Two new goat-milk cheeses—one barely out of the vat—took top honours in the goat-cheese competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair this week.
Lindsay Bandaged Cheddar was named Grand Champion about a year after it was introduced by Mariposa Dairy of Lindsay, Ontario—and began winning awards, including Best of Show, Runner-up, at the American Cheese Society.
Camelot, a new goat-milk cheese introduced by Upper Canada Cheese of Jordan, Ontario, only a few months ago, was named Reserve Champion and its other new cheese, Nanny Noire, placed second in mold-ripened class.
Mariposa Dairy dominated the goat-milk cheese competition, winning or placing in five categories.
Upper Canada’s goat cheeses are made only with milk from a rare herd of Lamancha goats pastured at Gord and Melanie Wood’s Idyllwood Farms near Keene, Ontario, and cared for by the entire Wood family. Says Lauren Petryna, head cheesemaker:
“This fresh, pure milk is then transformed into Camelot and Nanny Noire. Camelot ages for two months in our cellars, while camembert-style Nanny is rolled in ash, allowed to develop its bloomy rind and is ready to be enjoyed within weeks.”
Here are the top three in the mixed-milk class of the annual competition at the Royal:
All New Innovations Mixed Milk Cheese
- Buffalo Mozzarella, Quality Cheese
- Buffallo Ricotta, Quality Cheese
- Doucerel, Agropur Fine Cheese
Here are the top three cheeses in each category of the goat-milk competition:
Firm Cheddar, Mozzarella, Caprano
- Lindsay Bandaged Goat Cheddar, Mariposa Dairy
- Mornington Heritage Old Cheddar, Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative
- Mornington Heritage Marble, Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative
Interior Ripened Gouda, Friulano, Manchego, Havarti, Feta
- Woolwich Dairy Goats Milk Feta, Woolwich Dairy
- Feta, Rivers Edge Goat Dairy
- Feta, Glengarry Fine Cheese
Surface Ripened Oka-style, St. Paulin, Tilsit, Mimstes
- Camelot, Upper Canada Cheese
- Cape Vessey, Fifth Town Artisan Cheese
Mold Ripened Brie, Camembert, tre Fratello, L’Extra Goat, La Brie,Triple Cream Brie
- Nettles Gone Wild, Fifth Town Artisan Cheese
- Nanny Noir, Upper Canada Cheese
- Triple Creme Brie, Woolwich Dairy
Unflavoured Fresh Cheese Cream Cheese, Ghage, Quark, Ricotta
- Capriny, Alexis de Portneuf
- Chevre Original Cup, Mariposa Dairy
- Chevrai Original, Woolwich Dairy
Flavoured Fresh Cheese
- Celebrity International Goat Cheese Herb+Garlic, Mariposa Dairy
- Celebrity International Goat Cheese Mediterranean, Mariposa Dairy
- Celebrity International Goat Cheese Fig, Mariposa Dairy
Blue Veined Cheese
- Celebrity International Blue Goat Sliced, Nasonville Dairy
Flavoured Cheese Smoked, Jalepeno
- Mornington Ultimate Smoked Cheddar, Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative
- Mornington Ultimate Cranberry Cheddar, Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative
- Charlton hot pepper, Thornloe Cheese
Judges: Thierry Martin and Jean‐Jacques Turgeon
Sponsors: Gay Lea Foods Co-operative, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Canadian Cheese Society, Cargill, Central Ontario Cheese Makers, Parmalat, Jersey Canada, Continental Ingredients Canada, Ecolab, Empire Cheese.
The 89th annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs until Sunday at Exhibition Place, Toronto.
To be posted tomorrow: results in the cheddar competition at the Royal.
