Without changing traditions. The 10th anniversary Cheese Festival was held in Grodno, brightly, colorfully and deliciously.

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The initiator and inspirer of the hospitable fest back in 2013 was the General DIRECTOR of OJSC Order of Labor Glory "Milk World" Marina Anikeeva. Initially, the festival was conceived exclusively for residents of the city above the Neman, but today it has spread far beyond the region, taking place under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus .

Here they cook with soul

The solemn moment from which the Cheese Festival in Grodno starts year after year is the cutting of a HEAD of cheese. Traditionally - a new type and prepared with soul for all residents of Belarus. "Gubert" has become a new addition to the line of cheeses produced by Molochny Mir OJSC and named after the city of Grodno. The company is already known for its products with names reflecting the connection with the city above the Neman. Cheeses "Grodno Vezha", "Goroden" and "Krones" - they all symbolize the city spirit, its cultural significance and rich heritage. And Hubert cheese fits into this tradition, making its contribution to the range of products of Molochny Mir OJSC.

The guests of the holiday were greeted by the General Director of OJSC "Molochny Mir" Marina Anikeeva:

– We have gathered here to please you and show you what we have achieved. It is rightly said that cheese is the apogee of the entire dairy industry. And the Cheese Festival, one might say, is the main holiday of all dairymen!

– Sometimes they say that MILK is Belarusianoil , then we can say that cheese is Belarusian gold. The difference is that oil is formed as a result of tectonic shifts, and milk is the fruit of complex and painstaking work of hundreds of thousands of residents of the Grodno region,” said Vladimir Karanik, chairman of the Grodno regional executive committee. – It’s the same with cheese: without love and labor it is impossible to produce a high-quality product. Salvador Dali once said that “if a country does not have at least fifty varieties of cheese, then the country has reached the end of its rope.” Based on this definition, it can be noted that our Belarus is developing very intensively, because more than 90 varieties of cheese are collected in this area alone.

A product with a history

The central character was the patron of Grodno, Hubert, in whose honor the new product of the Milk World was named.

– Once again, our company gave cheese to the city. For the anniversary, the 895th anniversary, we prepared Hubert cheese. Developing a new product was very interesting. I wanted the customers to like it, to surprise them with its taste. Therefore, our specialists worked a lot on the seaming microflora, and also increased the ripening period to four or more months. We hope that the new product will be appreciated and loved in the same way as our other products,” said Olga Mikhnovets, Deputy General Director of Molochny Mir OJSC.

The name chosen for the new cheese, the company believes, allows not only to create a recognizable and attractive brand, but also to “anchor” the connection between the cheese and the city of Grodno. This is another step in the development and promotion of urban and rural culture, as well as in drawing attention to the heritage and traditions of the Grodno region.

Hubert cheese undergoes a long and careful ripening process, and this period allows the product to fully develop its qualities and reach an optimal degree of ripeness. Hence the perfect balance between texture, taste and aroma. The long ripening time contributes to the amazing complexity of its taste - from pleasant tenderness and light caramel to subtle piquancy and sweetness, creating a harmonious combination of different flavors.

Pasta in Parmesan and coffee with cheese foam

Theatrical program, dancing, interactive areas for children, tastings, numerous competitions and sports entertainment... In addition to all this variety of activities, the Milk World enterprise, as part of the traditional Cheese Festival, also organized master classes on preparing pasta in a wheel of Parmesan cheese, San Sebastian cheesecake and coffee with cheese foam. There were more than enough people wanting to learn new recipes for delicacies made from local products.

One of the culminating moments was the resolution of the festival's intrigue. In a solemn atmosphere, the winners and prize-winners of the expert independent tasting were announced. 90 samples of cheese from 23 enterprises in nine categories were presented to the best independent experts from all over the country. A careful selection took place on the first day of the festival, which also included a seminar on the topic “Current issues in the field of technical regulation and labeling of dairy products in the EAEU.”

– From year to year the competition grows not only with participants, but also with samples of cheeses. The largest number of cheeses submitted to the competition are with fillings (not only with familiar mushrooms, paprika, onions, but also with exclusive additives - white truffle, champagne, grape, and so on, and these are completely new types of cheeses). Experts have a hard job to evaluate samples not only by labeling and packaging, but also by color, texture and, most importantly, taste. The competition is unique. It allows not only to introduce consumers to new products, to the range of cheese-making products of the Belarusian dairy industry, but is also a motivating starting point: cheese-making technologists understand what they should strive for next, in what area to improve,” said the chairman of the central tasting commission, deputy head of the main processing department industry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Maria Klimova.

By the way, professional tasting requires high concentration - nothing should distract you. The taster begins to prepare his palates in advance, avoiding strong odors or dishes with strong flavors.

Sample evaluation involves four steps. The first is an external inspection. The taster examines the cheese and its rind, noting color and texture. Then he moves on to palpation. Presses on the surface and taps it lightly to determine the degree of consistency and elasticity, notes how the knife passes through the cheese. At the third stage, the taster pays attention to the smell. Bring a freshly cut slice to your nose with absolutely clean hands or a fork and inhale the smell emanating from it. Taste testing is the final step. You need to put the slice on your tongue and hold it there for a few seconds to feel all the halftones of the flavor palette.

