The candidates were given a challenge: a colourful, vibrant and delicious signature cheese
Unprecedented on the planet, the second competition that will choose the best cheesemaker in Brazil is not that of milk and sugar. On February 2, the candidates received instructions for the third of the three challenges: to make three cheeses with different rinds and appearances, but based on the same dough recipe. And, above all, it must be delicious to tempt the judges’ palates!
The candidates have 70 days to accomplish the feat and must present their innovative table on April 13, at the B32 Theater in Praça da Baleia, where the Brazilian Cheese World Cup will be held, in Sao Paulo.
The 10 best artisanal cheeses from Brazil
Natural vibrant colors
“The cheeses must reflect the bright colors of Brazil, without using synthetic dyes,” informed Antônio Fernandes, president of the competition, about this challenge. I immediately remembered this blue cheese below, matured in red fruit syrup and covered in chocolate… Delicious is not enough to describe, on the palate, the saltiness of the blue-green cheese which tempers the creamy sweetness of the dark chocolate. Moans. The colors of the sea of southern Bahia with the cocoa plantations.
“They must contain at least one fruit or vegetable in their composition,” reads another contest rule. I immediately remembered this truffle-filled French triple cream below. Detail, white mold covers the dark line. We only discover the surprise when we open the cheese, an impeccable maturing job.
The secret of including an ingredient is that it must enhance the cheese as a supporting element, a springboard for the cheese to reach our taste buds. But without taking the spotlight away from the main actor, who can only be the cheese.
In the palm of your hand
Another rule of the new challenge: the winning cheeses “must fit, all three together, on a single board of 33×23 cm”. Following the market trend of increasingly smaller foods to feed fewer and fewer families.
In short, the three cheeses created for the competition will each have to fit in the palm of your hand. This could lead to a trend of Brazilian cheeses towards refined formats, almost to pastry shop, in the sense of pastry.
Like the volcanoes of the Cabriole dairy in France, a sour cow’s cheese covered with a small piece of soft goat’s cheese, covered in ash. Paprika is fire.
The fact of producing small cheeses helps the candidates, who only have 70 days to make them. They heal faster and we soon see the results.
Revisit your typical cheese
Also according to the new challenge, candidates will have to be original with respect to maturation techniques. “The cheeses must have a rind, which can be natural, bloomed, morgiata, washed, among other possibilities,” explained Arnaud Sperat Czar, French president of the competition. “And they must also be developed exclusively for this competition: it is not allowed to submit products that have already been created previously.”
Also president of the Raw Milk Foundation in France, Arnaud does not hide his preference for cheeses without heat treatment of the milk. “In addition to being tastier, since they have a greater complexity of flavours, raw milk cheeses are more difficult to control. The candidate who chooses this path will demonstrate that he knows how to harmonize with nature, that he is an artist” he stated.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
