BERN, Switzerland (AP) – The first thing that strikes you about the World Cheese Awards is the smell.
The 37th edition, part competition, part cheese extravaganza, opened in Switzerland on Thursday, but some visitors may be wishing there were more holes in the product. With descriptions of smells such as “stinky socks” and “sick dog,” it’s clear that it’s just as much of a festival and challenge for the nose as it is for the mouth, fingers, and eyes.
Welcome to sensory overload.
In a country where cheese is both food and folklore, the three-day event drew connoisseurs, culinary experts and curious consumers. The first day started with a competition in which more than 5,200 cheeses, almost a fifth of them from Switzerland, were entered. Approximately 46 countries participated, with record numbers of participants ranging from Australia to Austria, Bulgaria to Brazil.
All these products offered in the same Bern exhibition hall created a unique fragrant fusion. But as I walked past that medley of aromas, the sight, taste, and individual aroma of the cheeses was enticing.
From “Stinking Bishop” to camel cheese
John Farrand, managing director of the British Fine Food Guild, which organizes the event, says some people who say “I don’t like cheese because it stinks” need to take the time to consider the myriad of options.
“I grabbed them and sat them down and took them on a cheese journey,” he said. “A lot of people impulsively say, ‘I don’t like blue cheese,’ but that’s just not true. There are many different types of blue cheese, from one to the other,” Farrand said, gesturing around the venue. “There’s always a blue cheese for someone.”
He went wild with a 300-pound wheel of cheese, which his team rolled and “cracked,” or cut open, releasing a cloud of powerful odor.
“This Emmental scent hit me,” Farrand said. “It’s the first time I’ve had the wonder and aroma of that cheese released…it just makes me hungry.”
Some people may turn their noses on “blue” cheese, which has been turned blue by bacteria, and others may reject the strong odor of varieties such as Limberger, Taleggio, “Stinking Bishop” and Epoisse de Bourgogne. A specialty of Burgundy known as Napoleon’s favorite food, it smells so bad that urban legend has it that it is banned from public transportation in France.
Some people may not be able to get over their hesitation to taste camel (or buffalo or donkey) cheese, or may be tired of unpasteurized or fluffy cheese. More adventurous tasters look for the richest, creamiest, or meatiest variety they have on hand, and try the gooiest or moldiest cheeses.
The judges have no such qualms. It’s scrutiny, taste, criticism, and curiosity.
Strict rules for judges and journalists
A number of jurors wearing yellow aprons walk around a row of long, numbered rectangular tables before beginning their deliberations. They sliced hard cheese and pressed it up to their noses, scooped up soft cheese with a spreader, tested its consistency, and licked or dripped it on their tongues.
The judging zone was separated by waist-high fences and ropes, and was guarded by security guards. Journalists were allowed into the area only under escort and were only allowed to see and smell the cheese, not even taste or touch it.
It was a blind taste test conducted by over 265 judges. The cheese had been stripped of all discernible packaging and markings. Their job is to poke, peruse, smell, touch and taste products before deciding on gold, silver and bronze winners based on attributes such as aroma, body, texture, flavor and ‘mouthfeel’ – and choosing between them can be a daunting task.
Only those that received the accolade of “Super Gold” were selected by the illustrious “Super Jury” of 14 finalist cheeses. The judges and the public only learned where the cheeses came from after voting for each cheese was completed.
Paul Thomas, a cheesemaker from Ulström Käse in southern Berlin, touted his cherry-crusted blue cheese slices as reminiscent of a Manhattan cocktail. After tasting it, he said, “I was pleasantly surprised throughout most of the flavor journey.”
“But there’s something that lingers at the end…a slightly off-putting taste towards the back of the tongue,” he added.
Swiss “Gouda” news
Experts admit it’s difficult to pick a winner. While the final product of “casei culture” (coagulation, coagulation, cheddaring, and other processes involved in cheese making) can be judged on aspects such as craftsmanship and quality, taste is personal.
This year’s winner was Switzerland’s “extraordinary” Gruyère from Folderfurtigen Mountain Dairy, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Bern, which received 85 points from the judges. Raw cow’s milk cheese is drained overnight, dry salted and then aged for over 18 months.
A creamy, flower-studded Cremieux des Ardudes aux Fleurs from the French Basque village of Echardia was the runner-up, followed by a nine-month-aged Swiss Appenzeller, Edel Würzig. Other finalists were from the United Kingdom, Japan, the Netherlands, Slovakia and the United States.
Many cheeses have won other awards. More than 20 cheeses were named national or regional “best cheeses,” including the best American, Basque, Japanese, or Ukrainian cheeses. Trophies were also awarded for categories such as best cheddar cheese, raw milk, goat/sheep and smoked cheese.
Organizers of the World Cheese Awards say it is the world’s largest cheese-only event, with the World Champion Cheese Contest held in the US state of Wisconsin and a competition to name the world’s best cheesemonger in France. The competition started in the UK, but has also been held in Italy, Spain and Norway.
Charlie Turnbull, director of the Academy of Cheese, poked his nose at the round, soft, brown-orange cheese with the pungent smell of Brevibacterium on the linen. “This cheese is similar to the type of bacteria found on the sweatshirts of 15-year-old boys.”
“That’s difficult,” Mr Turnbull said, frowning slightly. But once you got past the smell, he added, the cheese tasted great, with “a hint of fruit, lots of meaty notes, and ham stock.”
“At the end of the day, taste trumps everything,” he said.
