Results of the 12th National Dairy Competition “Infiniti blu” promoted by Slow food Gorgonzola – Martesana and Onaf Milan Delegation
Saturday, September 15 in Gorgonzola, in the context of the 2018 edition of Infiniti Blu, exhibition of excellence dedicated to the world of blue cheeses, took place the 12th National Dairy Competition. The competition is the result of many years of collaboration between the Milanese delegation of Onaf (National Organisation of Cheese Tasters) and the Slow Food Conduct of Gorgonzola and Martesana. Infiniti blu has been organized for years by the Slow Food Convivium, as part of the traditional Gorgonzola Festival promoted by the Pro Loco.
Infiniti Blu is a collection of blue-veined cheeses, that is all those in whose interior is widespread a variegated mold that can present colors that from sage green can become a particular overseas blue, but also gray, white, etc..
Cheeses characterized by a more or less soft and melting paste, crossed by veins slightly, or intensely spicy. Not only cheeses with a long and glorious tradition such as Gorgonzola PDO, in the two versions “sweet” and “spicy”, but also products of cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, buffalo milk, or mixed milk; products refined in particular environments with the use of essences sometimes unusual and not least blue-veined raw milk.
These are the “blue cheeses” capable of arousing intense sensations. They are among the most popular and envied cheeses abroad.
After 5 hours of hard work, the 56 Master Tasters of the Onaf directed by Beppe Casolo concluded the evaluations of the cheeses entered in the Cheese Competition, presented anonymously.
Under the strict sensory evaluation, the judges used specific digital cards through which they studied many different parameters, such as the presentation of the shape, the marbling (quantity, distribution and characteristics of the mould), the taste-olfactory characteristics.
37 producers from all over Italy sent 91 registered samples, including 33 dop Gorgonzola (sweet and spicy); 18 pure goat’s milk cheeses, 8 pure sheep’s milk cheeses and 5 buffalo milk cheeses, 9 pure cow’s milk cheeses, but not PDO cheeses, and 18 with special refinements.
This year the overall quality certified by the Onaf judges was good: half of the samples reached the threshold of Quality Recognition. And among these, 4 cheeses reached the score for the awarding of the coveted Targa di Eccellenza.
Three of our cheeses have been awarded:
“Saverio”, Quality label. (https://demagi.it/catalogo/erborinati/saverio-lerborinato-serio/)
“Bianco-Blu”, Quality label. (https://demagi.it/catalogo/erborinati/biancoblu/)
“Superbia”, Superior Quality. (https://demagi.it/catalogo/erborinati/superbo/)
