'World's Best Cheese' 2021 goes to Spanish producer's Olavidia goat cheese

Olavidia, a soft goat's cheese from the Spanish producer Quesos y Besos (Cheeses and Kisses) won the title of World's Best' Cheese 2021, reported CNN on Thursday. The media report said that the award was proffered to Olavidia during the 33rd World Cheese Awards held during the ongoing International Cheese Festival in Oviedo, Spain. The report claimed that the soft goat's cheese topped the list of 4,079 entries from 45 countries who were participated to claim the coveted title of "best cheese" in the world. It is worth mentioning Olavidia got 103 votes, defeating the second-place finisher, a soft cheese from France's Fromagerie Berthaut hit with the spirit Marc de Bourgogne, with 98 votes, that had been ahead until the very last minute, reported CNN.

World's best' cheese 2021 winner has only 6 employees

While announcing the results, Jason Hinds, a British Judge said that the Olavidia's cheese had a rich, creamy texture, seductive and a flavour that was round and warm. "I just wanted to go to bed with it," Hinds was seen saying to his colleagues. Meanwhile, Silvia Pelaez, the owner of the Spanish cheese producer told CNN that they have only six employees working in the factory. He informed that the cheese is officially known as Lacteos Romero Pelaez and mainly deal with export orders. 
"We are a small humble cheesemaker in Jaen-- a city in southern Spain best known for its olives. Daily labour has its reward," Pelaez was quoted as saying by CNN. 

Cheese Festival organised after two years 

According to CNN, the judges also noted that the cheese has a noticeable black stripe in the middle, which the organiser said the cheese was 'culminated with penicillium candidum and olive stone ash.' While some of the judges noted that the black strip was due to the ash. The media report said nearly 250 judges, including food scientists, cheese sellers, chefs and sommeliers attended the World Cheese Awards. Notably, this was the 33rd time when such a festival was organised in Spain. However, the past two years were the only exception when the festivals were not organised owing to COVID-19 restrictions. 

Image: Instagram/quesosybesos