The Bottom Line
This 'design cheese' tastes as good as it looks.
Pros
- Good old Gouda has been given a makeover.
- This cheese tastes every bit as good as it looks.
- These mild, milky cheeses will appeal to all types, making them an ideal gift or souvenir.
Cons
- Only available online.
Description
- Hand made artisanal 'boerenkaas' (farmer's cheese) Baby Gouda's, from Jongenhoeve farm.
- Available in young mature (6 weeks) and mature (8 weeks).
- Comes in six trendy designs.
- Measures approx. 14 cm (5,5 inches) in diameter.
- It sells online on via www.designkaas.nl for €17,95 per cheese (about $24,00 excl. shipping).
Guide Review - Product Review: Designkaas
Cheese remains the Netherlands' largest export. And, while buying
Dutch cheese
as a souvenir or foodie gift may seem a bit, err, cheesy, Designkaas' cheeses certainly are not. Designkaas is the brainchild of Dutch designer, Marinde van Leeuwen, who combined her passion for food with her love for design to give 'boerenkaas' (a type of raw-milk Gouda known as 'farmer's cheese') a makeover, or as Van Leeuwen calls it, a 'fancy designer jacket'. This includes fresh new designs, such as an abstract red tulip print, a sleek black cover with a traditional lace design and a sexy new take on the classic Dutch landscape.
While it's a feast for the eye, I'm happy to report that this cheese doesn't only look good, it tastes good too. The 'boerenkaasjes' are hand made on Jongenhoeve farm in Bergambacht, Van Leeuwen's home town, near Gouda. These Baby Goudas measure approximately 5 1/2" (14 cm) and weigh roughly 2 lb (1 kg). The cheese is available in 'jong belegen' (young mature), aged for 6 weeks, and 'belegen'(mature cheese), aged for 8 weeks. Both are mild and milky in taste, with a grassy nose and a creamy texture, making them suitable for every palate. The mature cheese is slightly harder and has a subtle piquancy. Serve the Dutch way: cut into little cubes, as a snack with drinks or use for sandwiches.
