Congrats to Fromagerie L'Amuse and Betty Koster for a Cheese Madness back-to-back! In 2016, we wrote the post below celebrating the win of L'Amuse Gouda, and now in 2017, another cheese from this creamery has also taken a March Madness win! Read about Brabander Gouda's 2017 triumph by clicking here.
In 1989, Betty Koster founded Fromagerie L’Amuse with her husband Martin. Their shops in Santpoord-Noord and Amsterdam feature rare, small-production Dutch gems like Wilde Weide and the unusual goat gouda, Brabander. Betty’s long-term connections to Dutch farmers, cheesemakers, and affineurs have given her access to an unparalleled range of cheeses. She exports a handful to America, including her signature two-year warm-cellar-aged Gouda L’Amuse.
Pictured in the center, Betty & Martin Koster.
Betty opts to mature this cheese at a higher temperature than normal, which helps keeps the moisture locked in the cheese, resulting in an unusually creamy paste for an aged Gouda. It'll melt in your mouth like toffee. Dense and crystallized, these darkly golden wheels are hand-selected from around Holland by Betty and Martin.
This cheese pairs well with bold reds like Bordeaux or Côtes du Rhône, or sweeter dessert options like Port. It's stunning with dark, malty beers like chocolate stouts or porter. Either way, make sure you pair it with
Black Lava Cashews. Congrats again to this very deserving winner!
