We had a party this past weekend, and at it we tried a couple more cheeses.
1. Beemster. I think it was Beemster "Classic." This is a gouda (but from a different region of Holland, thus the different name). It's a really, really strong gouda, very cheddary. Akiko thought it was too strong to eat straight, but I couldn't stop eating it. It has that nice faint crunch a gouda can get from the salt crystals.
2. Morbier. This is weird but good. It's a soft cow's milk cheese - not soft like brie, but soft like Velveeta. It has a streak of vegetable ash running down the center, which I think is responsible for the slightly bitter aftertaste. That's not a bad thing, because it lends a little complexity to the otherwise very straightforwardly creamy flavor. I'm not as wild about this one, probably because it reminds me too much, again, of Velveeta, but it tastes much better, and Akiko and our guests really liked it.
