Two Thomastown dairy product manufacturers took home national awards for their top-shelf cheeses.
At a ceremony on October 30, Thomastown’s Montefiore Cheese won this year’s Champion Fresh Stretched Curd Cheese award for its ovolini and Floridia Cheese won the Champion Hard Cheese award for its pecorino red chilli.
Montefiore general manager Peter Ferrante said that receiving the award was “fantastic recognition” of the company and the team.
“You’re nothing without the staff – it’s like a little family that we have here, and everyone strives to pull it in the right direction,” Mr Ferrante said.
The company was recognised for its ovolini, which he said has a very milky consistency, with a former judge telling him that you “can’t get much better than this.”
“We have a young chap who’s in charge of the stretching machine, and he’s very dedicated and it’s got to be one hundred per cent or he’s not happy … Charlie Rosa, our production manager, he makes sure everything is done with TLC,” Mr Ferrante said.
Floridia Cheese factory manager Fabio Portella said that it was “rewarding to be recognised” and validation for all of the team’s hard work.
The company’s pecorino chilli cheese is a family recipe passed through the generations, with the company about to enter its 70th year.
“We’re very proud of the hard cheeses that we produce … you don’t know what the end product is going to be like in 12 months’ time,” Mr Portella said.
He said the quality of the award-winning pecorino comes from the fresh milk and optimal production timing, with the final product offering a “fruity picante flavour with some chilli aroma in the backend.”
A total of eight Victorian producers were crowned champions in 22 dairy categories.
Oscar Parry
