The weekend, artists and celebrities from across the world gathered on the West Coast to hand out the most respected awards in the industry. There were surprises, controversy and plenty of cheesy speeches. But no, we’re not talking about the Emmys, we’re about something much more important. Yes, this weekend Seattle hosted “Cheese-a-Topia,” aka the American Cheese Association’s annual awards. So who’s the big cheese for 2010 and did any AZ cheese-mongers make the cut?

Not surprisingly, cheesemaking powerhouses such as Wisconsin, Vermont, California and the Pacific Northwest dominated the ACS awards, with Wisconsin-based Upland Ridge‘s Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese (pictured) taking Best in Show. But good luck getting a taste, as this boutique dairy only rolled out 1,000 wheels nationwide, and the nearest retailer is located in San Francisco.

Even worse for us local cheeseheads, there wasn’t a single local cheesemaker among the 1,462 total entries. Looks like we’ll just have to drown our sorrow by ordering a couple of logs of Black Mesa Ranch chevre. Perched on a mesa outside of Snowflake in Northern AZ, this award-winning mom-and-pop goat creamery is also featured at top Valley restaurants including St. Francis, Binkley’s and FnB.

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