Last week, my husband made the most incredible meal! For many (including us), the holidays are not complete without gourmet foods. While I did do much in the way of helping my husband choose the menu (and prepare the dessert), I’m not sure how much of that I’ll be doing for Christmas. Our son was born 1 day shy of 38 weeks and on December 25, I will be 2 days shy of 38 weeks. We could very well have a Christmas baby! So, my husband and I are already starting to think about what we’ll do when my family comes over for Christmas.
So what’s on the menu for Christmas this year? Part of me wants to go to Whole Foods and order out. Or maybe do a fun sampling of heavy appetizers. My husband and I tend to be foodies. We’ve cruised and traveled all over the world and lived in Europe for almost 1 year. We’re accustomed to trying new foods. We like the diversity of foods from other cultures and countries.
When we lived in Edinburgh, I walked by a gourmet cheese shop every day (conveniently placed right next to a meat shop). Occasionally, we’d stop in and buy gourmet cheese (we enjoyed sampling different types of cheeses). Sometimes I wish gourmet cheese was as readily available as it is in other countries. Recently, I had an opportunity to try two varieties of gourmet Dutch cheese, courtesy of Beemster Cheese. I’m definitely not a cheese connoisseur, but the cheese I sampled from the company was delicious.
I wish I knew all the ins and outs of various types of cheeses…aged….smoked…etc. etc. What I do know is that I enjoy eating any cheese that doesn’t have “green” growths on them (hehe). Beemster hand-makes their cheese on a sustainable farm in the Netherlands. They mature their cheese for a minimum of 18 months and it’s made 20 feet below sea level. The company also ensures that their cheese is of a high quality by ensuring their cows only graze on pesticide-free pastures.
So how does it taste? We had an opportunity to sample both the Classic (matured for 18 months) and X.O. (matured for 26 months) varieties. If you’re accustomed to eating “everyday” cheeses like cheddar or mozzarella, you’re in for a real treat. To be honest, the cheese you find in the store isn’t particularly flavorful or unique. The X.O. version is sharper and stronger than the Classic version but they’re both very good. I imagine the Classic would taste really good in an omelette (in fact, I just might have to try that!) or even on a tuna melt. The X.O. perhaps would be a nice addition to a salad. Both are obviously good with crackers and a glass of wine (if you drink wine). In some countries, cheese is course administered after the main course (either before dessert or in place of dessert).
Beemster offers a variety of gourmet cheeses, perfect for holiday entertaining or family get togethers. You can find products at specialty markets nationwide.
For more fabulous Holiday Gift Ideas, visit The Mommy-Files
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this review. I did receive a product, courtesy of the company in order to facilitate my review.
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I think finger foods is perfect!! We tend to do more finger foods instead of huge sit down meals!!