The new winner of the 2012 Woolworths Cheese Makers' Challenge is Kilimanjaro, a goats' milk cheese produced by Belnori Boutique Cheesery in Gauteng. It also received a silver medal at the 2012 World Cheese Awards, considered the largest cheese competition in the world. It attracts thousands of entries from more than 30 countries and is judged by over 200 expert buyers from every corner of the globe.
Woolworths introduced the Cheese Makers Challenge in 2011 to encourage small, local cheeseries to create new and exciting cheeses that would appeal to South African cheese lovers. This year's competition attracted a substantially higher number of entries than the inaugural competition.
Only two entries were permitted per cheesery, in the categories of hard cheese, semi-hard cheese, wash rind cheese, white mould cheese, blue mould cheese, fresh cheese or cheeses with added ingredients
The competition was judged by a panel of food experts including Abigail Donnelly of Taste Magazine; Kobus Mulder, an independent cheese industry expert; Valerie Elder, cheese expert and owner of Get Stuffed Enterprises; and Clare Mack, Food Editor of Spill.co.za.
Kilimanjaro will be available at Woolworths Nicolway, Hyde Park, Brooklyn, Constantia, V&A Waterfront and Hout Bay stores from February.
Contented Swiss goats produce winner
Located near Bapsfontein, Belnori is owned by Norman and Rina Belcher. Their cheeses are made from the milk produced by their own Swiss Saanen goats, most of which have been reared on the property. Both are cheese makers, and say that it is difficult to distinguish exactly who makes what, though Norman takes care of the goats, ensuring that they are in good health, while Rina sees to the finishing and packaging. Their winning Kilimanjaro cheese is described as a curd-washed, truckle shaped cheese, which has been matured for up to four months to allow the distinctive nutty flavour to develop.
