Gouda Enough for You?

October 1, 2024 janet@janetfletcher.com

Hootenanny from Goat Rodeo (left) and cumin-scented Dutch Leyden

I’ve often told others that the best way to find a good cheese is to ask the people behind the counter what they’re loving. The good mongers are sampling all day long and they know what’s in great shape. So when a local cheese merchant all but grabbed my arm recently to steer me to a new arrival she loved, how could I leave without some? And I’m in perfect agreement. This aged American Gouda is a sure-fire pleaser and a no-brainer for autumn cheese plates with apples and pears. For a slam-dunk pairing, open a malty Oktoberfest brew.

How Old is Too Old?

October 19, 2021 janet@janetfletcher.com

When does quality peak in a cheese destined for long aging? I’ve had 10-year-old Cheddar (awesome), 4-year-old Parmigiano Reggiano (underwhelming) and a cheese that spent 7 years in a can. (More on that soon.) More recently, I had the opportunity to taste Gouda at four different ages, an enlightening example of what can happen to this iconic Dutch cheese over time. Online merchant igourmet is now carrying these extra-aged wheels so you can duplicate my tasting at home. I’ve served the four cheeses, side by side, to several people now and have been surprised by the reactions, including my own.

As Gouda as It Gets

July 20, 2021 janet@janetfletcher.com

If you’re a Gouda fan, add this crystalline beauty to your must-try list. Produced by an Amish couple in upstate New York with the milk from their 200-acre farm, it has everything I want in aged Gouda: a seductive toffee and pineapple aroma, a creamy interior dotted with crunchy bits and a deep, salted-caramel flavor. Some Goudas are so cloying that one bite is enough, but this cheese I couldn’t stop nibbling.