The 3rd Annual Cheese Fair Chose Only Laymen as Judges. Our Cheeses Were Enjoyed!

Kozí vŕšok in Ivachnová organized the III. Cheese Fair

Evaluation of the competition for the best cheeses

 

Ing. Karol Herian, CSc.,

This year, in June, the company Leonteus, s.r.o. with its operation Kozí vŕšok in Ivachnová organized the III. annual nationwide Cheese Fair. In the beautiful surroundings of Kozí vŕšok in the restaurant and courtyard area, over fifteen hundred visitors came throughout the day in nice weather. Even this year, those visitors who arrived early certainly did not regret it, because the local organizers prepared a very rich professional, cultural, and entertainment program for them.

Throughout the day, visitors to the fair, besides a rich selection of dishes and specialties of the local restaurant, could see and hear beautiful folklore ensembles of children and adults, including Liptáčik, Liptov, and Sliačanček. In addition, there was a public competition of Slovak cheeses made from sheep, goat, and cow milk, a contest for the most beautiful shaped steamed cheese, and also a competition to break the record in pulling steamed cheeses. Children also had their share of fun with creative workshops, competitions for young and old, folk dance school, etc. There was also a sale of handicrafts and even a raffle. The entire program was humorously hosted by the well-known moderator Vladimír Balco.

 

Course of the competition for the best cheese and evaluation

 

The main attraction of the Cheese Fair at Kozí vŕšok was the Public competition in the quality of our Slovak cheeses, to which all cheese producers in Slovakia were invited, including existing cheese factories and small producers from farms. A total of 12 producers registered for the competition, bringing a total of 42 cheese samples. All these cheeses were divided into 4 categories:

1. Category of younger sheep and goat cheeses

2. Category of matured sheep and goat cheeses

3. Category of cow milk cheeses – younger cheeses

4. Category of cow milk cheeses – older cheeses

The rules of the public competition were very simple. Each cheese was assigned a number and visitors evaluated the cheeses anonymously. All participants in the Cheese Fair competition had the task to mark the number of the cheese sample in each category that they liked best. After the public evaluation ended, the organizing committee led by Ing. Karol Herian simply counted the points for each cheese and determined the ranking according to the total points. Similarly, the shaped steamed cheeses were also evaluated.

Between 120 and 250 people participated in the public competition, some giving the final evaluation for the whole family, and some did not evaluate all cheese categories. After the competition, the top three in each category received diplomas, and those in first place received material prizes from the main organizer and owner of the company Ing. Martin Gračka.

 

Final table of the public competition for the best cheeses

 

1. Category: Young sheep and goat cheeses

Rank	Sample number	Points	Cheese name		Producer
1.	26	29	Bryndza - šmirkas		Agrovex, Novoť
2.	5	25	Smoked sheep cheese		O. Apoleníková, Salaš Pružina
3.	27	22	OHS - smoked		Agrovex, Novoť
4.- 5.	18	16	Sheep curd cheese		Gazdovský dvor, Turčianske Kľačny
4. - 5.	8	16	Bryndza		Salaš Slopná, Mr. Zubek
6.- 7.	3	15	Bryndza		O. Apoleníková, Salaš Pružina
6. - 7.	28	15	Sheep curd cheese		Agrovex, Novoť
8.	12	14	Steamed sheep threads		Salaš Slopná, Mr. Zubek
9.	10	12	OHS - smoked		Salaš Slopná, Mr. Zubek
10.	9	11	Sheep curd cheese		Salaš Slopná, Mr. Zubek
				Oštiepok		Salaš Slopná, Mr. Zubek
				Žinčica		Salaš Slopná, Mr. Zubek
				Bryndza		Agrovex, Novoť
				Sheep curd cheese		O. Apoleníková, Salaš Pružina
				Žinčica		O. Apoleníková, Salaš Pružina

 

2. Category: Matured sheep and goat cheeses

Rank	Sample number	Points	Cheese name	Producer
1.	17	46	Sheep cheese with nettle	Gazdovský dvor, Turč. Kľačany
2.	40	27	Matured sheep cheese	Kozí Vŕšok, Ivachnová
3.	16	23	Sheep cheese Gazdaler	Gazdovský dvor, Turč. Kľačany
4.	41	19	Goat cheese 1 month	Kozí Vŕšok, Ivachnová

 

