Not everyone likes cheese, but those who like it, love it. And whether you’re partial to a crumbly cheddar or a creamy camembert, we’ve all got our favourites. But who gets to decide which of the world’s marvellous cheeses reigns supreme?
The World Cheese Awards does, of course. The judging panel has gradually built their reputation over the last 30 years, and is now one of the highest authorities on all things cheese.
This year, over 4,000 cheeses were sent from all over the world to be judged by experts, buyers, retailers and food writers, all in one room. Just think of the pong.
16 were crowned as the best, but which nation’s cheese was named the best of them all? It was (drumroll please)... Norway! Their Nidelven Blå cheese is a handmade, semi-solid blue cheese, made only two hours from Trondheim, where this year’s awards were held. It topped the other 292 entries from Norway.
In second place, it was Belgium's Baliehof Houtlandse Asche Kaas, a hard, unpasteurised cows’ milk cheese. In third, it was Eberle Würzig Seit 5 Generationen, a Swiss cheese, and Eleftheria Brunost, a cheese from India, claimed fourth.
Neither France nor the UK, two very proudly cheesy nations, had any entries make the top 10 – though British cheeses did have a strong presence on the list overall. You read all about the British cheeses that made the list here.
Here are the 10 best cheeses in the world right now:
- Nidelven Blå from Gangstad Gårdsysteri (Norway)
- Baliehof Houtlandse Asche Kaas from Baliehof Kaas En Zuivelboerderij Jabbeke (Belgium)
- Eberle Würzig Seit 5 Generationen from Dorfkäserei Muolen (Switzerland)
- Eleftheria Brunost from Vivanda Gourmet (India)
- Müller-Thurgau Rezent from Käserei Müller-Thurgau (Switzerland)
- Kärntnermilch Mölltaler Almkäse Selektion 50% FiT. from Kärntnermilch (Austria)
- Michel from Rohmilchkäserei Backensholz (Germany)
- Holland Delta, 1 Year Old from Van der Heiden Kaas (Netherlands)
- Old Amsterdam Goat from Westland Kaasexport (Netherlands)
- Parmigiano Reggiano 30-39 Months from Nazionale Parmigiano Reggiano Rastelli Fratelli (Italy)
If you’re still craving some cheesy content, these are all the winners crowned last year.
Did you see that Sweden has launched a campaign to stop tourists confusing it with Switzerland?
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