We've been talking about cheese lately ... and this floated up in one
of my news/trivia feeds .....

The World Cheese Awards, held in Oviedo, Spain, in November 2021,
settled the matter with an official ranking. This year the competition
had over 4,000 entrants representing 45 countries from six continents

16th place: Hisui, Japan

The only Japanese cheese to feature on the list, Hisui is a beautiful
blue cheese from Nagano that's aged for 80 days, after which the flavors
are the most enjoyable. The cheese has already won several awards in
Japan and has now gained international recognition as well.

Joint 14th place: Pitchfork Vintage Cheddar, UK

A returning favorite from the brothers at Trethowan's Dairy in North
Somerset, Pitchfork Vintage Cheddar is a classic cloth-bound Cheddar
with a dense, creamy texture and acidic bite. And it isn't the only
cheese from these exceptional cheesemakers to feature on the list.

AND

This Gouda-type cheese is just one of many Dutch cheeses to gain
recognition at this year's awards. Made by FrieslandCampina, the cheese
is inspired by Italian cheese styles and has a different ripening
process, fat content and flavor profile that sets it apart from
traditional Gouda. The cheese is ripened for 38 weeks so has an intense
and sweet taste, while the texture is pleasantly firm but creamy.

13th place: Tomme de chŠvre Cave Rousseau, France

Matured in cellars equipped with a water retention tank that collects
moisture from the hill where Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived, this goats'
cheese is beautiful in its appearance. Due to the unique conditions in
the cellars, three types of mold develop, creating a colorful rind of
red, yellow and green. Contrasting with its old and rustic appearance,
the flavor is fresh, fruity and almost sweet.

12th place: Parmigiano Reggiano 30-39 mesi, Italy

We couldn't get through the world's 16 best cheeses without Parmigiano
Reggiano, loved globally. A hard, granular cheese, it's produced
exclusively in certain parts of Italy. The winning variety is a
Parmigiano Reggiano aged for at least 30 months from Rosola Di Zocca
Societa' Agricola Cooperative with a delicate fragrance and fine, flaky
texture.

11th place: Almnas Tegel, Sweden

The only Swedish cheese to make the list, Almnas Tegel is made on the
Almnas Estate, on the shores of Lake Vattern in western Sweden. The form
of this cheese was inspired by the handmade bricks that have been made
locally since the 1750s and while it may look like a brick, it certainly
tastes much more delicious. A smooth and dense cows' milk cheese, it has
a distinct sweetness, almost reminiscent of caramel and butterscotch,
while the texture offers a satisfying crunch thanks to the 16-month-long
maturing process.

Joint 9th place: Vorarlberger Bergk„se g.U. - ber 10 Monate, Austria

Produced exclusively in the Alpine Bregenz Forest in Austria's
westernmost province and made from fresh hay milk, the cheese is matured
in special air-conditioned rooms. With a unique hearty and spicy flavor,
the cheese has been bagging awards since 2014 with its 10-month version
now recognized once again.

AND

Level pegging with the Austrian cheese is this Italian Gorgonzola. Made
by Caseifico Brusati, this is a particularly creamy version that can be
eaten with a spoon. It's the aging process that helps it develop its
signature soft texture and slightly sweet flavor. Visually it's also
beautiful to look at, with typical light blue and greenish veins that
are irregular thanks to the handmaking process

8th place: Montana Intenso, Netherlands

Dutch producer MAAZ Cheese and their Montana Intenso cheese sits in
eighth place. Matured for 40 weeks on wooden shelves, its unique
character appealed to the judges thanks to the slightly sweet, aged
flavor of the cheese.

7th place: Gorwydd Caerphilly, UK

Another winning British cheese from the makers of 14th-place Pitchfork
Vintage Cheddar, Gorwydd Caerphilly is an artisan semi-soft cheese
produced by Trethowan's Dairy in North Somerset, England. Made with
unpasteurised cows' milk and traditional rennet, it has a natural rind
and mushroomy cream layer around a springy, citrus core.

6th place: Camembeso, Spain

Made from the pasteurized milk of Malague€a goats, this Camembert-like
cheese is matured for 60 days to ensure it has a wonderful depth of
flavor. Made by Spanish producers Quesos & Besos, the rind of the cheese
is also edible and adds a bit of texture to this semi-soft cheese. The
flavor is light and buttery with floral and nutty notes.

5th place: Twentse Bunkerkaas Geit, Netherlands

Landing in fifth place is another Dutch producer, Zijerveld Food, and
its Twentse Bunkerkaas Geit. Ripened in former ammunition bunkers for 25
weeks, the unusual goats' cheese is creamy and spicy with an intensely
pure flavor. The unique character of the cheese is underlined by its
striking appearance: instead of a label and band, the logo is pressed
into the side and top of the cheese.

4th place: Baracska semi-hard cheese, Hungary

A semi-hard cheese made from the fatty milk of Hungarian cows grazing in
the V li Valley, this cheese captures the richness of the pastures with
its full flavor. Produced by Cs¡z Sajtmuhely, it's a flexible, elastic
cheese that softly melts in the mouth with a sweet flavor, distantly
reminiscent of caramel.

3rd place: Eminence Grise - Tomme ChŠvre Grise au Bleu, Netherlands

The third-best cheese in the world is the Dutch Eminence Grise. Aged in
caves in France, this goats' cheese from Van der Heiden Kaas has
delicate blue veins and is smothered in a natural crust, which allows
the cheese to develop its soft, mild taste. The winner, Tomme ChŠvre
Grise au Bleu, is ripened for at least six months.

2nd place: Epoisses Berthaut PerriŠre, France

It would be a shock if an Epoisses wasn't a finalist, as the pungent yet
popular cheese is much-loved around the world. It's on the official list
of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products in Europe and only
produced in central France. Made since the 16th century, it's a cows'
milk cheese with a washed rind, soft texture and creamy taste. The
winning version is washed with Marc de Bourgogne and made by Fromagerie
Berthaut in Burgundy.

Winner: Olavidia, Quesos & Besos, Spain

Fending off competition from the best cheesemakers in the world, this
extraordinary cheese, made by a husband and wife duo in the small
Spanish town of Guarrom n, claimed the top spot. Coming from a long line
of shepherds, they decided to make a lactic cheese, which is one of the
oldest forms of fermentation. The result is Olavidia - a soft and creamy
goats' cheese with a buttery flavor and floral notes. The cheese is made
entirely by hand and, when cut, shows a vein of ash, making it visually
striking as well.

Inspired? Here are 35 cheeses you must try at least once ...

https://www.lovefood.com/galleries/70410/35-cheeses-you-must-try-once-in-your-life?page=1

I've only missed 4 of these - Taleggio, Reblochon, Vacherin Mont d'Or 
and Ossau-Iraty.  Not bad for a farm boy from the American midwest.

... Confucius say: "Baseball all wrong...  Man with 4 balls cannot walk."
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