April 20, 2013 Fresh ricotta crowned Canadian Grand Champion
Quality Cheese Inc.'s Ricotta
A fresh ricotta cheese from Ontario walked away with top honours yesterday at the 2013 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.
The ricotta, made by Quality Cheese Inc. of Vaughan, Ontario, was crowned Grand Champion after being selected by a jury of top food experts. This marks the first time in the history of the Grand Prix that a fresh cheese has been named Grand Champion. It’s also the first time a cheese from Ontario has taken top honours.
Quality Cheese Inc's Ricotta was praised for it's creamy texture and milky aroma. “The jury found this ricotta refined, delicate and well-balanced,” said Phil Bélanger, Canadian Cheese Grand Prix jury chairman. “It demonstrates that a fresh cheese can be as sophisticated as an aged one.”
The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix is sponsored and hosted every two years by the Dairy Farmers of Canada to celebrate the quality and diversity of Canadian cheese. All eligible cheeses must be produced in Canada, bear the 100% Canadian Milk symbol on their packaging and be available for retail sale.
Quality Cheese Inc. is a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of Italian specialty cheese. Incorporated in 1988, the company operates out of a 20,000-square-foot state-of-the art facility in Vaughan, just north of Toronto. The current management team represents the fourth generation in a family tradition of cheesemaking.
In February, a panel of eight judges gathered in Montreal to nibble their way through 255 cheeses from across the country in their quest to find the best Canadian cow’s milk cheese. After two days of tasting, they produced a shortlist of 58 finalists from 19 categories. The category winners and the Grand Champion were announced yesterday at a gala event in Montreal.
Medium Cheddar (aged 4 to 9 months): Medium Cheddar, Maple Dale Cheese, Ontario
Old Cheddar (aged from 9 months to a year): Cheddar 1 year, Fromagerie Perron, Quebec
Aged Cheddar (more than 1 year up to 3 years): Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, Cows Creamery, PEI
Aged Cheddar (more than 3 years): 5 Year Aged Cheddar, The Black River Cheese Company Ltd., Ontario
Farmhouse Cheese: Grizzly Gouda, Sylvan Star Cheese Ltd., Alberta
Organic Cheese: Bleu d'Élizabeth, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Quebec
This was the eighth Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. The next Grand Prix will be held in 2015.
April 4, 2013 VIAC cuts back its educational program
A Vermont-based research and teaching facility that has helped artisan cheesemakers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border hone their craft has announced it will soon cut back its educational program.
Since 2004 the Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese has – in conjunction with the University of Vermont – offered a wide range of courses and workshops for artisan cheesemakers, including certificate programs in cheesemaking. But VIAC says that demand for their workshops and courses has declined in recent years despite a surge in the number of artisan cheesemaking operations in the U.S. and Canada.
Starting in May the institute will change direction. It will cut back on its course offerings and, instead, focus on technical consulting services to cheesemakers in Vermont and New England. While VIAC will continue to offer some workshops, going forward faculty and staff will focus on current issues facing the artisan cheese industry, such as food safety, state and federal regulations, and cheese quality.
March 27, 2013 Fifth Town slated to resume production in 2014
Photo credit: www.fithtown.ca
The new owners of Fifth Town Artisan Cheese have announced plans to re-open the company’s processing facility in Prince Edward County in early 2014 – once the facility has been refurbished and reapproved for production.
In the meantime, Fifth Town’s onsite retail store will re-open on May 30, just in time for the Great Canadian Cheese Festival. The store is being re-opened early to help support the company as it transitions to production, according to a recent posting on the company’s website (www.fifthtown.ca).
Fifth Town – once touted as Canada’s only LEED certified dairy – was originally launched in June 2008 by entrepreneur Petra Kassun-Mutch. Over the next few years, the dairy earned numerous awards for its cheeses and sustainable enterprise management. Among its award-winning cheese were Cape Vessey, Bonnie and Floyd, Lighthall Tomme, Wishing Tree and Rose Haus. But despite the popularity of its cheese, the company struggled financially. Kassun-Mutch stepped down as Fifth Town’s president in August 2011 and, in May 2012, the company suspended production and was placed in receivership.
