Brabander Goat Gouda, selected by Essex

We
are running a spring feature on one of our favorite cheeses – Brabander Goat
Gouda.  We have been sending out samples but if you haven’t received one
yet, let us know and we will get one on your next order.

Brabander
is named after the area from which it hails in North Brabant, Netherlands. This
Gouda-style cheese is made with pasteurized milk of Saanen goats, and is
pressed into millstone-shaped rounds of approximately 25 pounds. From there,
affineur Betty Koster of Fromagerie L’Amuse selects wheels to ripen in her
caves at her Santpoort-Noord facility in North Holland. Koster’s caves maintain
an ambient temperature of approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is
slightly higher than the norm, but yields a cheese with more robust flavor.
After 6-9 months, Brabander wheels are released and selected for import into
the United States by Essex St. Cheese Co.

One of the things we
especially love about Brabander is its balance of sweet with savory. You will notice a buttery, salted caramel flavor with an
underpinning of lactic tang. It has a snowy white paste and semi-firm texture.
Once warmed on the palate, Brabander becomes supple and silky.