Midnight Moon

Cheese Atlas — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 10:05:04 +0000

Dutch by birth, aged in the US

Midnight Moon is a goat’s milk Gouda that is made in the Netherlands. Afterwards, it travels across the Atlantic and comes to mature at Cypress Grove Creamery in Humboldt county, Northern California.

The Creamery, world-famous for their Humboldt Fog soft chèvre, was established in the 1980’s by Mary Keehn. Unbeknownst to her, her creamery was about to play a pivotal role in the artisanal cheese movement in the United States.

What North Americans perceived as cheese was shifting. Moreover, it was moving from orange slices wrapped in clear plastic to small batch farmhouse cheeses made and matured with love and care.

That Humboldt air

Young wheels of this cheese are sent to the Creamery for maturation. The unique salt heavy air in Northern California leads to the creation of a cheese that is completely different to its Dutch counterparts that are aged locally.

Surrounded by an elegant dark purple waxed rind, its ivory pâte is dense and creamy. In addition to this, the cheese is peppered with tiny crystals which impart a bit of crunch. Its flavour is mildly savoury with notes of brown butter and hazelnuts. Furthermore, it has a seductive sweet caramel finish which makes this cheese very more-ish.

How to pair Midnight Moon

Pair this beauty with a refreshing full-bodied Amber Ale or a glass of Syrah or Zinfandel.

The post Midnight Moon appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Reypenaer XO Gouda: Aged Like A Cognac

Cheese Atlas — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 04:15:21 +0000

There’s aged Gouda, and then there’s Reypenaer XO. Meet the most mature cheese in the Reypenaer range, and let me tell you, you can expect fireworks!

Inspired by tradition

Reypenaer XO is a hard cheese made by Wijngaard Kaas in the Netherlands. The cheesemakers have adapted a traditional recipe for Gouda to make this unique cheese.

They exclusively use fresh milk from cows that are grass-fed during the summer months to make this cheese. The formed wheels are then taken to a 100 year old warehouse on the banks of Oude Rijn River for maturation.

A family secret

Moreover, the conditions within the warehouse are a well-guarded family secret. However, what is known, is that the walls of stone and floors and beams of wood contribute to a unique ripening environment for the cheese.

Overall, the range includes 3 different varieties: the “Young” at 12 months, the VSOP at 2 years and the XO Reserve, at 3 years! The family chose to use the same naming convention as Cognac and it is a very fitting analogy.

And then there's the XO

The 36 month XO Reserve has a distinct orange pâte that is crumbly and speckled with tyrosine crystals. Its aroma is sweet and grassy, with hints of walnut and cognac .

On the palate, it is incredibly complex with notes of butterscotch and caramel.

How to pair Reypenaer XO

Enjoy Reypenaer XO with a hearty stout, single malt whisky or barrel-aged gin. Overall, those robust pairings contrast beautifully with the sweetness of the cheese.

Thank you for reading

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The post Reypenaer XO Gouda: Aged Like A Cognac appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

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