The Fifth Town facility was recently purchased by Patricia Secord and Dr. Hugo Bertozzi, third-generation members of the Bertozzi family – a family that has established itself as producers, affineurs and purveyors of artisan cheese. A. Bertozzi Importing Inc. offers a wide range of products –from breadsticks to pasta and candies to cheese.
When it re-opens, the Fifth Town’s onsite store is expected to feature products honouring the new owners’ Italian roots, as well as foods produced in Prince Edward County.
February 27, 2013 Finalists announced for Cheese Grand Prix
The Dairy Farmers of Canada has announced the finalists for the eighth installment of the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. A panel of top food experts reviewed a record 225 entries to come up with a shortlist of 58 finalists from 19 categories.
Entries were received from cheesemakers across the country – from PEI to British Columbia. Category champions and a Grand Champion will be unveiled at the 2013 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix Gala at Montreal’s Hyatt Regency Hotel on April 18th.
The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix is sponsored and hosted every two years by the Dairy Farmers of Canada to celebrate the quality and diversity of Canadian cheese. All eligible cheeses must be produced in Canada, bear the 100% Canadian Milk symbol on their packaging and be available for retail sale.
To view a complete list of the 58 finalists, click here.
February 18, 2013 Cheese Grand Prix nibbles its way toward a winner
A panel of eight judges gathered in Montreal February 16-17 for the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix judging weekend. The judges nibbled their way through dozens of cheeses in their quest to find the best in Canadian cow’s milk cheese.
The Cheese Grand Prix – which is held every two years – was launched in 1998 by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. As such, it focuses exclusively on cheeses made from 100% Canadian cow’s milk. The event was launched to encourage product excellence and build consumer appreciation for Canadian cheese. Organizers encourage entries from across the country and consider cheese from all categories.
Finalists in the various categories will be announced on February 26th. The winners will be announced on April 18. The Grand Champion Winner of the 2011 Cheese Grand Prix was Louis D’or, a firm washed-rind cheese made from organic raw milk cheese – produced in Quebec by La Fromagerie du Presbytère. Read more
February 5, 2013 St-Alberts Cooperative set to rebuild after fire
According to a report in the Ottawa Citizen, owners of the 119-year-old St-Albert Cooperative Cheese Manufacturing Company will rebuild and re-open after fire swept through one of the factory’s older buildings.
Firefighters from nine local fire departments battled the blaze, which struck around 9:30 on the morning of February 3. The factory, renowned for its cheddar and curds, is located about 60 kilometres southeast of Ottawa. It’s expected that more than 100 employees will be without work for several months during while the company rebuilds.
Despite the fire, organizers of the annual St-Albert Curd Festival have said the festival will go on as planned. The 20th annual festival is slated for August 2013. Read more
February 5, 2013 Cheese a factor in EU trade talks
According to a report in the Globe and Mail, cheese has become an issue in Canada's efforts to negotiate a trade deal with the European Union. According to the February 5, 2013 article, Canada is unwilling to tear down tariffs that protect dairy industry from foreign competition, but may be ready to allow in more duty-free cheese if Europe agrees to open its markets to Canadian beef and port. The EU is also demanding that Canadian cheese producers stop using protected European names on their products. Read more
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February 4, 2013 Cheese festival will remain in Picton
The Great Canadain Cheese Festival will stay put in Picton. A survey of past and future attendees found there is overwhelming support for keeping the event in Picton where it's been hosted since the festival's launch in 2011.
According to a post on cheeselovers.ca, the festival's official blog, 96% of past attendees said they would return to Picton for another festival, while 90% of these who have never attended said they would venture to Piction to attend the festival in the future. Only 50% of survey respondents said they would attend a festival in Toronto, 35% in Ottawa, and 28% in Montreal.
The 2013 festival will be held at Picton's Crystal Palace June 1-2. Read more
January 21, 2013 Conestoga cheesemaking program on hold
An eight-week, hands-on cheesemaking program offered by Conestoga College in conjunction with Monforte Dairy has been put on hold -- at least for now. The course, which was originally slated to run in February and March of this year has been delayed until 2014, says Ruth Klahsen, owner of Monforte. The course has been delayed to give Neville McNaughton, a cheese expert from the United States and one of the course instructors, time to arrange a work visa.
