Cheese lovers get their gouda on at world finals

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Watching 40 judges in white lab coats nibble on cheese and then spit the samples into garbage cans might not sound like an elegant evening to most people, but hundreds of cheese lovers have paid $25 each for a close-up view of Wednesday's World Championship Cheese Contest finals.

This is the first year the international contest has charged admission to its finals, which historically have been low-key affairs attended by just a handful of spectators and reporters. But with a growing number of foodies seeking to outdo each other in their pursuit of local, sustainable, organic and handcrafted fare, the artisan cheese competition has become a hot ticket among those looking to get their gouda on.

The contest held every two years in Madison typically draws more than 2,000 entries from nearly two dozen nations. Usually, only the judges taste the cheese, but this year 400 ticketholders will be able to sample 15 of the top entries, mingle with Wisconsin cheesemakers and meet the international panel of judges. The event is sold out.

"In the past, unless you were a super cheese geek, this is not something you went to," said Jeanne Carpenter, executive director of Wisconsin Cheese Originals, an organization of artisan cheese fans. "But getting to try 15 different cheeses from 15 different countries, plus meeting the best of Wisconsin's cheesemakers, people love that."

Experts compare specialty cheeses to wines: Both have subtle variations based on their region of origin, year of creation and the techniques employed by master craftsmen.

Judging in cheese and wine contests is similar as well. Judges roll entries in their mouths, search for nuanced characteristics and then discard the samples. Some cheese judges wipe their tongues with napkins between tastings.

Being chosen best in show can mean big business. Some previous winners have talked about a crush of demand for their cheese following the announcement. After Swiss cheesemaker Christian Wuethrich won in 2006 with an Emmentaler, he raised its price more than 10 percent, from $8 to $9 per pound.

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