Oregon cheesemakers recognized at American Cheese Society Conference
Oregon cheesemakers received 20 awards, including seven first place recognitions at the American Cheese Society’s Annual Cheese Competition last week.
The contest took place during the society’s 30th annual conference, “In a Dairy State of Mind” held July 31- August 4 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Award winning cheesemakers included: Ancient Heritage Dairy, Briar Rose Creamery, Face Rock Creamery, Ochoa’s Queseria, Quail Run Creamery, Rivers Edge Chevre, Rogue Creamery, Tillamook County Creamery Association and Willamette Valley Cheese.
It was no small task for the team of 37 judges including food science professors, cheese mongers, retail cheese managers, and cheese experts. They smelled, felt, tasted, and analyzed 1,794 different products from 254 companies.
Oregon’s cheesemakers are pretty special. “They are passionate and always looking for ways to improve their cheeses,” said Lisbeth Goddik, Oregon State University Extension Dairy Processing Specialist. “They pay close attention to details from animal welfare to the handling of cheeses during the affinage (fine art of ripening cheese) process.”
Artisan cheese is a trend that is here to stay. More than 20 cheesemakers belong to the Oregon Cheese Guild which started with only seven members back in 2006. Oregon is a true model for food culture and cheesemaking. “The climate is ideal for assuring optimum milk quality, because dairy animals thrive in Oregon,” said Goddik. “As a result Oregon continues to win a disproportionately large number of awards at both national and international cheese competitions.”
Additional information about the American Cheese Society and its competition can be viewed at www.cheesesociety.org.
2013 American Cheese Society Competition Awards
Oregon Winners by Category and Subcategory
SOFT-RIPENED CHEESES
Open Category (sheep’s or mixed milk)
1st Ancient Heritage Dairy
Valentine
AMERICAN ORIGINALS
Colby (cow’s milk)
2nd Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook Colby
AMERICAN MADE / INTERNATIONAL STYLE
Open Category (sheep’s milk or mixed milks)
2nd Ancient Heritage Dairy
Hannah
CHEDDARS
Cheddar (cow’s milk-aged up to 12 months)
3rd Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook Medium Cheddar
Mature Cheddar (all milks-aged 24 and up to 48 months)
1st Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp 3 Year Reserve Cheddar
BLUE MOLD CHEESES
Rindless Blue-Veined (sheep’s milk or mixed milks)
3rd Rogue Creamery
Echo Mountain Blue
Blue-Veined with a Rind or External Coating (cow’s milk)
1st Rogue Creamery
Rogue River Blue
2nd Rogue Creamery
Caveman Blue
HISPANIC & PORTUGUESE STYLE
Fresh Unripened (all milks)
2nd Ochoa’s Queseria
Don Froylan Queso Fresco
FETA CHEESES
Feta (goat’s milk)
2nd Quail Run Creamery
Little Goat Feta
FLAVORED CHEESES
Fresh Unripened Cheese with Flavor Added (all milks)
1st Face Rock Creamery
Vampire Slayer Curds
Farmstead Cheese with Flavor Added (all milks)
2nd Willamette Valley Cheese,
Cumin Gouda
Hispanic-style with Flavor Added (all milks)
1st Ochoa’s Queseria
Don Froylan Queso Botanero Cilantro & Jalapeno
Yogurt and Culture Products with Flavor Added (all milks)
1st Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook Light Fat Free Marionberry Yogurt
SMOKED CHEESES
Open Category (cow’s milk)
2nd Rogue Creamery
Smokey Blue
GOAT’S MILK CHEESES
Fresh Rindless Goat’s Milk Cheese (aged 0 to 30 days)
3rd Briar Rose Creamery
Classic Chevre
Goat’s Milk Cheese (aged 31 to 60 days)
2nd Rivers Edge Chevre LLC, OR
Rivers Edge Chevre Beltane
CULTURED MILK PRODUCTS
Cultured Products (cow’s milk)
1st Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook Premium Sour Cream
2nd Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook’s Natural Sour Cream
BUTTERS
Salted Butter with or without cultures (cow’s milk)
2nd Tillamook County Creamery Association
Tillamook Salted Sweet Cream Butter
