Say Cheese!

After two years it is once again time for Cheese, the world’s most important event dedicated to dairy and artisanal cheesemaking.

The four-day event begins Friday morning with the public opening of the Cheese Market and the Great Hall of Cheese. The official opening will be held at 4pm and will be attended by Luca Zaia, Italian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mercedes Bresso, President of Region of Piemonte, Italy; Gianna Gancia, President of the Province of Cuneo, Italy and Bruna Sibille, Mayor of Bra – the town in which the biennial event is held – and Carlo Petrini, President of Slow Food.

During the ceremony the Benemerito di Cheese award will be granted to four figures in the cheese world who are distinguished by their passion, dedication and commitment in the pursuit of quality in keeping with Slow Food’s principles: good for the palate, clean for the environment and fair for society.

The recipients of the award are Pascale Baudonnel (Norway), cheesemaker in the Artisan Sognefjord Geitost Presidium, Livio Garbaccio (Piedmont), shepherd in the Macagn Presidium, Francesco Gioito (Piedmont), affineur (cheese maturer), and Antonio Rodeghiero (Veneto), herdsman in the Asiago Stravecchio Presidium.

In addition to the ‘classic’ events – Taste Workshops, Dinner Dates, Master of Food – Cheese will also feature Milk Workshops (presentations, discussion and debate on topics relating to milk, livestock farming, cheese production systems, the consumption of dairy products and other issues), the Great Hall of Cheese, where more than 100 types of cheese can be sampled along with a selection of Italy’s best wines, the new Birroteca, Tasting Booths and Street Food, educational activities for schools, and an area dedicated to Slow Food Presidia.

Among the new events of this year, an activity organized by cheese maturers offers visitors to Cheese the opportunity to win their weight… in cheese!

Visit the Cheese website for more information.