Who says Canadian cheese cannot compete on the world stage?

Jason Fuoco, a young Quebec cheesemaker who began producing cheese three years ago, was a major winner at the 2015 World Cheese Awards last weekend. His eponymous Fuoco, a soft washed-rind cheese made with water-buffalo milk, was named Best Canadian Cheese and honoured as one of the top 15 cheeses in the world.

Three Canadian cheeses were among the 62 which attained Super Gold recognition. They are:

Washed rind cheese

• Fuoco, Fromagerie Fuoco, Sainte-Sophie, Québec

Farmhouse cheddar

• Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Hard cheese produced on small farm or dairy

• Alfred Le Fermier, Fromagerie La Station, Compton, Québec

“Fuoco displays beautiful balance between the paste and rind, soft creamy rich paste that runs through right to the finish, very lactic milk flavour with strong barnyard scent, wonderful with crusty bread. Would not pass up on this cheese! “

—Jackie Armet, Cheese Co-ordinator, The Great Canadian Cheese Festival

Two Canadian producers, Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser in Québec and Quality Cheese in Ontario, each returned home with four medals apiece.

Eight Canadian producers won gold medals:

Semi-hard cheese produced on small farm or dairy

• Gold medal: Tomme de Grosse-île ~ Fromagerie Isle-aux-Grues

Cow’s milk blue cheese

• Gold medal: Météorite ~ Saputo

Cheese made with the milk of more than one animal

• Gold medal: Pionnier ~ Fromagerie Nouvelle France

Washed rind cheese

• Gold medal: Le Douanier ~ Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser

Washed rind cheese

• Gold medal: Champfleury ~ Agropur

Ricotta

• Gold medal: Bella Casara Ricotta ~ Quality Cheese

Ricotta

• Gold medal: Ricotta di Campagna ~ Saputo Dairy Products

Semi-hard cow’s milk cheese

• Gold medal: Mountainoak Farmstead Premium Gouda GOLD ~ Mountainoak Cheese

Ten Canadian producers won silver medals:

Semi-hard cow’s milk cheese

• Silver medal: OKA ~ Agropur

Soft goat’s milk cheese

• Silver medal: Paillot de Chèvre ~ Saputo

Soft ewe’s milk cheese

• Silver medal: Madelaine ~ Fromagerie Nouvelle France

Extra mature creamery cheddar

• Silver medal: Old Cheddar ~ Bright Cheese & Butter

Mozzarella, fresh, cow’s milk in ball

• Silver medal: Fresh Mozzarella ~ Quality Cheese

Brie made from pasteurized milk

• Silver medal: Brie ~ Quality Cheese

Washed rind cheese

• Silver medal: Raclette naturelle ronde ~ Fromages CDA

Cheese made with the milk of more than one animal

• Silver medal: Le Soeur Angèle ~ Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser

Hard cheese produced on small farm or dairy

• Silver medal: Chemin Hatley ~ Fromagerie la Station

Soft or unpressed cow’s milk cheese with sweet savoury additives

• Silver medal: Délice des Appalaches ~ Fromagerie Rang 9

Nine Canadian producers won bronze medals:

Creamery cheddar

• Bronze medal: COWS CREAMERY Extra Old Cheddar ~ Cows Creamery

Semi-hard cow’s milk cheese

• Bronze medal: Asiago ~ Bright Cheese & Butter

Soft goat’s milk cheese

• Bronze medal: Chevrochon ~ Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser

Mature traditional cheddar

• Bronze medal: Cheddar Fort Ile-aux-Grues ~ Fromagerie Isle-aux-Grues

Soft or unpressed cow’s milk cheese

• Bronze medal: Triple Cream Brie ~ Quality Cheese

Washed rind cheese

• Bronze medal: Mont-Jacob ~ Fromagerie Blackburn

Washed rind cheese

• Bronze medal: La Tentation de Laurier ~ Saputo

Soft cow’s milk cheese

• Bronze medal: Le Mi-Carême ~ Fromagerie Isle-aux-Grues

Soft or unpressed cow’s milk cheese with sweet savoury additives

• Bronze medal: Raclette Griffon ~ Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser

Nick Tsioros of Olympic Cheese, Toronto, was the sole Canadian judge on the jury.

Le Gruyere AOP Premier Cru made by Switzerland’s Cremo and Von Muhlnen was named Best Cheese in the World.

The biggest cheese competition in Canada, Canadian Cheese Awards/Le Concours des fromages fins canadiens returns in 2016 with the Awards Ceremony and Tasting Gala taking place in Montreal in mid-April.

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