Cheese Declared Best In The World Auctioned For $8,400 At World Championship Cheese Contest

MILWAUKEE -- A 24-pound Dutch cheese named the best in the world last month has been auctioned off for $8,400, or $350 per pound, in Wisconsin.

The wheel of Vermeer, a low-fat Gouda-style cheese, scored a mild upset at the World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, beating out two cheeses from Switzerland and preventing the Swiss from capturing a fourth straight title.

Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association spokesman John Umhoefer (UM'-hay-fer) said Thursday it was sold as part of an auction that raised $140,000 to help educate cheesemakers. An Illinois company that supplies dairy products to industrial manufacturers bought it.

The cheese made by Friesland Campina of Steenderen, Netherlands, wasn't the most expensive sold Wednesday. A 32-pound set of three gold-medal cheeses produced a Wisconsin company went for $500 per pound.

Comments

[Francois G]

07:00 AM on 04/17/2012

"low-fat Gouda-style cheese"

How dare they call this cheese ???

[TSOCANUCK]

04:06 PM on 04/16/2012

ha what a joke best cheese in the world ... i had a great piece of cheese from farmer in southern italy years ago and that didn't include the magots that came with it ..simply delicious

[Atim-moot Tugayak]

12:46 PM on 04/16/2012

The best cheeses in the world are those marketed as such by those companies who stand to profit. I've had cheap and also expensive cheese, how good it is is often dictated by what you paid for. Switch labels and price tags and most people wouldn't know the difference. Same goes for wine where blind taste tests often find cheap wines better.

[BrooklynChef]

08:30 AM on 04/16/2012

How silly. There are a million different cheeses produced on countless large farms, small farms, factories, processed, not processed, organic and not, pasteurized and raw, fresh and aged, different aging techniques, different animal's milk, different acids used to coagulate. Point being how can one select one single cheese for such a distinction?

[mikeyaz17]

05:07 PM on 04/16/2012

the same way they can pick best restaurant... im betting you buy into those lists

[psandysdad]

06:57 AM on 04/16/2012

Between the cheese and the tulips, I'm thinking about a visa. There's also Amsterdam.....

[Jt John]

01:50 AM on 04/16/2012

Cheese is dangerous. Always gives me the farts.

[Air Vice Marshal Park]

09:12 PM on 04/15/2012

If you cut the cheese, it will cost you big time.

[LibertarianCentrist]

12:42 PM on 04/15/2012

I really want to know what makes that the best cheese in the world!!! I've had some AMAZING cheese in my life, why is this the best?? Why not Banon?? Why not Epoisses?

[SweetWilliam]

09:06 AM on 04/15/2012

Now get some macaroni and we are set!

[tkhatch]

08:33 AM on 04/15/2012

They don't say what made it so good in contrast to others.

[ElCojonuo]

08:20 AM on 04/15/2012

Manchego ROCKS !

[LibertarianCentrist]

12:42 PM on 04/15/2012

If you like Manchego, try Comte!!

[leftybass]

07:57 AM on 04/15/2012

But will it make a decent grilled cheese sandwich ?

[Chockolate]

08:19 AM on 04/15/2012

Fine enough for Jesus himself to make an appearance.

[lloydc123]

07:54 AM on 04/15/2012

What a world!? People starving and cheese for $350/lb.

[LibertarianCentrist]

12:43 PM on 04/15/2012

Are you suggesting we feed them cheese?

[dutchgirl55]

06:58 PM on 04/15/2012

It would be a start.

[Alex Christie]

06:20 AM on 04/15/2012

I lived in the Friesland province of the Netherlands and they do have some spectacularly delicious cheeses. Not surprised by this victory.

[luapmi2]

07:51 AM on 04/15/2012

but can it melt like velveeta?

[suemj]

03:59 PM on 04/15/2012

Lol!!! Good ole' Velveeta, for all of 3 or 4 bucks!

[Atim-moot Tugayak]

12:42 PM on 04/16/2012

Velveeta is a "cheese like " product and mostly oil with no dairy....like Cheez Wiz...lol.

[TisKishnsing]

04:37 AM on 04/15/2012

can't buy that.... expenses has limits...