Real California Cheese cleans-up at national awards competition – from Morning Ag Clips

Cow’s milk processors displaying the Real California Cheese and/or Milk seals brought home 22 awards from the 2017 annual cheese competition held by the American Cheese Society (ACS), July 26-29, 2017 in Denver, Colorado.

The American Cheese Society recognizes the finest cheeses and dairy products made in the Americas. A record number of 2,024 cheese and cultured dairy products were entered the competition. Cheeses made with 100 percent California milk had another strong showing this year in a field of 281 processors representing the United States, Canada and Columbia.

Cow’s milk cheeses displaying the Real California seals won 6 first-place, 5 second-place and 11 third-place awards in this year’s judging. Highlights from these wins include:

• Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Pt. Reyes, 1^st for Toma and 3^rd for Baby Toma, Farmstead Cheeses/Aged 60 Days or More, 2^nd for Gouda 2 Years, American Made/International Style – Dutch Style, and 3^rd for Bay Blue, Blue Mold Cheeses/Blue Veined with Rind/External Coating
• Central Coast Creamery, Paso Robles, 1^st for Bishops Peak, American Originals/Original Recipe and 3^rd for Holey Cow, American Made/International Style – Emmental-Style
• Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, Willows, 1^st for Graziers Grass Fed Kefir – Plain, Cultured Milk & Cream/Kefir, Drinkable Yogurt, etc. and 3^rd for Graziers Grass Fed Vat Cultured Euro Style Butter – Unsalted
• Oakdale Cheese & Specialties, Oakdale, 1^st for Cumin Gouda, Flavored Cheeses, International Style w/Flavor Added
• Rogue Creamery, Central Point, OR, 1^st for Organic Caveman Blue Cheese, Blue Mold Cheeses/Blue Veined with Rind/External Coating
• Peluso Cheese Company, Los Banos, 1^st for Teleme, American Originals, Teleme
• Marquez Brothers International, Inc., San Jose, 2^nd place each for Peach Drinkable Yogurt and Prune Smoothie and 3^rdplace for Strawberry Drinkable Yogurt, Yogurt & Cultured Products w/Flavors Added, and 3^rd for Oaxaca, Hispanic & Portuguese Style Cheeses/Cooking Hispanic.
• Rumiano Cheese Company, Crescent City, 2^nd for Dry Monterey Jack and 3^rd for Peppercorn Dry Jack, American Originals / Dry Jack Made from Cow’s Milk, 3^rdfor Organic Smoked Mozzarella, Smoked Cheeses/Italian Styles, and 3^rd for Organic Salted Butter, Butters/Salted
• Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, Nicasio, 2^nd for San Geronimo, Washed Rind Cheeses/Raclette Style Aged > 45 Days
• Karoun Dairies, Inc., Turlock, 3^rd for Drinkable Kefir, Cultured Milk & Cream Products, Kefir, Drinkables, etc.
• Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, 3^rd for Petite Jalapeño, Flavored Cheeses, Soft-Ripened with Flavor Added
• Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc., Modesto, 3^rd for Panela, Hispanic & Portuguese Style Cheeses, Fresh/Unripened

In total, 12 cow’s milk cheese and dairy producers won awards for products made with 100% Real California milk from the state’s more than 1300 dairy farm families. Real California cheeses and dairy products can be found at retailers throughout the U.S., Mexico and Asia. For more information about cheese and dairy products that carry the Real California Cheese or Milk seal, visit: RealCaliforniaMilk.com. For more information on ACS competition winners, go to: cheesesociety.org.

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