California cow's milk cheese makers won 23 awards, including a distinguished Second- Place Best of Show, at the 2009 annual cheese competition held by the American Cheese Society, Aug. 5-8 in Austin, Texas.

The ACS recognizes the finest cheeses produced in the US.  A record 1,327 cheeses and cultured dairy products were entered into the competition.
California cheeses had another strong showing las year, competing against 197 producers from 32 states -- another ACS record, reports Real California Milk and Real California Cheese, South San Francisco.

California cow's milk cheeses won five first-place, five second- place and 12 third-place awards in 2009 judging, with California -based Cowgirl Creamery taking Second-Place Best of Show for its Red AHawk cow's milk cheese, triple-cream, washed-rind, fully flavored cheese.

The winners:

California first-place winners in the 2009 competition included:

A.   Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes Station for Red Hawk in the washed-rind cheeses category

B.   Cantare' Foods, San Diego, for mascarpone in the fresh unripe cheeses category

C.   Rumiano Cheese Co., Crescent City, for Old-Fashioned Monterey AJack in the American originals category

D.  Arthur Schuman Inc, Vernon, for Messana string cheese in the Italian type cheeses category

E.   Karoun Dairies, Inc., Turlock for Labne in the cultured milk products category

In all 10 California cow's milk cheese producers won awards, two more than in 2008. Other winning California cow's milk cheesemakers included:  Marin French Cheese Co., five Awards; Mozzarella Fresca, two awards; and Winchester Cheese Co., Spring Hill Jersey Cheese and Fiscalini Cheese Co., each winning one award respectively. These award-winning California Cheese have the Real California Cheese seal and can be found at retailers nationwide.

Check  http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com  or Google California Cheesmakers;

Let me know where you find some of your favorite cheeses.  If you have special recipes with a photo, please share them with me.

-by Len Richardson