Three days, more than 4,500 cheeses, 47 different countries and 20 tons of product. This is how the World Cheese Awards, or the Oscars of cheese, for friends, will debut in Portugal on November 15, 16 and 17. With the Pavilhão Multiusos de Viseu as the setting, this largest cheese competition in the world arrives in a new format, with even more offerings, audiences and, if it weren’t for Portugal, wine.
“We came to open the contest abroad,” says Bruno Filipe Costa, gastronomic and promoter of the event’s arrival in Portugal, in conversation with Observador, revealing that the contest was reformulated to adapt to the Portuguese public. Yes before the World Cheese Awards It was exclusive for professionals in the sector and only took place on a single day.completely dedicated to the contest and the awards ceremony, now the new edition offers a Three-day cultural and gastronomic agenda with free admission for the general public.who will have the opportunity to try any cheese they want and buy it to have at home.
Highlighting the unique opportunity it will be to try cheeses “that we may never see again in our lives,” Bruno Filipe Costa says he is curious to try products from South Korea, Australia, the United States, Kenya and, mainly, Italy: “I’m looking forward to trying it a cheese that is smoked and matured inside a cave for three years. It is produced in the south of Italy, in Puglia. I really want to try it to see how it tastes, smells, texture, everything.”
From Portugal, the desire is focused on two other cheeses: one from the Serra da Estrela, from “a very small producer that still makes cheese in a traditional way, as it was done 50 years ago”, and another from the Azores, “those that are older, which is a real delight.”
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If we talk about cheese, it is inevitable not to talk about its smell. Which one will be the smelliest? “There is a French goat cheese that is absolutely inedible on the nose. and I am very curious to know who could be inside the pavilion with that cheese inside.” If this is not bearable, the World Cheese Awards also have a producers’ tent linked to the multipurpose pavilion, Tenda Viseu, which pays tribute to the best that is made in Portugal, where the events will take place. showcookings, commented cheese tastings, wine tastings and live music.
It is also in this tent where harmonized tastings will be held in which you will have the opportunity to combine wines with cheeses. “This is the first time this has been done,” he reveals, adding that in the last 35 editions there was not even a cheese tasting. “Since the cheeses are here, we can let people try them, which has never happened before,” he said. Like this, Which one would the Portuguese public least like to try? Those from Eastern Europe, such as Ukraine and Poland, are not very intense cheeses. “Traditionally, the Portuguese like creamy and flavored cheeses, such as Serra, Azeitão and Serpa. They are very intense cheeses in the mouth and combine well with wine,” he explained.
Created in 1988 by the British Guild of Fine Food, the World Cheese Awards represent the largest event in the world for the artisanal cheese production sector and choose, through a jury made up of 250 experts, 35 of them Portuguese, the best cheese of the 4,784 in competition. Working in teams of two or three members, judges identify cheeses worthy of a gold, silver or bronze award.
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After analyzing the cheese’s rind and body, color, texture, consistency and, above all, flavor, each team nominates a Super Gold cheese for their table. These are identified as the best in the world and go to a second phase where a cheese will be selected to be the winner in the final round. In addition to the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Super Gold awards (the highest distinction), there are specific trophies by country and category, such as Best Blue Cheese or Best Goat Cheese.
This year the World Cheese Awards come to Portugal for the first time. The Center, and specifically Viseu, was the region chosen “because one of the best Portuguese cheeses is Serra da Estrela cheese and it is represented in this region.” With 180 Portuguese cheeses in competition“The dream scenario would be a Portuguese cheese in the grand final, therefore, the Super Gold and five medals. That is our goal,” reveals Bruno Filipe Costa.
Source: Observadora