3. Category: Cow milk cheeses – young

Rank	Sample number	Points	Cheese name	Producer
1.	31	44	Steamed threads	Jana Gažová, Hričovské Podhradie
2.	21	39	Salty curd cheese	MILKAGRO, Prešov
3.	32	31	Smoked brick	Koliba, Hriňová
4.	20	27	Curd cheese	MILKAGRO, Prešov
5.	33	12	Brick cheese	Koliba, Hriňová

 

4. Category: Cow milk cheeses – matured

Rank	Sample number	Points	Cheese name	Producer
1.	19	75	Volovec	MILKAGRO, Prešov
2.	22	45	Hiadlovec – 3 months	J. Hiadlovský, Slovenská Ľupča
3.	24	29	Hiadlovec – 1 year	J. Hiadlovský, Slovenská Ľupča
4.	37	28	Niva zlatá	Levické mliekarne, a.s.
5.	23	19	Hiadlovec – 6 months	J. Hiadlovský, Slovenská Ľupča
6.– 7.	38	16	Niva - Figa	Levické mliekarne, a.s.
6.– 7.	39	16	Niva - spicy	Levické mliekarne, a.s.
8.	35	16	Tekovský smoked salami	Levické mliekarne, a.s.
9.	34	14	Tekovský salami	Levické mliekarne, a.s.
10.	36	10	Niva	Levické mliekarne, a.s.
11.	42	8	Cow cheese	Kozí vršok, Ivachnová

 

Public competition for the most beautiful cheeses

Rank	Sample number	Points	Cheese name	Producer
1.	29	108	Church with surroundings	Vranie
2.	30	42	Wedding carriage	Jana Gažová, Cheese Cakes s.r.o, Hričovské Podhradie
3.	15	14	Cheese cake	Syrex s.r.o
4.	1	8	Heart	Veronika Koleňová, Novoť
5.	2	6	Mešec dukátov	Veronika Koleňová, Novoť

 

Overall evaluation of the competition for the best cheese
 

Every competition always brings many new insights and ideas for improving the quality and attractiveness of the product. This was also the case at the competition at Kozí vŕšok. This time in Ivachnová, the cheeses were evaluated only by the lay public, which is still influenced by traditional prejudices and does not know the true value and required quality. However, this also has a great advantage in that these are actually future customers who will choose and buy cheeses. Therefore, public interest is very important for producers. On the other hand, it is important for the public to become familiar with novelties and to be able to compare and evaluate what is good and what is not.

The competition itself will never be ideal; there will always be undesirable shortcomings, and it should be taken somewhat sportingly, because not everyone can be first, and often it depends on small details that can change the evaluator's opinion. The ratio of sample numbers in individual categories was somewhat unfavorable, but no one knew exactly in advance who and what would bring. Certainly, the category of young sheep cheeses deserved more awards. However, every producer should be appreciated because there were no cheeses with significant defects.

Visitors clearly rated the semi-hard cow milk cheese Volovec from MILKAGRO Prešov as the best, which received the greatest admiration for its excellent sensory properties. Among cow milk cheeses, the matured semi-hard cheeses Hiadlovec and also the cheese Niva were excellent. Among matured sheep cheeses, the matured sheep nettle cheese attracted great attention. People appreciated not only its excellent taste but also its attractiveness. Among younger sheep cheeses, the excellent Bryndza - šmirkas and also our traditional sheep curd cheeses and bryndza attracted attention. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the lay public rated the set of steamed shaped cheeses with the church and surroundings as the most beautiful cheese. It was a large collection of cheese that was the most attractive. Other shaped cheeses were also very sensitively and artistically charming.

 

Overall, the III. annual Cheese Fair and especially the competition for the best cheese at Kozí vŕšok in Ivachnová should be evaluated very positively. This was evidenced by the rich attendance and especially the satisfaction of visitors. Many thanks go to the organizers, especially Mr. Ing. Martin Gračka and Ing. Vierka Paľová. We sincerely thank all participants in the competition for their presence and for the cheese samples brought. We are convinced that such fairs and competitions contribute to better promotion of our cheeses by the organizers and especially the present cheese producers. All visitors to the competition clearly rated our cheeses as excellent and comparable to developed foreign countries. We really need to appreciate what is ours and teach people to eat healthily and enjoy well-done work. After all, in the consumption of healthy dairy products, Slovakia has great reserves, and such events effectively contribute to their better promotion and consumption.