Ah cheese… Emblem of our dear country, in which there are more than 300 varieties! It is therefore no surprise that France is considered one of the best producing nations of this dairy product. However, it is not here that the best cheese in the world is produced. Indeed, a few days ago, The World Cheese Awards, a ceremony which took place in San Sebastian in Spain, crowned the 2016 champion and he is… Norwegian! This is Kraftkar, produced on the Tingvollost family farm in Torjulvågen, in the north of the country (it's true, that's a lot of names that are difficult to pronounce in the same sentence). And the product was able to stand out among the 3,000 competing cheeses from 31 countries... Ah yes, that's not a joke!
Kraftkar is described as a cheese with a pretty round shape, and the most pleasant texture:it crumbles to leave a soft smoothness in the mouth, which contrasts with its blue color which gives it all its character. But what are the criteria for making such an important decision? Hundreds of judges from all over the world and divided into 66 teams analyzed the quality, color, texture of the products presented, and of course their flavor. Two stages must then be passed:that of the jury, and that of the Super Jury composed of 16 international experts. The obstacle course then... But the Kraftkar pulled out of the game!
Gunnar Waagen, at the head of the family company Tingvollost did not hide his joy, as revealed by the site The Kitchn :“I have no words, this is incredible news! […] We get up early every day and go to bed very late to produce the best cheese possible and I am so proud to have won this award ". Work rewarded! We are not against seeing Kraftkar appear in French supermarkets… We say that, we say nothing!
