My cheese choice this week was an easy one, shining the spotlight on a local winner from the “academy awards” of cheese competitions, The 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. Named for a combination of the town of Lancaster, outside of Alexandria (East of Ottawa off Highway 34) & and “kaas”, the Dutch word for cheese, is Lankaaster, winner in the semi-soft category. Accolades go to Glengarry Fine Cheese and gourmet artisan cheesemaker Margaret Morris.

Lankaaster is a semi-soft to hard cheese, made from the milk of local Brown Swiss cows shaped in a loaf and coated in a colorful waxy rind. You’ll find it rich, dense, a little chewy, with barny aromas, butter and nutty flavors, and a mild fruity tang. The overall texture becomes dry and crumbly with age, and the cheese more intense. Yummy! Both Lankaaster Aged and Lankaaster are best mixed in, and used to top your favourite pasta dish under the broiler. Also available in a wide variety of flavours: Chive, Cumin, Peppercorn and Italian (Ladies take note – it’s a favourite among guys.)

FACTBOX:

Cheese: Lankaaster

Producer: Glengarry Fine Cheese

Interesting Fact: Lankaaster is a Gouda (pronounced “How-da”)-style cheese, sharing the same characteristics as the international favorite Dutch farmstead cheese.

Enjoy! – Vanessa

Tags: 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix finalist, Cheese Sommelier Vanessa Simmons, Glengarry Fine Cheese, Lankaaster, Savvy Company, Savvy Company Cheese Sommelier, Vanessa Simmons