It’s not everyday you can say your cheese is the best in the world. But now a Quebec cheesemaker can.
It had to beat 2,440 cheeses from 34 countries to do it, but it did. At the World Cheese Awards 2009 just held in the Canary Islands, the grand champion is none other than Le Cendrillon, an ash-covered chèvre made by La Maison Alexis de Portneuf inc., 50 kilometres northwest of Quebec City.
Hundreds of cheese experts attended a gala where word was announced. The cheese, made in St-Raymond-de-Portneuf, is available at supermarkets and cheese shops across Canada. Its makers describe it thus: a vegetable ash-covered cheese with a marble-textured rind and a smooth ivory body: acidulous, semi-strong taste that becomes more pronounced with age. Pair it with a Loire white.
This is the second honour for the cheesemaker recently: On Sept. 21, La Sauvagine won the public prize in the Sélection Caseus 2009, a Quebec competition. Also from this cheesemaker, Le Bleubry et le Chèvre des Neiges Brie Triple Crème won in their categories in the Quebec competition, too.
I’d say it’s on a roll. Well done!
Evangeline Sadler
Weekend Life Editor
