A Portuguese cheese — the hometown favorite — was named the World’s Best for 2024 at last month’s World Cheese Awards, sometimes called the Cheese Oscars. It was also Portugal’s first time hosting the event.
This year’s event — the largest since its inception in 1988 — saw 4,786 cheeses from 47 countries assembled in the Portuguese city of Viseu for judging by 240 experts assembled from across the world.
The cheese, produced by a tiny 10-employee company in Soalheira, Portugal, scored highest out of a group of 14 finalists that included five Swiss cheeses, as well as entries from Brazil, the United States, Norway, Italy, Germany and Spain. England missed out on judging: Its cheeses were held up by Customs.
The winning cheese is made with vegetarian rennet created from thistles. It’s described as a gooey, glossy, buttery cheese with a herby bitterness. It’s meant to be served by slicing off the top and spooning out the center.
