gouda

Winchester Cheese Company Makes Gouda With A Bit Of Spice

Filed under: Dining

You've probably had regular gouda and smoked gouda before but the Winchester Cheese Company goes far beyond that, making a variety of fine artisan flavored goudas. The Winchester Cheese Company is owned by Jules Wesselink who was born in Holland and has owned California dairies since the 1950s. His dairy has 500 Holstein cows. The cheese is made by Valerie Thomas, Jules Wesselink's daughter, and David Thomas, her husband. The cheese is made the traditional way with fresh raw milk. Flavors to try include their jalapeno gouda which is aged a minimum of 60 days and contains jalapeno and red peppers to give it a moderately spicy taste. It won First Place at The American Cheese Society contest. They also make cumin gouda and garden herb gouda in addition to smoked gouda and a super aged gouda which is aged over a year and has a surprising sharpness. Prices start at $11.95 a pound.

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Tags: california cheese, CaliforniaCheese, cheese, gouda

Tasting Rum, Cheese And Chocolate With The Cheese Impressario

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Who could resist an invitation from a woman who says cheese changed her life. Barrie Lynn, the Cheese Impressario is a dynamo in a gold sequined and leopard print apron who hosted a special rum, cheese and chocolate last night. I've been to pairings of wine and cheese and chocolate before but never rum. But specialty rums (especially the rum selections poured by Henry Preiss) worked very well with Barrie Lynn's cheese selections.

One of Barrie Lynn's finds is Holland's Family Farm in Wisconsin.Rolf and Marieke Penterman are first generation Wisconsin dairy farmers who moved from the Netherlands to Wisconsin in 2002. They make incredible aged Gouda with rich and complex flavors. Of particular note is the Foenegreek Gouda which is creamy and distinctive. It's impossible to have one piece without immediately wanting another just to take your mouth on the same journey of surprising flavor again. It would be a rock star on a cheese plate, paired perhaps with dried apricots or grapes. The Burning Nettle Melange Gouda is also far more pleasant than the name might lead you to believe. It has a grassy herbal bite that would make it a great start to a meal.

Tags: cheddar, cheese, chocolate, gouda, rum, truffles

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