Jumbo Wapenaer Extra Matured cheese wins at the Superior Taste Awards
Jumbo can hang up the bunting! Their Wapenaer cheese has won an award at the Superior Taste Awards. And not just any award: at the prestigious ceremony, Wapenaer Extra Matured cheese received an impressive 3 stars. That is the highest possible rating at the Awards. What makes this cheese so special?
The Superior Taste Awards are not just any awards. More than 100 top chefs from all over the world (including Michelin-starred chefs) independently assess all kinds of products. They are the crème de la crème of the food industry, and know what makes a product excellent. They can distinguish good from better and best. The quality and taste of the products were assessed blindly by the chefs. This judging revealed that Jumbo’s Wapenaer Extra Matured cheese once again received 3 stars. Once again indeed, because the highest possible rating has gone to this delicious cheese for the third year in a row.
Wapenaer Extra Matured cheese: a true winner
Wapenaer Extra Matured has also won awards at several other ceremonies. Last year alone, the cheese won 6 World Cheese Awards, 4 Global Cheese Awards and 3 stars at the Superior Taste Awards. So it is clear that we are dealing with a winner. But what makes Wapenaer Extra Matured so good, while it remains such an affordable cheese on Jumbo’s shelves?
Here on the coast, the salty coast
Cheesemaster Cedric Kuipers explains this in Hallo Jumbo, the supermarket’s magazine. According to the young cheesemaster (he is only 25!), there are 2 factors at play. The cheese owes its unique, full flavour to the area where this golden-yellow treasure is made. That is near the North Holland coast, where the peat soil is very salty. That salt makes its way into the grass the cows eat, and then into the milk they produce for the cheese.
Well matured
Another important factor is how the cheese is stored. Wapenaer Extra Matured is deliberately matured on wood. Wood draws out moisture, and the less moisture there is in the cheese, the fuller and saltier it tastes. In addition, the cheesemakers follow strict ‘turning schedules’ and let the cheese mature for at least 18 weeks. All of this gives the cheese an especially strong flavour.
Dream job: tasting cheese
Cheesemaster Cedric has an important task. After all, you want the cheese to be top quality in every batch, all year round. As a cheesemaster, he therefore assesses all kinds of cheeses every Monday afternoon. New batches of Wapenaer Extra Matured are also thoroughly checked. The assessor uses a cheese trier to take a piece from the cheese, tastes it and gives an objective verdict. Does it score well in every respect? Then it can go into the store. This ensures that, as a customer, you take home a delicious piece of top-quality cheese.
Run to Jumbo
Jumbo Wapenaer Extra Matured tastes both bold and mild. It has a full mouthfeel too, according to cheesemaster Cedric. Yep, we can see why this cheese wins awards so often. I know what will be on my cheese board this coming weekend!
You can find more products from Jumbo’s award cabinet here.
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- The best European destinations for cheese lovers
- The six best cheese-slicing tools
- It’s proven: eating cheese before bed contributes to a better night’s sleep
Images: Jumbo and own images
