A mouth-watering tasting plate of Canadian Cheese Grand Prix winners.

THE CANADIAN CHEESE GRAND PRIX IS HELD EVERY OTHER YEAR. WINNERS WILL RETURN TO THE FESTIVAL IN 2013. THE INFORMATION HERE RELATES TO 2011.

First taste of Grand Prix winners

It was an unforgettable evening for cheesemaker Jean Morin, his brother, Dominic, and associate cheesemaker Dany Grimard. Louis d’Or, the extraordinary cheese they make at Fromagerie du Presbytère, was declared Grand Champion—the best of the best—at the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix on April 20, 2011.

Additionally, in an unprecedented awards sweep, Louis d’Or was named champion in three different categories:

• Firm cheese
• Farmstead cheese
• Organic cheese

On top of that, their fabulous Bleu d’Élizabeth was selected champion in the blue-cheese category!

Clearly, Jean Morin was the happiest and proudest cheese producer in Canada as the Gala of Champions unfolded at Palais Royale in Toronto, scene of a lavish awards ceremony cum cheese-tasting organized by Dairy Farmers of Canada, sponsors of the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.

The first opportunity for the public to taste Grand Prix winners in one place—and meet the makers such as Jean Morin—will be at The Great Canadian Cheese Festival on June 4-5, 2011, in Picton in Prince Edward County, Ontario’s newest wine region and fastest-growing culinary destination.

In his acceptance speech, Jean was quick to give credit to his brother, Dominic, who looks after their herd of cows, and to Dany Grimard, who runs the make room in the former rectory that serves as the creamery across the street from their farm in Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick two hours east of Montréal.

Jean and Dominic are fourth-generation dairy farmers who have found amazing success as first-generation cheese producers in a few short years. What’s the secret of their success?

“Happy, healthy cows,” Jean says. “It all starts with the milk, and the care we show the cheese as we make it.”

Here is the complete list of 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix winners, with asterisks indicating those committed to taking part in The Great Canadian Cheese Festival:

Fresh cheese: Mascarpone Tre Stelle, Arla Foods, Ontario

Soft cheese with bloomy rind: Island Bries, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, British Columbia

Semi-soft cheese: Lankaaster Traditional Gouda, Glengarry Fine Cheese, Ontario*

Washed-rind soft and semi-soft cheese: Le Mont-Jacob, Fromagerie Blackburn, Québec*

Firm cheese: Louis d’Or, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Québec*

Swiss-type cheese: Fromage Suisse Lemaire, Fromagerie Lemaire, Québec

Mozzarella: Bocconcini Santa Lucia, International Cheese, Ontario

Blue cheese: Le Bleu d’Élizabeth, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Québec*

Flavoured cheese with added non-particulate flavouring: Naturally Smoked Boerenkaas, Natural Pastures Cheese, British Columbia

Flavoured cheese with added particulate solids and flavouring: Gouda Herbs and Garlic, Sylvan Star Cheese, Alberta

Mild cheddar: Mild Cheddar, Black River Cheese, Ontario*

Medium cheddar: Cheddar moyen Biologique, Fromagerie L’Ancêtre, Québec

Old and extra old cheddar: Le Jersey du Fjord, Bergeries du Fjord, Québec*

Aged Cheddar (1-3 years): Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, Cows Creamery, Prince Edward Island*

Aged Cheddar (4 years +): Cheddar Doyen 4 years, Fromagerie Perron, Québec

Farmhouse cheese: Louis d’Or, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Québec*

Organic cheese: Louis d’Or, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Québec*

The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix is a competition sponsored and hosted by Dairy Farmers of Canada, celebrating the high quality and proud tradition of Canadian cheese made from 100% Canadian cow’s milk.

For the 2011 competition, a record-breaking total of 203 cheeses from six provinces was submitted for judging in the competition. A panel of Canada’s top cheese experts spent two days in Montréal rigorously tasting and evaluating the best cow-milk cheeses this country has to offer as they narrowed the field down to 51 cheeses in 17 categories.