Introduction: A Gold Medal Winner Makes Its Market Debut

October is an exciting month for cheese lovers at Pineland Farms Dairy! For the first time ever, our award-winning Smoked Gouda is available at the Pineland Farms flagship Market and the Monson General Store. Previously, our smoked gouda has only been available this summer (2024) at Hannaford as a sliced option in their deli case. This cheese has earned the Gold Medal at The Big E for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024, and is celebrated for its buttery, creamy, and smooth texture with sweet and salty notes. Our Smoked Gouda has a subtle smoky flavor that complements rather than overpowers its natural Gouda character. Be sure to visit our Market this October to be among the first to try this incredible cheese!

The History of Gouda and Smoked Gouda

Named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands, Gouda cheese dates back to the 12th century, making it one of the world’s oldest cheeses still produced today. Known for its smooth texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor, traditional Gouda is aged for varying periods, from a few weeks to several years, each stage adding unique depth to the cheese’s flavor profile.

Smoked Gouda adds a new dimension to this classic cheese. Originally, smoking cheese was a method of preservation, but it has evolved into an art that adds complex flavors. At Pineland Farms, we use maple wood to smoke our Gouda, providing a gentle smoky sweetness that enhances its naturally buttery notes. And now, for the first time, you can experience this award-winning cheese at our flagship Market and the Monson General Store.

Behind the Scenes: Perfecting Our Smoked Gouda Through Cheese Grading

At Pineland Farms, our cheese grading process is essential in crafting cheeses like our Smoked Gouda, ensuring that every batch delivers the consistent quality that has earned it its Gold Medals. Recently, our team gathered for a grading session to evaluate several cheeses, including our Gouda, Smoked Gouda, Cheddar, Smoked Cheddar, and a sample of Taleggio from Balfour Farm in Pittsfield, Maine. Including Taleggio—a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from Italy known for its strong aroma and tangy, fruity flavor—allowed us to contrast its distinct profile against the milder Gouda and sharper Cheddar.

Cheese grading is an intricate process that involves evaluating a cheese’s appearance, texture, aroma, and flavor to ensure it meets our high standards. For a complex cheese like our Smoked Gouda, grading is vital to achieving the perfect balance between its creamy, buttery base and the delicate smoky notes imparted by the maple wood. During our grading, we focus on confirming these characteristics to maintain the flavor profile that our customers have come to love.

One of the key tools in our grading process is the Cheese Trier, which allows us to extract a core sample from the cheese without cutting it open. This is particularly useful for Smoked Gouda, as it lets us examine the cheese’s interior to ensure a consistent texture and flavor throughout. The hammer end of the trier is also used to tap cheeses like Swiss, helping us detect any gas holes (or “eyes”) by the sound they produce. While our Smoked Gouda doesn’t develop eyes, this tool is indispensable in evaluating its structure, moisture content, and the distribution of its smoky flavor.

The grading process begins by visually inspecting the cheese for color consistency, a well-formed rind, and the absence of cracks. Next, we assess the aroma; for Smoked Gouda, we look for a fresh milk scent intertwined with a subtle hint of smoke. The cheese is then gently rolled between the fingers to test its moisture level—it should be firm yet not sticky, indicating it has been aged and stored correctly.

Finally, we taste the cheese at room temperature to fully appreciate its flavor profile. Our Smoked Gouda should present a smooth, creamy mouthfeel with a balanced smoky finish that lingers pleasantly. This tasting session confirmed that our Smoked Gouda maintains its exceptional quality, with each bite offering that unique combination of buttery sweetness and mild smokiness that sets it apart.

Grading serves more than just quality control; it helps us refine our craft. By understanding how factors like aging, moisture, and smoke infusion affect the final product, we can continuously improve our Smoked Gouda, ensuring that every bar that reaches our customers is of the highest standard. For us at Pineland Farms, cheese grading is a celebration of our commitment to excellence, ensuring that when you choose our Smoked Gouda, you’re experiencing the very best.

Comparing Pineland Farms’ Gouda to Cheddar

While both our Gouda and Cheddar have their own fan base, they offer distinct experiences. Our Gouda is milder, with a creamy texture and slightly sweet undertones, perfect for those who prefer a softer cheese profile. On the other hand, our Cheddar is known for its sharp, bold flavor that develops more intensity with age. As for the smoked versions, our Smoked Gouda offers a delicate smoky flavor that enhances the cheese without overwhelming it, whereas our Smoked Cheddar provides a more pronounced, upfront smoky flavor that finishes with a classic cheddar taste.

Cheese Pairing Ideas: Gouda and Smoked Gouda

With our Smoked Gouda now available at our flagship Market and Monson General Store, we encourage you to experiment with some delicious pairings:

• Classic Gouda Pairings: Fresh fruits like apples and pears, fig jam, crusty bread, almonds, and mild meats such as prosciutto.
• Smoked Gouda Pairings: Dark chocolate, smoked meats, roasted nuts, whole-grain crackers, and a variety of pickles.
• Wine and Beer: Gouda pairs beautifully with Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir. For beer lovers, Gouda shines with a pale ale or lager, while the smoked variety is perfect with stouts, Guinness and Allagash’s North Sky Stout are our favorites, or smoked porter pairs nicely as well.

Final Thoughts

This October, don’t miss the debut of our award-winning Smoked Gouda at Pineland Farms’ flagship Market and the Monson General Store! Perfect for cheese boards, culinary creations, or pairing with your favorite wine or beer, this cheese is a must-try. Stop by our Market to experience the rich flavors of our Smoked Gouda throughout the month of October! This delicious cheese is the ideal way to finish off a day spent navigating our corn maze and pumpkin patch, enjoying all the delights of the fall season. Indulge in the warmth and comfort of our Smoked Gouda and make your autumn adventures even more memorable!