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Stonetown Cheese wins awards at Royal Agricultural Winter Fair cheese competition



By Emily Stewart

A selection of local artisanal cheese from St. Marys recently earned some accolades from the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Stonetown Artisan Cheese announced on Facebook Oct. 23 that the cheesemaking team won several honours in the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair’s Cheese Competition. Stonetown Cheese won first place and second place in the category, Firm or Hard - Surface Ripened, Natural or Brushed Rind for their Wildwood and Grand Trunk cheeses, respectively. The artisanal cheese producers also earned the second-place prize for their fontina cheese in the Semi-Soft, Interior Ripened category and the fourth-place prize for Surface Ripened with their homecoming cheese.

“We're always excited to win something,” said Ramon Eberle, Stonetown Cheese’s co-owner and cheesemaker. “We don't take it for granted. It's an honour and it just shows that what we're doing here, we're doing a good job, and we have steady quality."

Eberle said there are several factors including taste and flavour to consider when picking the cheeses worthy to enter in the contest. Appearance and age are also considered. The cheeses usually age best between three to 18 months.

"Every cheese we make here has a different peak when it comes to that flavour and look and everything,” Eberle said.

Stonetown Cheese sent eight different kinds of cheeses to be judged.

"You always kind of try to pick the best batch from production,” Eberle said. “When I tried each cheese, I was just happy. I had a good feeling sending them in. It's not always like that. Sometimes it’s like 'I'm not sure if that's going to win something,' but I just felt good trying all the cheese and the quality was good."

Eberle said earning the accolades from the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair will boost Stonetown Cheese’s reputation.

“When it comes to artisanal cheese, you almost try to build a fanbase of people that recognize your brand and recognize your product,” he said. “and keep buying them over and over again and like what you do."

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