Seven Tenerife cheeses awarded as half Canarian entries in World Cheese Awards 2016 win prizes

[Janet]

The World Cheese Awards 2016 have just been held in San Sebastián in the Basque Country, part of a wider International Cheese Festival which is recognized as the most important in the world for cheese producers. This year, Canarian cheese were heavily represented, and have done incredibly well, with half of the Canarian entries winning prizes.

The results from the event being held in San Sebastían in the Basque Country were applauded by Narvay Quintero, the Canarian Government's Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Aguas minister, who said that last year 18 cheeses received awards out of 60 entries, and so this year's 48 out of 97 is a stunning achievenment.Of the prizes available, Canarian cheeses won 2 supergolds, 11 golds, 19 silver and 16 bronze, with the supergolds going to a Lanzarote sheep cheese and a Fuerteventura mature pimentón.

Tenerife's prizes were a gold for the Queso de cabra curado añejo con corteza de gofio from Flor de Güímar and silvers for Queso de mezcla añejo de cabra y vaca and Queso viejo de mezcla from Montesdeoca. Bronze prizes went to a semi-cured goat cheese from Biogranja Montesdeoca and three almogrotes from La Reina and Montesdeoca.