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CHEESE

The world’s best cheese comes from Norway

When one thinks of countries renowned for their cheese, Norway isn’t likely the first to spring to mind. And if those outside of the Nordic nation know anything about Norwegian cheese at all, they probably associate it with brunost, a type of sweet brown goat's cheese.

Published: 17 November 2016 13:14 CET
The world's best cheese comes from Norway
Norwegian cheesemaker Gunnar Waagen was left "speechless" by the win. Photo: NTB Scanpix
But that might change thanks to the surprise results of the 2016 World Cheese Awards. 
 
Norwegian producer Tingvollost took home the title as the world’s best cheese for its blue cheese Kraftkar.
 
 
The local cheese producer from Torjulvågen in Nordmøre outdistanced all competitors from the international dairy industry when it was named ‘champion of champions’ among cheeses at the 29th World Cheese Awards in San Sebastian, Spain. 
 
What’s more, the Norwegian blue cheese topped two Spanish cheeses on its way to the crown.
 
 
“I’m totally speechless; this is absolutely fantastic for a small family business like Tingvollost,” said the company’s chairman Gunnar Waagen upon receiving the award. 
 
Tingvollost is a family dairy farm that creates 20 tonnes of cheese annually, using milk from its own farm. 
 
The Nordmøre cheese was selected by 266 judges from 26 countries, who in total tasted and judged 3,021 cheeses from 31 countries. 
 
Kraftkar has previously won major international competitions, including gold medals from the World Cheese Awards in 2011 and the International Cheese Awards in 2013.
 
 
 
 

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TRAVEL

‘Out of this world’: Norwegian beach named ‘best in Europe’

Haukland Beach on the island of Vestvågøy in Lofoten, in the north of the country, has been named best beach in Europe by travel publication Lonely Planet.

Published: 30 March 2021 17:43 CEST
'Out of this world': Norwegian beach named 'best in Europe'
Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash

Haukland Beach on the island of Vestvågøy in Lofoten, in the north of the country, has been named best beach in Europe by travel publication Lonely Planet.

The beach beat out stiff competition from the likes of Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Denmark to bag first place.

 
 
 
 
 
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Despite summer temperatures in Lofoten only averaging the mid-teens and the water at its warmest only ever reaching a spine tingling 15° Lonely Planet were smitten with the beach.

“Haukland Beach is out of this world, with spiky granite peaks thrusting above creaming sands and sapphire seas. The water is chilly, but you’ll be itching to jump in all the same,” the article said.

 
 
 
 
 
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READ MORE: Could ‘health passports’ kickstart travel around Europe?

Such high praise is nothing new to Huakland beach as it has previously been named Norway’s finest beach and also the world’s most beautiful.

Deputy mayor of Vestvågøy municipality, Anne Sand, is not surprised that the beauty spot has received the accolade.

 
 
 
 
 
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“It is about the contrasts in nature, the high mountains and the green mountain sides. Then you have the beautiful beach among all this, it could not be nicer,” she told state broadcaster NRK.

When asked what makes the beach stand out from its competition, she said that it was the unique location.

“Many of them are similar, but Haukland stands out and becomes something special- precisely because you find it in the arctic circle,” she said

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