A fresh unripened cheese made in Kapuskasing has been declared the best of its kind in Canada at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
The Fresh Chèvre Frais made by Fromagerie Kapuskoise has earned the top spot in the Fresh Unripened Cheese – Natural category (Goat, Sheep, Water Buffalo and Mixed Milk Variety Cheese), which included eight other contenders from across Ontario.
Made of goat milk — chèvre translates to “goat” in English — the cheese is soft and tangy, and is often used in salads or pastas, but can also be served on crackers or bread.
The cheesemaker sources its goat milk from Nubians North, a 50-acre farm in Porquis Junction that houses 800 goats under the watchful eye of Greg and Cheryl Garner.
See: Cheese lovers flocking to Kap for artisanal fare
In addition to the chèvre, other Fromagerie Kapuskoise goat milk products fared quite well, including its Saganash, which earned second; its Mattagami chèvre, which earned fourth; and its Kapuskasing chèvre, which earned sixth place, all in the in the Surface Ripened (Ash, Washed, Natural or Brushed Rinds) category.
For cow milk cheese, the company's Wakusimi earned third place in the Firm and Hard – Surface Ripened, Natural or Brushed Rind category.
Held annually at Exhibition Place in Toronto, The Royal is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world, drawing thousands to participate. This year, it runs from Nov. 1 to 10.
Among the displays and demonstrations, food competitions, and equestrian events, the popular Northern Ontario Agri-Food Pavilion showcases producers from across the North, who sample and sell their agri-food products, while also networking and making valuable connections with potential buyers and distributors.
