Vermont Creamery Fresh Goat Cheese Crumbles Take Best of Class at U.S. Championship Cheese Contest

Early signs of spring this year include a gold medal win for Vermont Creamery's summer inspired Apricot & Thyme Goat Cheese Crumbles, which took "Best of Class" at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin this week. Introduced just over a year ago, the crumbled goat cheese combines Vermont Creamery's fresh chèvre with seasonally inspired dried fruit and herbs for an easy, flavorful addition to summer salads. The Creamery's classic fresh and spreadable goat cheese also placed in the top three for their class.

"Fresh goat cheese is where we began 30 years ago," said Bob Reese, co-owner and co-founder of Vermont Creamery. "We kept our standards high with the Crumbles and stuck with 100% natural ingredients, which comes out in the taste. We are thrilled to see that recognized."

Many other crumbled goat cheeses on the market contain mold inhibitors or anti-caking agents like cellulose that can leave a dry mouth-feel and artificial aftertaste.

The Apricot & Thyme Goat Cheese Crumbles pair beautifully with the fresh greens of spring. From baby beets and arugula, to lemony chicken served with greens from the garden, the crumbled goat cheese with dried apricots and fragrant thyme complement the lighter flavors of summer.

"As Vermonters, spring is a highly anticipated season," said Allison Hooper, co-owner and co-founder of Vermont Creamery. "The sun starts to feel warm again, kids are being born at Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, and we get excited to taste the first baby greens and early asparagus from the garden. The apricot & thyme crumbles were developed with those fresh tastes of spring in mind."

Vermont Creamery Fresh Goat Cheese Crumbles are available in three additional seasonally inspired varieties-classic, cranberry & tarragon, and tomato & basil.

Made with fresh goats' milk from local family farms, including the Creamery's own Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, Vermont Creamery chèvre is distinguished by its simple, mild, fresh goats' milk flavor.

The largest cheese competition in the United States, the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest broke their own record for entries this year, with 1,885 product entries from 28 states. Thirty-two cheese experts sniffed, tasted and examined their way through 30,000 pounds of cheese. All in all, Vermont Creamery earned five awards including Best of Class for Apricot & Thyme Crumbled Goat Cheese, 2nd Place Awards for Classic Creamy Goat Cheese, Coupole and Mascarpone, and 3rd Place for Fresh Goat Cheese.

About Vermont Creamery
Combining the European tradition of cheesemaking with Vermont's terroir, Vermont Creamery's line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and crème fraîche have won over 100 national and international awards. In their 30th year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of more than 15 family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery is the founder of Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, the country's first demonstration goat dairy. For more information, visit http://www.vermontcreamery.com.

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