Blue cheese takes top award

One of the blue cheeses entered in the Champions of Cheese Awards. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A first-time entry has taken the top prize in this year's Champions of Cheese Awards.

Fonterra Brands' Mainland Special Reserve Creamy Blue cheese won the top award for blue cheese, as well as the overall Champion of Champions award.

Master Judge Russell Smith describes it as having a beautiful sweet, nutty flavour "and was technically a superbly-made cheese with very even bluing throughout".

Mr Smith says the winning cheese is beautifully balanced and would stand out anywhere in the world as a superb blue.

He says the blues made in New Zealand are superb and it is appropriate that the supreme award went to the best of the blues.

"The overall standard and experimentation of the cheeses produced here is increasing at a rapid rate."

Pukeatua Peak's Maungatautari goat cheese won the Champion Artisan Cheese Award for smaller producers.

The judges describe it as a hard cheese and one of five goat's milk cheeses sold under the Pukeatua Peak brand at nearby markets in the Waikato and to selected restaurants.

More than 430 cheeses were entered in this year's competition and were judged in 19 categories.

2010 Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese Awards winners:

Yealands Estate Champion of Champions Award
Mainland Special Reserve Creamy Blue - Fonterra Brands

Cuisine Champion Artisan Cheese
Maungatautari Goat Cheese - Pukeatua Peak Cheese

NZ Cheese School Champion Cheesemaker
Henk Lettink - Karikaas Natural Dairy Products

The Langham Champion Fresh Unripened Cheese
Ricotta - Crescent Dairy Goats

Countdown Foodtown Woolworths Champion Feta Cheese
Kaimai Feta Kaimai Cheese Company

Innovative Packaging Champion Soft White Rind Cheese
Kapiti Kahikatea Camembert

SABATO Champion Goat Cheese
Selwyn Farmhouse Mature Goat Cheese Gruff Junction

NZSCA Champion Sheep Cheese
Curio Bay Pecorino - Blue River Dairy

NZSCA Champion Washed Rind Cheese
Galactic Gold - Over the Moon Dairy Company

Ecolab Champion Blue Cheese
Mainland Special Reserve Creamy Blue - Fonterra Brands NZ

GEON Champion Cheddar
Mild Cheddar - Fonterra Lichfield

QCONZ Champion European Style Cheese
Hohepa Tasty - Hohepa Homes

Bureau Veritas Champion Dutch Style Cheese
Vintage Gouda - Meyer Gouda Cheese

NZ Food Safety Authority Champion New Cheese
Maungatautari Goat Cheese - Pukeatua Peak Cheese

Fonterra Champion Original NZ Cheese
Kapiti Mt Herbert - Fonterra Brands NZ

AsureQuality Champion Flavoured Cheese
Hohepa Herb Quark Hohepa Homes

NZSCA Champion Export Cheese
Maasdam - Karikaas Natural Dairy Products

New World Champion Favourite Cheese
Bouton Dor Cow Feta Goodman Fielder

NZSCA Champion Cheese Packaging
Puhoi Valley Farmhouse Camembert - Goodman Fielder

Curds & Whey Champion Hobbyist Cheese
Ricotta by Emilio Festa

Katherine Mowbray Champion Hobbyist Cheesemaker
Emilio Festa of Christchurch

- NEWSTALK ZB