SF-October-2020

specialityfoodmagazine.com 31 “The timeless value of award-winning cheeses” S ince March, each time that I’ve sat down to write this column, I’ve wondered if what I’m writing will still be valid and (hopefully) interesting by the time it gets into print. Six months in, I’ve twigged that a way round this would be to look backwards rather than forwards. As part of my preparation for a recent committee meeting for the British Cheese Awards, I looked at the roll call of Supreme Champions over the years. For our 25th anniversary celebrations in 2018, we considered having a taste off between all the previous winners, but ultimately decided against it. The necessary inclusion of that year’s winner would make it illogical for that cheese not to win the ultimate accolade, if judged at the same event (because this years’ winner has already been declared the best at the show). I’d still like to see a grand show-down happen someday – on absolutely level ground. Perhaps that’s something we could consider. Previous winners range from supermarket favourites to small-scale artisan cheeses. To date, precious few Supreme Champions are no longer available – Quenby Hall Stilton and Innes Buttons are no longer made, but most winners are firm fixtures on discerning cheese counters. Cheddars are represented by Montgomery, Seriously Strong, and Cheddar Gorge – Lincoln Poacher also took silverware home in 1996. Tunworth, Barkham and Celtic Promise are all two- time winners, while White Lake have won the big prize three times in a row, with Pavé Cobble, Sheep Rustler and last year, The English Pecorino. Roger Longman cheekily hopes to retain the cup in perpetuity, as Brazil did with the JUSTIN TUNSTALL Jules Rimet trophy. Mrs. Kirkham’s, Cerney, Golden Cenarth, both Cropwell Bishop’s Organic Stilton and their Shropshire Blue, Blue Wensleydale and then the Irish winners, Kilree, Milleens and Coolea would all merit renewed scrutiny and comparison. Selecting a champion of champions is always an apples versus oranges exercise, but generally panels veer towards a shortlist that all agree has the ‘wow’ factor and thrash out a winner and runner-up without too much angst. Or bloodshed. The staying power of these winners (dare I say brands) is testament to the stellar rebirth of the British cheese industry; they have both benefited from, and contributed to, that growth. Publicity for winners always attracts attention and sales. I always made a point of texting an order for cheese as and when the awards were announced. Usually I could get a winner into my chillers within 48 hours, even if it wasn’t a line that I had already stocked. Shoppers would call up or pop in on the off chance that I’d heard of the cheese they had read about. It was delightful and profitable to be able to answer positively with “How much would you like?”. Producers, wholesalers and retailers can all make capital from an award win – please remember previous winners as well as more recent ones. The Royal Bath &West Society has made the decision to cancel the British Cheese Awards which were due to take place on 7th October. “This is hugely disappointing for everyone involved with the British Cheese Awards,” says Alan Lyons, head of shows, “especially given the hope that the rearranged dates gave us. We were very much looking forward to joining two great shows together, but with the ongoing restrictions and cases of COVID-19 currently on the rise again, it was just not meant to be this year.” The Society admits that this is an extremely difficult decision to make but ultimately the responsible thing to do, as the impact of these challenging times on gatherings will not have abated sufficiently to allow The Dairy Show – where the British Cheese Awards were due to be held – to go ahead. “We hope that our exhibitors, traders and visitors will understand that we have a civic responsibility to act sensibly,” Alan continues, “and that with the reduction in numbers of people allowed to meet, cancellation now is the right thing to do.” The Royal Bath & West Society has said that it will be in touch with exhibitors, sponsors judges and stewards for the British Cheese Awards with details of what to do next, and that The Board of Trustees and all staff at the Royal Bath & West Society would like to thank everyone involved for their understanding and patience during this period of uncertainty. “To have to cancel one of the key awards events in the UK is a great shame, especially when so many others have fallen by the wayside this year,” says Alan, “but we remain determined to run in 2021 and to celebrate all the wonderful British producers and their cheese.” British Cheese Awards cancelled for 2020 “We have done interesting research during lockdown and 65% of consumers are much more likely to buy British produce to support the country’s farmers during the coronavirus crisis and 55% prefer to buy British cheese instead of French or Italian” Robin Skailes, chairman of the Specialist Cheesemakers Association INDUSTRY VOICES