Well,well,well.
You are interested in our Gouda cheese,we are flattered!
Now, you, the reader, probably has already been lectured by an all-knowing (if we only knew half of what we think we know!) Dutch person,who( all for free !) offered you(on the spot) information on how to pronounce it.
You probable said(in your innocence) Goodah cheese and was jumped upon by one off those people,who right then and there,(in public no less!) tried to make you pronounce it the right way!
An impossible task!,however you probably got away with burning cheeks(from embarrassment) and a sore throat(from trying!) after saying gawda, ggawda, ggggawda !!
He(or she) probably complemented you( patronizingly) on your pathetic efforts and let you of the hook.
Well I got a comeback here for you!!I'll let you in on our dirty little secret!
Amongst ourselves (us dutch folks) we NEVER say gggawda cheese!
We say GOUDSE KAAS (ggoudse cass) and you will never be able to say it right,because our mothers make us(as babies!) say it over and over and over, causing our little throats and vocal cords to
deform(permanently) in order to make those sounds!
Anyway,no matter how you say it,we will get your drift eventually and we'll be happy to sell to you our pride and joy:that .....Dutchman's Gouda!,
No questions asked!!No skills test required!
Our Gouda has a richness and flavour that compares to the best !!
Its texture ranges from soft creamy(when very young) to hard and sharp/piquant(when very old)!
As I am not a medium person,I prefer my Gouda(at room temperature, of course) to be very young (2 month old) or medium-old to old!(6 to 10 month of age)
To enjoy our cheese to the fullest, it should be sliced thinly(3 thin slices give a much greater taste sensation than a “slab”)
It is pretty hard to beat some good fresh,bread, buttered,then topped with a couple of slices of our young(mild) cheese!
Hmmm,come to think of it:Try a baguette(sliced lengthwise), spread your favourite salsa on the cut face, top it with several(thin)slices of our young cheese, zapp it lightly at a low setting(till it starts to melt):tarahhh!! like a mini-pizza(but better)!
Or try it grilled in the oven or.... when building a sub(the one with ham,cheese ,lettuce and tomatoes)
And on pizza,topped with (a) layer(s) of our young Gouda,you will reluctantly go back to any old pizza cheese !
Our young Gouda cooks similar to a mozzarella!,but has a much fuller flavour than your average “American Moz”!
But do not forget: thin slices and NEVER serve it cold!!
And to top it all off:it makes a perfect travel companion,as there is no need to keep it in the fridge!
I always keep my cheese on the kitchen counter: ready for immediate consumption!!!
It's great to take it along for a hike, an expedition into the bush or picnicking on the beach(just keep it out of the hot sun) and lets not forget the barbeque(we actually carry a gadget that helps you melt the cheese before you slap it on a hamburger,it's named a Barbe-clette)
We regularly sell it (the cheese!)to people,who take it on extended sailing trips(around the world!) and who kept it in full uncut wheels (unwrapped as they have to be able to breathe!) , in the hold near the waterline for more than 6 month!
All that was required was a regular wipe-down(mold will grow on the rind but can not easily penetrate its coating) with some vinegar(or chlorine) !
By that time(after those 6 month) the cheese must have had some attitude as our cheese ages quite nicely and develops a perfect bouquet of flavours and textures.
Which brings us to our Growlers!
When our cheese reaches the ripe old age of a year or so, it's textures have become rather short
(the cheese crumbles or breaks when cut) and developed a pleasant, crunchy feel(from crystals that start to form) in the mouth !!
It's flavours have greatly intensified and words like intense, piquant or sharp, come to mind, but also fresh and clean !
That's when we start to refer to our cheese as Growlers(old,very old,really very old)
They are real dynamite when served sliced ,on crackers,fresh bread((white or whole wheat) or steamed breads,like black pumpernickel, or grated on dishes like pastas and pizza!
And as they continue to age they eventually compare to a Parmesan(hard, brittle, intense, great for grating!)
By that time(2-5 years) we call it Hammer and Chisel cheese
Did you know why aged, grated, powdered cheese is used so much in cooking? Not so much because of its flavour,but of what it does to the other flavours! It greatly compliments and even enhances them!! (like a natural MSG)
So for when the urge overcomes you, you should know that our cheeses are available at
Our store in Economy,
our booth in the Halifax Seaport Market (Sat, Sun, Wed and Friday)
and the Truro Farmers Market (Saturday mornings only)
some of the Fall fairs and Christmas Craft Shows in Halifax, like:
Christmas at the Forum
Dalplex Christmas
in Truro
in some stores ( in Nova Scotia only!!)
