Jean Morin of Fromagerie du Presbytère, always joking, always winning.
Jean Morin has been the winningest cheesemaker in Sélection Caseus, the prestigious annual competition for Québec cheese producers, for the past decade.
Fromagerie du Prebystère won Caseus Gold with Bleu d’Élizabeth in 2018, 2013 and 2009, with Louis d’Or in 2012 and 2010, with Taliah in 2016, and with Pionnier, in collaboration with Fromagerie Nouvelle France, in 2017.
This year he struck gold again with Religieuse, a marvelous washed-rind cheese ideally suited for raclette or just plain eating.
Here are winners in the top six categories announced last night in a ceremony in Quebec City:
Grand Champion: Zacharie Cloutier, a raw sheep’s milk cheese from Fromagerie Nouvelle France. Photo Vanessa Simmons.
Fromagerie Nouvelle France dominated Caseus Sélection 2014, the prestigious competition for Quebec cheese producers which concluded September 16 with announcement of winners in Québec City.
Nouvelle France’s Zacharie Cloutier, a sheep’s milk cheese, was named Grand Champion as well as Gold Award winner. Nouvelle France also won the two sheep’s milk categories, Zacharie Cloutier taking washed, natural or mixed rind honours while La Madelaine was judged best bloomy rind.
Additionally, Pionnier, a collaboration between Nouvelle France and Fromagerie du Presbytere, was named best blended-milk cheese.
In the 16-year history of Caseus, no single producer has so dominated the competition sponsored by Quebec’s Ministry of Agriculture and Metro and Provigo supermarkets.
Jean-Paul and Marie-Chantal Houde, the brother and sister behind award-winning Fromagerie Nouvelle France.
Forty-seven producers submitted 176 cheeses for the judging. The winners are:
Caseus winners Dominic (left) and Jean Morin of Fromagerie du Presbytère.
For the second year in a row, Bleu d’Élizabeth made by Fromagerie du Presbytère has won the coveted gold medal in the Caseus Québec Fine Cheese Competition, the annual judging of cow-, goat- and sheep-milk cheeses produced by Québec cheesemakers.
For its repeat performance, Bleu d’Élizabeth was also honored with the Caseus Emeritus award.
For the Morin brothers—Jean is the cheesemaker, Dominic manages the fourth-generation dairy farm—the awards just keep on coming. Earlier this year, Bleu d’Élizabeth won two medals in the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, for best blue and best organic cheese. Two years, ago Élizabeth was named runner-up in the prestigious American Cheese Society competition.
What’s the secret to their success? Happy cows is Jean Morin’s stock answer, but he adds: “Every morning I start the day by asking myself what I can do better today than yesterday.”
Bleu d’Élizabeth
That drive for perfection shows in Bleu d’Élizabeth, so soft, rich and creamy, with lovely grey-greenish veins, with understated saltiness, and a distinct earthy aroma.
The Caseus awards were presented yesterday in the National Assembly in Québec City by Agriculture Minister Francois Gendron. More than 40 producers entered 165 cheeses in 24 categories of competition.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the lead sponsor for the Caseus competition. The Institute of Food Technology, Campus Saint-Hyacinthe, manages the judging.
For information about the availability of all winners except Mont Jacob, contact Plaisirs Gourmets. For information on Mont Jacob, contact Fromages CDA.
CASEUS GOLD
CASEUS SILVER
CASEUS BRONZE
BEST AGED CHEESE
BEST RAW MILK CHEESE
BEST ORGANIC CHEESE
