Beemster Tasting Tour with Tote Bag

Beemster Tasting Tour with Tote Bag
Beemster cheese come from the quiet, canal lined pastures of North Holland, located 20ft below sea level, remarkably reclaimed from the sea in the year 1612. Through the extensive use of dykes, canals, and windmills, this area was transformed into lush pastures, rich in mineral composition, lending an unmistakable terroir to cheeses made in the Beemster polder. The Beemster co-op was established in 1901, and these traditional recipes have led to it earning the highest honor of being the supplier to the Royal Court of the Netherlands.

Best known for their award winning goudas, both young and aged, Beemster has become a world-wide phenomenon, as well as a favorite cheese of both the igourmet.com staff and our customers! It is with great pride that we are able to offer a Beemster Tasting Tour, consisting of five of our favorite Beemster cheeses. Also included is a Beemster Tote Bag, branded with the Vlaskaas cheese logo. This bag is made of recycled materials and is a great green-alternative to using plastic bags for shopping trips.

This assortment includes:

* Beemster Classic Extra Aged Gouda: This edible opus magnum has been matured for eighteen months, allowing its body to develop a muted caramel color, matched by an intense flavor with a sweet finish. (8 oz)
* Vlaskaas: Its name means "Flax Cheese", owing not to an ingredient but to the plant that dominates the local countryside. Similar to Gouda but richer, creamier and deeper yellow in color, Vlaskaas'' purple rind distinguishes it from all other cheeses. (8 oz)
* Graskaas: A seasonal cheese, this limited availability product is only produced in the summer. The milk taken from the Beemster cows as they eat the Spring's first crop of fresh greass is the creamiest milk of the year. (8 oz)
* Beemster with Garlic: Gouda with a twist. The addition of garlic gives this otherwise creamy cheese an interesting depth of flavor without dramatically changing its nature. Our best seller at the Garlic Festival, this makes the best cheesy garlic mashed potatoes ever. (8 oz)
* Beemster with Cumin: Spices such as cumin, caraway, and cloves are fixtures in Dutch cuisine, the most well-known cheese being Leyden. Beemster''s version is more aged than traditional Leyden, and with their spectacular milk as a base, the result is better than other commercial spiced cheeses from Holland. (8 oz)
* Vlaskaas Tote: Depicting the flax harvest, this extra-large bag is perfect for grocery trips, picnics, or just toting your cheese over to a friend's!