Good Evening Cheesy1’s,

This week I’m featuring another new cheese from the Waitrose 1 range and it is called Beemster. It is a Gouda with high acclaim as it is by the appointment to the Royal Court Of the Netherlands and it has a very distinctive colour that wouldn’t be out of place in a golden palace. This is very much pushed as a premium cheese and is made on a vast scale but to a meticulous recipe which remains a secret and only known to the master cheese makers that create this cheese. Waitrose is clearly trying to bring some popular worldwide cheeses to the shelves of their stores and this is an extremely tasty cheese. Made at Beemster Polder this land has some rich history that dates to over “400 years ago, when the industrious Dutch constructed a clever system of dykes and canals that drained the sea water and created “polders” (literally meaning “reclaimed from the sea”, to inhabit the land). This most famous Dutch ‘polder’ was declared UNESCO World Heritage site 1999. It is here that farmers work hard to preserve the landscape for future generations.” This is now where the cows graze as its unique history has created lush dairy pastures which is perfect for creating a rich & creamy milk for cheese and Beemster have been doing this since 1901.

The Gouda is matured in historic warehouses on wooden boards and are tasted by the master cheesemakers every week to help reach the flavour of Beemster Gouda. This is a practice that is rarely seen because most cheese makers would not taste the cheeses that often maybe months but rarely weeks.

So what does it taste like?

I found it similar to Old Amsterdam but it isn’t as dry and it has a glossier appearance. In its tasting profile it features a creamy, nutty, sweet and salty flavour and with fruit on a cheese board would be delicious or particularly in a grilled cheese sandwich. On the Beemster website it suggests it to be used in a casserole which I can see how that would add flavour but I have not tried that before; maybe in the near future. I liked the flavour and loved the depth of the tastes involved but it may not be to everyone’s liking with regards to the sweetness. I did like it but I think I prefer Old Amsterdam overall as I preferred the drier texture and the slightly mellower sweetness more like caramel but this is still a fine cheese that certainly shouldn’t be overlooked if you like a cheese that is more unique than the rest. If you happen to pick up this up then use the #WaitroseCheesy1 to tweet your experiences with this cheese or the new Waitrose 1 range.

Have fun on your WaitroseCheesy1 adventures

The Cheesy1