More Beemster Cheeses

The Lady brought home three more cheeses made by my favorite Holland Cheesemaker: Beemster. A shout-out to Warren Reid, the Account Exec, who graciously sent the cheeses to this feline foodie for tasting and reviewing.
The Lady set up three cheese plates on her new Gathering Table in the great room and The Man and I sat down with her to sample and discuss the cheeses… What??? You think I don’t have my own place at the table??? Think again, hombre…placemat and cloth napkin…the whole nine yards…
The Lady began explaining that at tastings the plates are set with the cheeses sampled and discussed in clock-wise fashion…aren’t we just the hoi polloi around the manse?

 
We began at high noon with Beemster Farmers’ Choice. This cheese has long been a staple in every Dutch home (it is the highest volume cheese sold in Holland) and now is available at an affordable price for every American home.
This was The Man’s favorite of the three we sampled. Aged five months, it is smooth and creamy with a mild bite. Its rich yellow color will bring not only a gourmet edge to any sandwich but raise the eye-candy aspect as well.  My guess is that this is a “kid-friendly” cheese, but will appeal to the connoisseur palate as well.
I give Beemster Farmers’ Choice Cheese 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).
Serving Suggestions: Cheese Platters with grapes and nuts; grilled cheese sandwiches; au gratin recipes; soups.
Wine Suggestion: Merlot
Beer: American Lager
Source: Cows’ Milk
 
At 4 O’clock, The Lady had placed Beemster Premium Goat Cheese…and I know what you are thinking…here comes trouble… another Copernicus story in the making…well, you would be wrong…The Lady loved this cheese…maybe not as much as the third one we tasted (coming next); but pretty damned near close. Her first comment after “Ummm,” was, “No barnyard taste; not a Billy goat rutting anywhere in the aftertaste.” No one will ever accuse The Lady of being shy when it comes to speaking her mind; nor is she always dainty and lady-like in her verbiage…
Eleven farms in the Beemster polder and members of the coop keep goats to satisfy the demands of the locals for goat milk. Goat cheese is an acceptable substitute for humankinds who are lactose intolerant. Do you know why that is? It’s because goat milk is composed of smaller fat particles which the humankind body is able to digest more easily. How cool is that???
All three of us found this cheese quite pleasing: smooth; silky; tasty and aromatic. I particularly like its chalky white color; it reminds me of a house where I lived back a few lives on the Adriatic Sea Coast.
I give Beemster Premium Goat Cheese 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).
Serving Suggestions: Sandwiches, cheese plates and casseroles. I think it would be a hit as part of a pizza topping.
Wine Pairings: Washington State Preston Premium Gamay Noir
Beer Pairing: Grand Teton Double Vision Doppelbock
Source: Beemster Polder Goats’ Milk
 

At 8 O’Clock was the Lady’s favorite and coincidentally, mine as well: Beemster Wasabi Flavored Cheese. The Man, who does eat sushi for the same reason that he does not eat bait, was skeptical about trying this one. He was pleasantly surprised; the wasabi flavor doesn’t overpower the taste of the cheese. Like the Mustard Beemster, the flavor is subtle and adds to the enjoyment rather than overpowering it.
This is a smooth and creamy cheese.
I give Beemster Wasabi 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got…and is also all I need).
Serving Suggestions: Cheese plate with fruit and nuts. The Lady suggested a slice melted on a rare grilled tuna sandwich.
Wine Suggestion: Japanese Sake.
Source: Cows’ Milk

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