Three cheese makers from the region, the Blackburn cheese factory, the Médard cheese factory and the Perron cheese factory, will be competing with 26 other establishments from the province. In total, 63 cheeses are finalists to win one of the prestigious Caseus awards, including the Caseus Gold, which will crown the best cheese in Quebec. 24 prizes and 2 special mentions will also be awarded to the winners on September 25, 2024, at the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City.
“It’s always a source of pride to see businesses from the region stand out in Quebec’s food offering. This nomination allows Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean to highlight its biofood wealth and make its entrepreneurs known. I invite consumers to fill their plates with local flavors,” says Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister responsible for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.
The Perron cheese factory, the Médard cheese factory and the Blackburn cheese factory are in the running to try to win the prize for the best cheese in Quebec. ((Archives The Daily)/(Archives The Daily))
For the Blackburn cheese dairy, the Riverin, a cheese matured in the mass without ripening openings, and Le Mont-Jacob, made from cow’s milk with a washed, mixed or natural rind and a semi-firm paste, were selected.
As for the Médard cheese factory, there are five cheeses that stood out, namely:
- Bois de Grandmont, cow’s milk cheese with mixed or natural washed rind — soft paste.
- La Belle-Mère, made from cow’s milk with washed, mixed or natural rind — semi-soft dough.
- La Voisine, made from goat’s milk with a bloomy rind.
- Le Cousin, cow’s milk with mixed or natural washed rind — soft dough.
- Goat-Cow, a mixture of goat’s and cow’s milk, with a firm paste.
In 2023, the Médard cheese dairy distinguished itself in the cow’s milk category, a company processing less than 1 million liters per year, with two cheeses with washed, mixed or natural rind.
Finally, the Perron cheese factory also has two candidates in the competition, the Perron Cheddar, matured for 2 years, and Le Suisse, matured in the mass with ripening openings.
A choice of 197 cheeses
Created in 1998, Sélection Caseus highlights the excellence of Quebec cheeses and highlights the know-how of those who make them. The competition aims to introduce consumers to the creativity of cheesemakers, which is expressed in a multitude of innovative, high-quality products. It is also the only competition dedicated to the recognition and promotion of cheeses produced in Quebec.
It was at the Saint-Hyacinthe campus of the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec that a jury of 25 experts representing the various sectors of the cheese industry carried out the sensory evaluation of 197 cheeses.
Fromagerie Médard and Fromagerie Blackburn are the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean finalists for the Caseus Selection of the Quebec Cheese Competition. (Gimmy Desbiens/Archives Le Quotidien)
Whether they are made from cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk, whether they have a bloomy or washed rind or even a soft, firm or blue-veined paste, the cheeses selected were evaluated by specialists according to their general appearance, texture, smell, taste and flavour (all the olfactory and taste sensations during tasting).
“In Quebec, artisan cheesemakers make high-quality products and the finalists of the Sélection Caseus 2024 competition undoubtedly attest to this. Every year, dozens of cheeses stand out to a jury of experts, and I encourage the population to discover them. By choosing them, consumers contribute to the prosperity of Quebec biofood companies, to the growth of our economy and to healthy eating. I thank all the cheesemakers who took part in the competition and I congratulate this year’s finalists. Your participation in Sélection Caseus offers an exceptional showcase for the agri-food sector,” concluded André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
