Old Amsterdam Cheese

I was recently invited to a blogger event where some Old Amsterdam cheese was being sampled. Now I have Daisy I won't be attending many events, if any at all, so I politely declined my place. I was pleasantly surprised when I was contacted back and given the offer of some cheese being posted to me so I could still try it - I wish all companies wanting to work with bloggers did this (especially booze ones....)

Old Amsterdam is an aged gouda cheese. I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't looked at their website though - I thought it tasted more like a mature Edam cheese - maybe just my taste buds though?

I used mine on some crumpets, in with some pasta, on a salad and ate it on it's own. I think it was most enjoyable in the salad or on it's own though.

It's not a cheese I would have been drawn to, but now I've tried it if I saw it on offer I would definitely get some more. After looking at the recipes page on the Old Amsterdam website I definitely want to get some more to try doing a few of those!

I was also sent some info on Old Amsterdam's Top Tips for a perfect cheeseboard (let it be known I do not agree with the slate.....serve it on a plate or a wooden board, please!)

Old Amsterdam’s Top Tips For The Perfect Cheese Board

• The best cheese boards are made up of blue, aged, soft and hard cheeses.
• Combine different milk types to create variety: cows, goats and sheep. Also
consider the variation in shape and color between the cheeses.
• Serve approximately 50 grams of cheese per person. Follow the one-bite rule
when preparing appetizers and platters for your guests.
• Choose three to five different types of cheese to give your board some
variety.
• Eat the light cheeses first; Bries and Chevres for example. You can then make
your way through the spectrum of flavours ending with the hardest cheeses;
the Old Amsterdam and Gorgonzolas.
• Serve cheese at room temperature – remember to take it out of the fridge in
good time before serving it up.
• Cheese should be served on a board, but why not try a fun alternative. Using
slate tiles from the hardware store, write the names of the cheese on the tiles
with chalk.
• When pairing wine and cheese, it’s important to cleanse your palate. Offer
some fruit, vegetables or almonds on the cheese board to fully enjoy the
flavours.

Pairings on the board
• Pistachio nuts or almonds to clear the palate
• Sweet condiments like honey-mustard or a fruit chutney. Use baked goods
such as fig cake.
• Seasonal fruits such as red grapes, apples and pears. Or try dried apricots.
• Water crackers, slices of rustic bread and raisin nut bread.

Pairings in the glass
• Local Ales or darker Belgium beers.
• Red port for dessert.
• Buttery white wines like a Chardonnay.
• Bold red wines like a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.

For more information; www.oldamsterdam.com