Quality Cheese Ricotta was named the Grand Champion at the eighth edition of the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix in Montreal. The ricotta made history as the first fresh cheese and the first cheese from Ontario to be honored as Grand Champion.
A jury of top Canadian food industry experts selected it from 20 category winners. Sponsored and hosted every two years by Dairy Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix celebrates the high quality, versatility and great taste of Canadian cheese made from Canadian milk.
“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.”
Quality Cheese manufactures, distributes and retails Italian specialty cheeses, and boasts a team representing four generations of cheese-making. The Grand Champion and 19 category winners were selected from a record 225 cheese entries submitted by cheese-makers from Prince Edward Island to British Columbia. The submissions were then narrowed down to 58 finalists by the jury in February.
“This year’s winners offer positive proof that Canada is producing world-class cheeses,” said Bélanger. “The time has come to celebrate the innovative excellence and proud tradition of Canadian cheese-making.”
The cheeses are judged by a jury of experts from across Canada who are recognized in each of their respective domains in the food industry. Canada has a wide variety of world-class cheese-makers from coast to coast.
