Well, well, well.
You are interested in our Gouda cheese, we are flattered!
Now, you, the reader, probably has already been lectured by an all-knowing (if we only knew half of what we think we know!) Dutch person, who (all for free!) offered you (on the spot) information on how to pronounce it.
You probable said (in your innocence) Goodah cheese and was jumped upon by one off those people,who right then and there, (in public no less!) tried to make you pronounce it the right way!
An impossible task! However, you probably got away with burning cheeks (from embarrassment) and a sore throat (from trying!) after saying gawda, ggawda, ggggawda!!
He (or she) probably complemented you (patronizingly) on your pathetic efforts and let you off the hook.
Well I got a comeback here for you!! I’ll let you in on our dirty little secret!
Amongst ourselves (us Dutch folks) we NEVER say gggawda cheese!
We say GOUDSE KAAS (ggoudse cass) and you will never be able to say it right, because our mothers make us (as babies!) say it over and over and over, causing our little throats and vocal cords to deform (permanently) in order to make those sounds!
Anyway, no matter how you say it, we will get your drift eventually and we’ll be happy to sell to you our pride and joy: that …..Dutchman’s Gouda!, No questions asked!! No skills test required!
Our Gouda has a richness and flavour that compares to the best !!
Its texture ranges from soft creamy (when very young) to hard and sharp/piquant (when very old)!
As I am not a medium person, I prefer my Gouda (at room temperature, of course) to be very young (2 month old) or medium-old to old! (6 to 10 month of age)
To enjoy our cheese to the fullest, it should be sliced thinly (3 thin slices give a much greater taste sensation than a “slab”)
It is pretty hard to beat some good fresh,bread, buttered,then topped with a couple of slices of our young(mild) cheese!
Hmmm, come to think of it:Try a baguette (sliced lengthwise), spread your favourite salsa on the cut face, top it with several (thin) slices of our young cheese, zapp it lightly at a low setting (till it starts to melt): tarahhh!! like a mini-pizza (but better)!
Or try it grilled in the oven or…. when building a sub(the one with ham, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes)
And on pizza, topped with (a) layer(s) of our young Gouda, you will reluctantly go back to any old pizza cheese!
Our young Gouda cooks similar to a mozzarella!, but has a much fuller flavour than your average “American Moz”!