, Wisconsin cheesemakers captured 18 second awards and 16 third awards for a total of 52 awards or more than a third of all awards given in the cheese categories. The combined total number of awards for all other states in the competition was 45; the combined total of awards for all other countries in the competition was 48. The Best of Show award went to a Swiss cheesemaker for Emmentaler.
"As demonstrated by the breadth of awards won by America's Dairyland cheesemakers, Wisconsin continues to lead the pack across several types and varieties of cheese," said James Robson, Chief Executive Officer of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. "From our best-in-class showing in traditional Wisconsin favorites such as Colby and Brick to best-in-class wins in international-style cheeses such as Havarti, Queso Fresco and Gorgonzola it is clear that Wisconsin's cheesemakers are at the forefront of cheesemaking around the world."
In addition to the cheese categories, Wisconsin also had an excellent showing in the butter category winning half of all butter awards including a sweep of the unsalted butter class by Grassland Dairy Products.
Wisconsin's best-in-class cheeses include:
Baby Swiss Style: Chalet Cheese Cooperative, Monroe, WI
Brick/Muenster: Klondike Cheese Company, Monroe, WI
Colby: Burnett Dairy Cooperative, Grantsburg, WI
Cold Pack Cheese: Pine River Inc., Newton, WI
Flavored Pasteurized Process Cheeses: Welcome Dairy, Inc., Colby, WI
Flavored Spreadable Cheese: US Specialty Cheese, Green Bay, WI
Gorgonzola: Wisconsin Farmer's Union, Montfort, WI
Havarti: Klondike Cheese Company, Monroe, WI
Marbled Curd Cheeses: Alto Dairy Cooperative, Black Creek, WI
Mozzarella Part Skim: Foremost Farms, USA, Clayton, WI
Open Class for Flavored Hard Cheeses: Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, WI
Open Class for Flavored Soft Cheeses: Klondike Cheese Company, Monroe, WI
Pasteurized Process Cheeses: Welcome Dairy, Colby, WI
Provolone: Burnett Dairy Cooperative, Grantsburg, WI
Quesos Frescos: Torkelson's Prairie, Monroe, WI
Quesos para Fundir: Valley View Cheese, South Wayne, WI
Snack Cheeses: Burnett Dairy Cooperative, Grantsburg, WI
Spreadable Cheeses: Family Fresh Pack, LLC, Belleville, WI
Chef2Chef News Desk