Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda

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2010 Best of Class – Aged Gouda – World Championship Cheese Contest

For years The Lady and The Man have spoken highly of Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda, but not once did they bring it home for the Feline Foodie. Finally, my time to taste and review this world-class Gouda has come. Wednesday, The Lady showed up with a nice sized wedge and agreed to share it with me… and now I share my thoughts with you.

As you know, Aged Goudas are favorites of The Lady and your favorite Feline Foodie (that would, of course, be me) and Old Amsterdam joins the ranks of another great Aged Gouda that this Feline Foodie will welcome every time The Lady brings it home.

According to their website, Old Amsterdam is ripened to perfection and checked regularly for flavor. It can only be sold when the flavor and quality meet the company’s strict standards.

The Lady let the wedge sit out for a couple of hours in order to bring it to room temperature and assure we would enjoy the full flavor. She planed it in slightly thick pieces and served it with a freshly baked baguette and some Dare Original Crackers (she didn’t want anything to interfere with the experience of the Old Amsterdam flavor). It was a smart move, even for humankind, she can be clever at times.

One of the first things I noticed was the ease with which the cheese sliced. Sometimes, Aged Goudas become brittle and crumbles and doesn’t slice well. Not Old Amsterdam, this cheese retains that creaminess special with only a few Aged Goudas. And it has enough of those aging crystals that I love to keep this Feline Foodie happy for a long time.

The Man was swooning (he does that a lot) and I think The Lady may have moaned when the first slice melted on her tongue…I might be wrong…wait, unlike humankinds, I am NEVER wrong – she moaned… this is a lady that loves her Aged Gouda.

When The Lady sliced it, I caught a whiff of walnuts and maybe a little butterscotch. The taste was robust and melted on the palate leaving a lingering rich taste and a yearning for more, which The Lady gladly gave me.

Maybe someday, The Lady and I can travel to Holland and experience all the Gouda that country has to offer…

I give Old Amsterdam 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got) and share with you an Old Amsterdam Commercial from Holland.

Serving Suggestions: On a cheese board, your guests will swoon, just like The Man. I fully expect The Lady to grate this cheese into omelets and over pasta. With pears, it would be a match made in heaven.

Wine Pairings: Old Amsterdam can stand up to a tawny port or a full-bodied cab.

Beer Pairing: I would go with a full flavor stout.

Source: Old Amsterdam is only made from the weekday milk of Frisian Holstein cows (weekend milk is not deemed fresh enough for the 5 master cheesemakers).

Awards: Many Gold Medals from Cheese Contests the world over.

FTC Full Disclosure – The cheesemaker/manufacturer sent me their product, hoping I would review the product/cheese.

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