Familiar Formula from Switzerland Named World’s Best Cheese

In this photo provided by the World Championship Cheese Contest, Roland Sahli, left, CEO of Gourmand AG, holds Gourmino Le Gruyere AOP, which was declared the 2022 World Champion Cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest on March, 3, 2022 in Madison, Wis. (World Championship Cheese Contest via AP)
In this photo provided by the World Championship Cheese Contest, Roland Sahli, left, CEO of Gourmand AG, holds Gourmino Le Gruyere AOP, which was declared the 2022 World Champion Cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest on March, 3, 2022 in Madison, Wis. (World Championship Cheese Contest via AP)
TT
20

Familiar Formula from Switzerland Named World’s Best Cheese

In this photo provided by the World Championship Cheese Contest, Roland Sahli, left, CEO of Gourmand AG, holds Gourmino Le Gruyere AOP, which was declared the 2022 World Champion Cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest on March, 3, 2022 in Madison, Wis. (World Championship Cheese Contest via AP)
In this photo provided by the World Championship Cheese Contest, Roland Sahli, left, CEO of Gourmand AG, holds Gourmino Le Gruyere AOP, which was declared the 2022 World Champion Cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest on March, 3, 2022 in Madison, Wis. (World Championship Cheese Contest via AP)

A Gruyere from Switzerland was named Thursday as the top cheese for the second consecutive time in the World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin.

The cheese from Bern, Switzerland, made its maker, Michael Spycher of Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus, a three-time winner. Spycher also won in 2020 and 2008. The cheese, called Gourmino Le Gruyère AOP, earned a score of 98.423 out of 100.

The award-winning product comes from a small dairy working with 12 farmers within a 3 mile (5 kilometers) radius, a Gourmino AG spokesman said. Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus produces about 85 tons (77 metric tons) of the Gruyere each year out of a total 32000 tons (29,000 metric tons) of the cheese produced annually in Switzerland.

Wisconsin cheesemakers fared well with seven of the 20 finalists and winning 45 best-of-class categories. In addition, cheese curds debuted in this year’s contest and the state swept both the regular and flavored categories.

The largest technical cheese, butter and yogurt competition in the world started Tuesday with 2,978 entries from 29 countries and 33 states. Wisconsin cheesemakers submitted 932 entries.

“Cheesemakers worldwide have always been deeply committed to excellence in their craft,” said John Umhoefer, executive director for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, which hosts the competition. “That commitment is abundantly clear in the work of this year’s winners."



French Prisoner Escapes in Fellow Inmate's Luggage

The 20-year-old prisoner escaped from Corbas prison, near Lyon, southeast France. Reuters file photo
The 20-year-old prisoner escaped from Corbas prison, near Lyon, southeast France. Reuters file photo
TT
20

French Prisoner Escapes in Fellow Inmate's Luggage

The 20-year-old prisoner escaped from Corbas prison, near Lyon, southeast France. Reuters file photo
The 20-year-old prisoner escaped from Corbas prison, near Lyon, southeast France. Reuters file photo

France's prison service said Saturday it had launched an investigation after a man escaped by smuggling himself into his cellmate's bag as he left jail, having served his sentence.

The 20-year-old prisoner escaped from Corbas prison, near Lyon, southeast France, on Friday, broadcaster BFMTV reported.

The inmate was serving several sentences, the prison service said in a statement to AFP.

He "took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out", the statement said.

The escaped prisoner was also under investigation in a case linked to organized crime, a source close to the affair told AFP.

An internal investigation is underway and Lyon prosecutors had opened their own investigations, the prison service added.