A first generation American farmstead cheesemaker struck gold with a new style of Gouda at this month’s U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Milwaukee.
Dutch-born Marieke (pronounced muh-REEK-uh) Penterman of Holland’s Family Farm earned Best of Class in the Open Class for Flavored Semi-soft Cheeses with her amazing new Feonegreek Gouda.
Marieke, who with her husband and family moved from the Netherlands to Wisconsin in 2003 to operate a 480-Holstein dairy farm, started crafting farmstead cheese in the style of her home country at her new farmstead dairy plant last fall.
She currently makes 13 varieties of Gouda in five sizes of wheels ranging from 1/2 pound to 16 pounds, and although most of her current production is still quite young, she plans to age much of it out, differentiating herself from most of the young American Gouda currently on the market.
If you have a chance to try her award-winning Feonegreek Gouda, I would whole-heartedly endorse it. I got the opportunity to try some yesterday , and while it was still very young – it was almost like eating a dessert cheese – sweet & creamy. It seems to be the type of cheese that will only get better as it ages. Order it online by emailing the Pentermans at info@hollandsfamilycheese.com.
