Lovera's Cheese Co. in Krebs wins first place in worldwide competition
BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Thursday, December 20, 2012
12/20/12 at 4:38 AM
KREBS - Enjoy a short drive south of Tulsa and you see where some of the world's best cheese is made.
Lovera's Cheese Co. in Krebs won an award for three out of five cheeses that it entered in the recent World Cheese Awards.
And it was the first time that Lovera's entered the global competition.
Cheesemaker Shawn Duffy said that the Caciocavera cheese received the gold place award in the mild provolone category. The Hickory Smoked Caciocavera was awarded the silver place in the smoked cheese category.
And the latest addition to the line of fine Italian type cheeses, "Batista," (a caciocavallo style 50/50 blend of La Mancha goat's milk and Jersey cow's milk) took the silver in the mixed milk category.
"As this was our first year to enter cheeses in this international event, it was with great honor and pride that we received the news of our awards," Duffy said.
The World Cheese Awards, run by the U.K.'s Guild of Fine Food, is the largest and most respected competition of its type in the world, he said. This year it brought together 2,781 cheeses from 30 countries under one roof.
Judges included cheese experts from the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Greece, South Africa, Portugal and Russia.
"The competition is truly global, with only 25 percent of entries from the U.K. Others came from Ireland, New Zealand, the USA, Spain, Croatia, Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Cyprus, Slovakia, Canada, Australia, Greece, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark and Russia," Duffy said.
In August, Lovera's took second place for its Caciocavera cheese at the top cheese competition in the country. The American Cheese Society conference held its 29th annual event Aug. 1-4 in Raleigh, N.C.
Caciocavera is the market's signature cheese, Duffy said. Caciocavera is a stretch-cured cheese that is like a cross between mozzarella and provolone.
Duffy has been making cheese at Lovera's, a grocery known for its authentic Italian food, for five years.
Find about more at tulsaworld.com/loverasmarket
Original Print Headline: Top cheese
Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Cheese maker Shawn Duffy hangs out with with newly made caciocavera cheese at Lovera's Famous Italian Market in Krebs. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World file
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