British Cheese Awards: the Medal Winners for 2008
The British Cheese Awards, the annual celebration of the very best of the British Cheese industry, has announced the winners of this year’s hard fought competition, with quality being recognised across the board, in both artisan and commercial sectors.
Of the record breaking 910 cheeses entered into this year’s Awards, the Supreme Champion was judged as Barkham Blue from the Two Hoots creamery based in Barkham, Berkshire. The cheese described as having a sweet, spicy butter like taste with an aromatic peppery bite also scooped a hat-trick with the winning of the title ‘Best English Cheese’ and ‘Best Blue Cheese’.
Other winners on the night, in which awards in 25 categories were handed out, together with 317 Bronze, Silver and Gold medals included the winner of Best Scottish Cheese ‘Connage Crowdie’ from the Connage Highland Dairy whose cows graze the clover rich pastures along the shores of the Moray Firth.
Other country awards included ‘Laviston’ from Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese which won best Irish and ‘Pont Gar Garlic + Herbs’ from Carmarthenshire Cheese which won best Welsh.
Sales of British cheese abroad continues to go from strength to strength with exports continuing to grow and buck economic trends. Daniel Hammer, representing the market leading American group of Central Market and HEB stores said he had been extremely impressed by the vast array of cheeses at this years awards and that he would be taking several of this years entries back to the US. This year’s Best Export Cheese being a prime example of what Britain does best the ‘Traditional Cheddar (E)’ from J A & E Montgomery Ltd.
Special awards were handed out to Somerset cheesemaker Chris Duckett who was voted Cheese Person of the Year for unswerving dedication to making the highest quality cheeses over a number of decades. Also demonstrating that restaurants are now embracing the choice and quality that British Cheese has to offer the winner of Best British Cheeseboard went to Allium of Fairford, Gloucestershire.
Commenting on this years awards Juliet Harbutt founder and organiser of the British Cheese Awards said ‘It has been another record breaking year with our highest number of entries ever. With record numbers of cheeses reaching medal winning status it’s safe to say that British Cheese Industry is consistently creating World beating cheeses’.
Established in 1994 the British Cheese Awards were created to provide a symbol of excellence for cheese lovers, reward such excellence and highlight the extraordinary diversity and growth in British Cheese.
Filed under: Awards, Produce, UK | Tagged: blue cheese, British Cheese Awards, cheddar, dairy