Castlemaine artisan producer Long Paddock Cheese took out the title of Best Australian Cheese at England’s prestigious International Cheese and Dairy Awards last week. Adding to this prestigious win, the small central Victorian cheesemaker also took out second place in the same class.
Following intense judging against leading cheesemakers from around the nation, Long Paddock Cheese’s Banksia was named Best Australian Cheese. Banksia is a semi-hard cheese made from 100 per cent organic cow’s milk in the style of the traditional tommes of the French Alps.
To bolster its winning streak, Long Paddock Cheese was also awarded a Silver Medal for its Driftwood, a luscious soft cheese bound in spruce bark and made in the Alpine Vacherin style.
“We are so pleased for the whole team, from the farmer to the cheesemakers and the team who age our cheeses so carefully,” said Long Paddock Cheese co-director Gaetan Chapon.
“We all work incredibly hard to make truly great cheese, and having our work recognised by international judges is testament to that effort. Considering we were up against some truly outstanding Australian cheesemakers, this win makes the achievement even more rewarding.”
The icing on the cake for the small Victorian team was a silver medal for its Driftwood cheese, where it competed against similar cheeses from well-established manufacturers in Europe and around the world.”
Again, it is a David and Goliath story,” Mr Chapon said.
“We are a small producer with a tight-knit team working at the other end of the world. To be recognised alongside some of the biggest and most respected cheesemakers across the globe means so much to our staff and to the local community who support us.”
Additional medals awarded to Long Paddock Cheese at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards included a silver medal for its Granite, a cloth-bound cheddar-style cheese, and a bronze medal for its mild and savoury blue cheese called Bluestone.
“This is one of the world’s premier cheese competitions,” Mr Chapon said.
“The very best cheesemakers from around the globe compete for these trophies. To have the cheese we make here in Castlemaine recognised by judges whose palates have been trained on Europe’s finest cheeses is incredibly satisfying. It makes me proud of everyone at Long Paddock Cheese.”