A Connecticut cheese with Wisconsin roots crowned U.S. champion
A Wisconsin cheese didn’t win the top prize at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, but the state’s influence on the aged Gouda made in Connecticut is being prominently touted.
The cheese, named “Europa,” scored a 98.73 and comes from Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, Connecticut, where Eric Schmid is the head cheesemaker, and was named best in show Thursday. Schmid grew up in Green County and was influenced by master cheesemakers Bruce Workman at Edelweiss Creamy in his hometown of Monticello, Paul Reigle at Maple Leaf Cheese in Monroe and Chris Roelli at Roelli Cheese Haus in Shullsburg.
Watch the winning announcements at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest on Thursday.
Schmid appeared happily overwhelmed when the announcement came down Thursday via a livestream at the Resch Expo in Ashwaubenon.
“Oh my God. Oh, wow. I’m speechless,” Schmid said via Zoom, just seconds after hearing the news. “I’m so proud of our cheese team … this is a welcome surprise. This cheese is great.”
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Wisconsin cheeses took the next two spots in the contest. The second runner-up was a medium cheddar made by Dillon Sylla for Associated Milk Producers in Blair, which scored 98.55.
Wheels and blocks of Swiss await cutting Tuesday during the opening hours of the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon. The…
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