Another winner for Morin family of cheesemakers

A soft, flavourful Quebec cheese called Laliberté has been named Grand Champion of Canadian cow’s milk cheeses in the national contest Canadian Cheese Grand Prix 2015. Competing with 267 cheeses from across the country, the cheese, made by Fromagerie du Presbytère at Ste-Elizabeth-de-Warwick, has racked up another win for the Morin family of cheesemakers who regularly collect awards at both national and Quebec cheese contests.

The winning cheese was judged tops by a panel of 11 judges that included chefs, cheese merchants, a cheese journalist and a culinary teacher. Montreal chef and contest judge Martin Juneau, who hosted a tasting last week of the 27 cheese finalists at his restaurant Pastaga, said the entries showed “outstanding quality.” He complimented Fromagerie du Presbytère, which has won several prizes for its Louis d’Or cheese, noting the Quebec cheesemaker is expanding production.

Two other Quebec cheeses were finalists in the soft cheese category won by Laliberté: Le Paillasson, a cheese served grilled that originated in the 17th-century farmhouses of the Île-d’Orléans and was relaunched in 2004, and Fleur de Weedon from Fromagerie P’tit Plaisir of St-Gérard-de-Weedon.

The contest, started in 1998 and conducted every two years for cheeses made with 100 per cent Canadian cow’s milk, put Quebec in the lead with 12 finalists. Next came Ontario with five, followed by Alberta and British Columbia with four finalists each and Prince Edward Island with one.

The winning cheese, a triplecream variety with a bloomy rind, was named for Alfred Laliberté, the late Quebec sculptor, who was born in Ste-Elizabeth-de-Warwick. Fromagerie du Presbytère was also a finalist in the firm cheese category with its Louis d’Or and Bleu d’Elizabeth cheeses.

The Dairy Farmers of Canada, which runs the contest, added nine new categories this year, including three for Gouda type cheeses.

Journalists, served tasting portions of each of the finalists, came up with favourites that included L’Origine de Charlevoix, a semifirm, washed-rind cheese from Laiterie Charlevoix made of the milk of Vache canadienne cows, Raclette, made by Swiss-born cheesemaker Fritz Kaiser at Noyen, and Handeck, a Swiss style cheese from Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese of Woodstock, Ont.

For the complete list of winners and finalists, visit dairyfarmers.ca/what-we-do/programs/canadian-cheese-grand-prix and click on 2015 champions.