SUGARCREEK, Ohio — The Ohio Swiss Cheese Association recently hosted the Ohio State Fair cheese contest, the second of three contests held to determine the 2019 grand champion and reserve champion cheesemakers.
This contest was held July 10, at Pearl Valley Cheese in Fresno, Ohio.
Winners of the Ohio State Fair contest by classification included:
Rindless Swiss Class: first place, Pearl Valley Cheese Co., Fresno, Ohio; second, Guggisberg Cheese Co., Millersburg, Ohio; third, Broad Run Cheese, Dover, Ohio;
Other Swiss Types Class: first, Pearl Valley Cheese Co. for its Gouda; second, Pearl Valley Cheese Co. for its Lacey Baby; third, Pearl Valley Cheese Co. for its Lacey Swiss.
Open class (various cheeses, flavored and unflavored, made of cows’ milk): first place, Pearl Valley Cheese Co. for their Jumpin’ Jack; second, Guggisberg Cheese Co. for their Maasdam; third, Black Radish Creamery, Columbus, for their Raclette.
Soft and Spreadable Class (cheese containing greater than 51% moisture): first, Black Radish Creamery, Mini Brie cheese.
In a separate contest for the state fair, Pearl Valley Cheese Co. received the grand champion rosette for their Swiss cheese and Guggisberg Cheese received the reserve champion rosette for their Maasdam cheese.
Former cheesemaker Mike Felton, cheese buyers Paul Chervenak and Kevin Watts, and Dan Wilson, cheese technician, judged the competition.
The cheeses entered in the various classifications will be displayed at the 2019 Ohio State Fair in Columbus, July 24 through Aug. 4.
