Prairie Farms Caves of Faribault cheeses earn medals at World Cheese Awards

FARIBAULT, Minn. — The Prairie Farms Caves of Faribault Division won a silver award for Grotto 222 Natural Rinded Gouda and a bronze for AmaGorg Gorgonzola at the World Cheese Awards competition.

This year’s contest in Portugal featured over 4,700 cheeses from more than 40 countries.

Grotto 222 Natural Rinded Gouda is one of the newest affinage cheese offerings from Caves of Faribault.

It is cured next to blue cheeses in underground caves to achieve its unique flavor. Spores from the blue cheeses float to the Gouda, resulting in a natural rind forming on the outside.

The cheese is then flipped multiple times a week and hand rubbed to create uniform coverage and an even rind.

After establishing the rind, the Gouda is moved to a separate cave where it continues aging until the perfect flavor and texture are achieved.

AmaGorg Gorgonzola is handmade and aged 90 days in the caves. Cave aging provides an environment for the development of blue veining in the cheese and contributes to its rich, clean, natural flavor.

“We are honored to be a member of such a prestigious group and equally proud of our team for their dedication to making award-winning cheese,” said Mike Christensen, vice president of sales for Prairie Farms’ cheese division.

“I’m also proud of our dairy farmers for providing the highest quality milk that goes into these products.”

The recent wins for Caves of Faribault cheeses at the World Cheese Awards are not the first. Jeffs’ Select Gouda, now retired, received a bronze award at the 2019 competition.