Did you know?

“It takes one cow eating 110lbs. of grass and drinking 28 gallons of water and producing 7 gallons of milk in order to get 7lbs. of cheese. That’s a lot of grass, so the type and quality of the grass helps determine the ultimate taste of the cheese.

It is also true that the Netherlands are by far the largest exporters of cheese in the world, a position they have held for centuries. Beemster cheeses from Holland come from the quiet, canal-lined pastures of the Beemster Polder, reclaimed from the sea in 1612. Cows graze openly, 20ft. below sea level, on pesticide-free grasses. The special blue sea clay of the pastures gives the smoothest and sweetest milk in all of Holland. This unique milk allows Beemster cheeses to retain a superb rich texture even when matured over two years.”

Patty Church
Carlino’s Executive Cheese Specialist

Featured Cheese: Beemster XO

Beemster XO (extra-old) is the grandfather of the Beemster line of cow’s milk Goudas. Aged over 26 months, it has a deep golden color and a long lasting taste, yet it contains about 20% less salt than other Goudas. Beemster XO has been in production since 1901 and is still made according to strict traditional methods.

Using only the milk of the Beemster polder cows… milk that contains fatty acids unique in the world… it is aged yet creamy. The flavor is intense with butterscotch overtones and undertones of whiskey and pecans.

Beemster XO is a splendid cheese for melting over burgers, shaving into a salad or grating on top of pasta. This fabulous cheese also pairs nicely with a full bodied stout, vintage port or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Just Arrived: Beemster Premier Goat Gouda

It took the entrepreneurial Dutchmen to discover that Gouda could also be made from goat’s milk. Goat Gouda has become wildly popular in Europe and has turned heads in the United States since its recent arrival. Beemster Premier Goat Gouda is a young goat cheese with a unique, tangy flavor.

It is aged for 6 months and is made from the milk of goats that graze below sea level on the sweet grass of the Beemster polder. This Goat Gouda has a semi-firm texture with a fantastic creamy saltiness. It is a satiny, bright-white cheese and is a mouth-watering gem!

Dutch Cheeses Go With Infused Balsamic:

When in Holland we realized the perfect pairing with aged Dutch cheeses is the wonderful infused balsamics of Modena, Italy, primarily Cranberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar. Carlino’s Cranberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar is thick and luscious, full of rich cranberry notes, accompanied by undertones of clove and allspice. The pairing of Dutch cheeses with thick and rich Cranberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar makes for the perfect host/hostess gift! Visit the “Grove” at Carlino’s of Ardmore or stop by our West Chester Cheese Department for a bottle of infused goodness!

 

Recipe: Chef Angela’s Gouda Fondue

The cold winter months are the perfect time to gather around a warm pot of cheese fondue. This recipe is a Good-a-Gouda variation of classic Swiss fondue.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 pound Holland Gouda

1 pound Holland Smoked Gouda

1 pound Swiss Gruyere

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

1 cup Dry White Wine

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Black Pepper to taste

1 Garlic clove, halved

Cubed Crusty Bread

Directions:

1. Shred or coarsely grate the cheese. Toss together with the cornstarch.
2. Put white wine and lemon juice in a deep pot over medium heat and when hot add a handful of the cheese mixture while slowly and constantly stirring.
3. Add the rest of the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until melted. Add black pepper to taste.
4. Rub the fondue pot with cut garlic clove. Discard. Put pot on its stand over low flame and pour your melted fondue into it.
5. Serve with crusty bread and/or steamed veggies (especially cauliflower, broccoli and mushrooms).

Schedule a consultation with our cheese specialist or find the answer to your cheese question by emailing us at: [email protected]