In the structure of exports of Belarusian dairy products, the share of cheeses is 44%. They are exported to 20 countries around the world, and more than 80% of the cheese produced is sold.

– In Belarus, one person consumes 7 kg of cheese per year, but we produce 29.9 kg per person per year (3.6 times more than consumed). The assortment of cheeses 5 years ago was still 380 items. Now there are 487 items, 67 of them are super-hard and hard cheeses , the ripening period of which reaches a year or more,” added Maria Klimova.

Work for the future

– The dairy industry is one of the most promising in agriculture; it is extremely export-oriented. We produce a large supply of milk for the domestic market (more than 2.5 times more than we can consume). And we are among the top five global exporters of dairy products, in particular cheeses, milk, and whole milk products. Our products under the “Made in Belarus” brand are in demand all over the world and have proven themselves to be high quality products. We expand the geography of countries where our products are supplied every year. Now we are actively developing markets and selling products to African countries, countries of the Middle East, Asia, and the range of supplies to CHINA is expanding ,” noted Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Vadim Shagoiko.

And according to the results of the expert assessment, “Milk World” has seven awards! The leaders were cheeses under the brands “Prince Vitovt”, “Rochester”, CHEESE–BUM, “Gruver Special”, “Parmesan West”, “Belarusian Gold”, soft whipped cream cheese. According to the expert jury, the best soft cheeses were also named “Mozzarella Ciliegini” (Verkhnedvinsk Creamery), Amber (Rogachev Dairy Plant), “Tilsiter” (“Belovezhsky Cheeses”), “Parmesan DeLux” (MINSK Dairy Plant No. 1, Volozhin Production Site) , "Madelan" (Kopyl branch of the Slutsk cheese-making plant), "Maasdam" and "Aramel with fenugreek" (Kobrin butter and cheese plant).

What is equally important is that all guests of the cheese festival could make their choice.

– Over the 10 years of the Cheese Festival, a lot of cheeses with fillings have appeared: with fried chanterelles, onions, seasonings. People are looking for new tastes and want gastronomic diversity, which is why such cheeses are in great demand. Among this category, 17 items were presented for public tasting. Our enterprises know how to make mature cheeses with high quality: 12 factories presented their samples to the residents and guests of Grodno,” said the organizer of the public tasting, Andrei Kiriyenko.

And the guests of the festival willingly made their choice on the second day of the holiday.

“We don’t go a single day without cheese.” Especially for breakfast: filling, high in calories. My husband and I voted, although our opinions differed slightly. But the main thing is that we have the same love for cheese,” shared Nina from Grodno.

– We love cheese. We love ours - “Grodno Vezha”. We buy it all the time and just enjoy it every time. It’s nice that, in addition to specialist tasters, spectators and consumers can also try the cheeses, give their independent assessment, and also learn new tastes and determine by general opinion the most worthy one,” Valentina noted after the tasting.

Among the best, according to public tasters, are the Suluguni Lux cheese (Dyatlovsky branch of Molochny Mir OJSC) and spicy rolls with mushroom flavor and Provence seasoning (Berestovitsa production workshop of Molochny Mir OJSC). The competition once again proved that Grodno cheese makers are true masters, they know how to prepare cheeses skillfully, with high quality, in variety, and most importantly, with love for consumers who appreciate their work.

Buyers do not ignore the packaging in which their favorite product is located, and by it they judge its quality.

– If 10-15 years ago not every consumer paid special attention to labeling, today everyone wants to buy, first of all, the most natural products possible - as experts say, with a clean label. To ensure that there were no allergens, there were fewer food additives. Milk World products are indeed as close to a clean label as possible. This is a requirement that is dictated by time, by our customers, and it is highly valued by our foreign partners, primarily the European Union,” said Inna Cherko, head of the quality and standardization department of Molochny Mir OJSC. – Legislation is changing, new requirements are appearing , which are also reflected on labeling. In order to keep up with all legislative trends, we hold relevant events and training seminars for specialists. Moreover, at the seminar, which took place on the first day of the Cheese Festival, we included questions not only on labeling, but also those related to aspects of technology, the use of veterinary drugs, and control. We tried very hard to make our seminar as useful and informative as possible.

On the first day of the festival, participants had the opportunity to get acquainted with the nuances of the work of the enterprise, which produces up to 100 tons of cheese per day. OJSC "Molochny Mir" is known both in Belarus and far beyond its borders. The secret of success is simple: every new step here is taken in the interests of the consumer. And the experts willingly share their approaches and best practices for the 10th time, delighting not only cheese connoisseurs, but also residents and guests of Grodno.

At the 10th cheese festival, Milk World presented another new product - lactose-free cheese. The company once again took care of people who are lactose intolerant. Now such customers can happily eat not only branded ice cream , but also cheese under the Active Life brand.

In Belarus, one person consumes 7 kg of cheese per year. If 5 years ago the range of these products consisted of 380 items, now there are already 487. Moreover, 67 of them are super-hard and hard cheeses, the ripening period of which reaches a year or more.

Ekaterina BENADISYUK, photo - Leonid SHCHEGLOV