The Canary Islands Have The Best Cheese In The World

A co-operative from the Spanish islands beats 2,400 other cheeses from around the globe to take crown
The Canary Islands has triumphed at the World Cheese Awards 2008. It was awarded the world champion crown for Queso Arico curado pimentón cheese. The award was very timely since the next World Cheese competition in 2009 is set to take place in the Canary Islands.
The champion cheese was chosen by a panel of 12 experts chaired by Nigel Barden and including celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson and Mark Hix.Queso Arico curado pimentón is one of several cheeses produced by the co-operative’s 21 employees, and is made using the milk of Canary Island goats and animal rennet, which is then pressed and regularly brushed with paprika and gofia, a powdered cereal unique to the islands, before being matured for around six months. The cheese has been made for generations, but until now, has rarely traveled outside of the islands and mainland Spain.
The canarians beat off the other finalists of Von Muhlenen Le Gruyère AOC, Fourme d’Ambert produced by Marin Père et Fils and a Canadian soft cow’s milk cheese Cendré de LuneCo-operative secretary, Antonio Gonzales Bravo, said: It’s a dream come true for our co-operative – we simply can’t believe it!”
The award was presented by Michelin-starred chef Richard Corrigan at the RDS Simmons court in Dublin.