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Gouda: A crowd-pleaser with a twist

by on in General

Gouda is one of the most popular cheeses in the world. It’s easy to see why: it’s the perfect way to start off one’s journey into cheese. Young, gouda is mellow, creamy and sweet. Once aged, it reveals a deep umami flavor full of butterscotch and toasted nuts, and an addictive creamy/crystal-packed texture.

Gouda is traditionally made with fresh cow’s milk; the cheese wheels are waxed before before being aged, ensuring a great moisture retention in the cheese. In the Middle Ages, that thin rind of wax also had the benefit of keeping out critters.

For our Gouda selection, we’ve paired up with the experts at Artikaas. We appreciate their approach: a thoughtful blend of respect of traditions and bold innovations. A great example of this philosophy is their Artikaas Youngster Goat Gouda. Perhaps you carry this snow-white beauty in your cheese aisle. If not, now is the time: it was recently awarded the Gold prize in the Specialty Foods Association SOFI Awards! This prestigious Specialty Food Association award means that this Gouda was blindly evaluated amongst hundreds of other entries, by expert judges, on the basis of: flavor, texture, appearance, aroma and ingredient quality. 70% of the score is based on taste and 30% on ingredient quality.

A striking addition to any case – and who could resist those adorable prancing baby goats?

Upon cracking a wheel of Artikaas Goat Gouda or picking up their precut, you will first notice the very white color of the paste. Unlike cows, goats are very efficient in transforming the carotene they ingest in their food: this translates to pure white milk, rather than the slightly golden tinge of cow’s milk.

The cheese has a pleasant mild and slightly citrusy smell, and a flavor to match. We are partial to its slightly tangy flavor profile and lingering sweetness, as well as its exceptional creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. We deem it the perfect “first goat cheese” to convert those who may not yet appreciate this glorious section of the world of cheese.

Artikaas Youngster Goat Gouda in Images
The milk of Artikaas Goat Gouda comes mainly from the Dutch Saanen breed – a crossbreed introduced in the 1900s to achieve high quality milk production for a longer period of time.

 

All the farmers who produce the milk for this gouda respect strict animal and environmental welfare principles. Many of them product their own clean energy by installing solar panels atop their goat barns.

 

Where it all begins: a vat of rich, pristine goat milk.

 

In the early stages of production, the milk will coagulate and specially devised paddles will cut the curd into the perfect dimension.

 

A master Cheese maker at work: thanks to a cheese plug, Artikaas cheese makers are able to pull out a thin carrot of cheese to check the cheese is ripening correctly. Artikaas Goat Gouda is aged four to dix weeks to achieve its desired texture and flavor profile.

 

Sleeping beauties, ready for a final brush off, a label, and the long voyage to the United States.

 

Wondering how to use this cheese? We love it shaved into a spring quiche packed with asparagus and peas, or shredded and folded into a light risotto. For more culinary tips, ask your rep for our latest culinary shelf talker!

 

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