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Contacts:
Kelly Loftus, Agency of Agriculture, (802) 828-3829
Monday, August 6, 2007
Burlington, Vt. – Last week, the 24th annual conference of the American Cheese Society, Achieving Sustainability, was held in Burlington, Vermont. Burlington was selected as the location for this annual event because of the impressive number of cheese producers found in the state and throughout the surrounding New England region.
The conference brought together cheesemakers, academicians, enthusiasts, marketing and distribution specialists, food writers and cookbook authors, and specialty food retailers from the US, Canada and Europe, to celebrate the widespread enthusiasm for American specialty cheese with educational seminars on subjects from cheese making to the art of maturing cheese, a Chef’s Cheese Cook-off; a national cheese competition and guest cheesemaker dinners at restaurants throughout greater Burlington area.
“We are proud to host this distinguished event in Vermont,” said Governor Douglas. “The many awards garnered by Vermont cheesemakers highlight Vermont’s reputation, both nationally and internationally, for its high quality cheese producers.”
“We were honored to have the American Cheese Society conference here in Vermont. There were a record number of entries and Vermont won an unprecedented number of awards. This was the largest cheese competition in the United States. There were 1208 entries with 200 cheesemakers represented,” said Jon Wright, President of the Vermont Cheese Council. “We are really pleased at the exposure this brought, not only for Vermont cheeses, but all the other great products made in Vermont.”
Vermont cheesemakers came away with numerous awards again this year. There were 28 Vermont cheesemakers who took part in the competition and 41 awards were presented to Vermont producers including ten 1st place, nineteen 2nd place and twelve 3rd place ribbons. Cabot Creamery led Vermont producers with four each 1st and 2nd place ribbons and three 3rd place finishes. Vermont Butter & Cheese won seven ribbons overall. See below for a complete list of Vermont award winners.
The international panel of judges compared both aesthetic and technical qualities. Unlike other cheese competitions, where cheeses are graded down for technical defects, the American Cheese Society’s goal is to give positive recognition to those cheeses that are of the highest quality in their aesthetic evaluation such as their flavor, aroma and texture in addition to their technical evaluation. When all were tasted and rated, Leelanau Cheese was rated Beat in Show for its Aged Raclette. Last year, Cabot Creamery won Best in Show for its Clothbound Cheddar.
The Vermont Cheese Council, whose goal is to advance the production and image of premier cheeses from Vermont, is a non-profit trade organization of almost three dozen Vermont cheesemakers. The Council operates to educate the general public on the high quality and diversity of Vermont cheeses. Visit Vermont cheesemakers on the web at www.vtcheese.com.
- 2nd place - - Mossend Blue (category: Blue-Veined, Sheep’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Ewe’s Feta (category: Feta, Sheep’s Milk)
- 1st place - - Cabot 3 Year Old Cheddar (category: Cheddars/Aged 3-4 Years)
- 1st place - - Cabot Unsalted Butter (category: Butters/Unsalted, Cow’s Milk)
- 1st place - - Cabot Salted Butter (category: Butters/Salted, Cow’s Milk)
- 1st place - - Cabot Crème Fraiche (category: Cultured Milk Products, Crème Fraiche, Cow’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Cabot Clothbound Cheddar (w/Jasper Hill)(category: Cheddars/Aged 1-2 Years)
- 2nd place - - Cabot Select Cheddar (category: Cheddars/Aged <1 Year)
- 2nd place - - Cabot Whey Cream Butter (category: Butters/Salted, Cow’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar (category: Fat Free and Low Fat Cheeses)
- 3rd place - - Cabot Private Stock Cheddar (category: Cheddars/Aged 1-2 Years)
- 3rd place - - Cabot Vintage Choice Cheddar (category: Cheddars/Aged 2-3 Years)
- 3rd place - - Cabot 83 Unsalted Butter (category: Butters/Unsalted, Cow’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Organic Champlain Triple (category: Triple Crème Soft Ripened)
- 3rd place - - Colby Mild (category: Colby/Cow’s Milk)
- 1st place - - Hahn’s Yogurt & Cream Cheese (category: Cultured Products, Cow’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Hahn’s Yogurt & Cream Cheese Blueberry Dream (category: Low Fat, Flavored)
- 2nd place - - Vermont Gourmet Blue Cheese & Chive (category: Cheese Spreads, Flavor Added)
- 3rd place - - Maple Smoked Cheddar (category: Smoked Cheddars)
- 2nd place - - Bayley Hazen Blue (category: Farmstead Cheeses/Open Category, Cow’s Milk)
- 3rd place - - Smoked Mozzarella (category: Smoked Cheeses, Italian Styles)
- 1st place - - Organic Colby (category: Colby, Cow’s Milk)
- 3rd place - - Premium W/M (category: Italian Cheeses, Mozzarella Types)
- 1st place - - Shelburne Farms Smoked Farmhouse Cheddar (category: Smoked Cheddars)
- 2nd place - - Tarentaise (category: Farmstead Cheeses, Aged >90 days)
- 3rd place - - Twig Farm Square Cheese (category: Farmstead Cheeses, Goat’s Milk)
- 1st place - - Vermont Fresh Crottin (category: Fresh Goat’s Milk Cheeses, Open Category)
- 2nd place - - Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese “Roasted Red Pepper”
(category: Fresh Goat’s Milk Cheeses, Flavor Added)
- 2nd place - - Crème Fraiche (category: Cultured Milk Products, Crème Fraiche, Cow’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Vermont Cultured Butter Unsalted (category: Butters/Unsalted, Cow’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Vermont Bijou (category: Aged Goat’s Milk Cheese, Open Category)
- 3rd place - - Vermont Quark (category: Cultured Milk Products, Fromage Blanc & Quark)
- 3rd place - - Vermont Cultured Butter Lightly Salted (category: Butters, Salted, Cow’s Milk)
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- 1st place - - Vermont Shepherd (category: Farmstead Cheeses, Sheep’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - Alderbrook (category: Soft-Ripened Cheeses, Sheep’s or Mixed Milks)
- 2nd place - - Sheep Yogurt (category: Cultured Milk Products, Sheep’s Milk)
- 3rd place - - Vermont Brebis (category: Soft-Ripened Cheeses, Sheep’s or Mixed Milks)
- 2nd place - - Timberdoodle (category: American-Made/Int’l Style, Open Category, Sheep’s Milk)
- 2nd place - - West River Feta (category: Feta Cheeses, Sheep’s Milk)
- 1st place - - Buffalo Mozzarella - Ovalini (category: Italian Type Cheeses, Fresh Mozzarella Types)
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