2020… what a year. Typically, this issue highlights award-winning cheeses from the past 12 months. Our staff would usually attend competitions, taste the contenders, and curate a list of best-of-the-best, compiling our favorites into a lengthy feature story celebrating innovation and timelessness in the world of curd. But this year, we’ve had to re-evaluate that concept. How could we select winners from non-existent competitions? Our expert and non-expert cheese lovers decided to create our own awards, from “best guilty-pleasure cheese” to “best cheeses to pair with bubbles.” We’ve selected winning cheeses from past years—as well as from the 2020 World Championship of Cheese and sofi Awards—to cover categories that we hope bring comfort, relatability, and joy during this unprecedented time. So, grab a glass of whatever soothes you and peruse our wide-ranging list of cheeses we think deserve a place at your table, to be nibbled while watching (yet another) Netflix series, or shared with the folks in your bubble.

Mini Harbison | Photo by Nicole Wolf

Enjoy With Abandon: Best Cheeses For Snacking

Montgomery Clothbound | Photo by Mark Ferri

Setting the Standard: Best Traditional Cheeses

Camel’s Milk Feta | Photo by Nick Surette

Raising the Bar: Most Innovative Cheeses

Stilton PDO | Photo by Mark Ferri

We’ll Drink To…Best Cheeses With Beverages

Sheep’s Milk Feta | Photo by Nicole Wolf

In The Kitchen: Best Cheeses For Cooking

culture: the word on cheese

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