Recipe Box: The Goodness of Gouda

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Ahhh, fall – crisp apples, steaming bowls of savory soup and decadent grilled sandwiches oozing with cheese. First, let’s start with a slice of good Gouda.

Found in writings dating back to 1184, Gouda is one of the oldest recorded cheese varieties still made and accounts for up to 60 percent of the world’s cheese consumption.

The folks at Thunder Oak Cheese Farm, just outside of Thunder Bay, know what makes this cheese so popular. “It’s a sweeter, firm cheese, which makes it great in sandwiches,” says Walter Schep, a second-generation on the farm. “It’s very versatile.”

Gouda, named for a city in the Netherlands, is most often made from cultured cow’s milk; its flavor depends almost completely on the time it has aged. The cheese is made by draining whey and adding water – a process called “washing the curd” that creates a sweeter cheese by removing some lactose and the resulting lactic acid.

Curds are then pressed into characteristic circular molds and soaked in brine, giving the cheese and its rind a distinctive taste. After drying a few days, the cheese gets a yellow waxy coating. Young cheese is ready to go at four weeks, but well-aged Gouda, cultivated for 12 months or more, develops a caramel sweetness and light crunchiness.

The folks at Thunder Oak Cheese Farm know Gouda. The farm, a little bit of Holland nestled in the scenic Slate Valley south of Thunder Bay, was started by Jacob and Margaret Schep, both from Dutch cheese-making families. They immigrated to Canada with their children in 1981 and started dairy farming in Scoble (now Neebing) Township. By 1995, they were producing authentic Dutch Gouda cheese. Back in Holland, Margaret’s mother was honored as world-champion cheesemaker in 1975. In 2002, the Scheps continued that tradition of excellence winning the Dairy Farmers of Canada Grand Prix award for best firm cheese.

The Scheps’ mostly Holstein herd flourishes, thanks to brothers Walter and Martin. “This has always been a family operation,” Walter says. “My parents worked together … my father concentrating on the farming and milking and my mother focusing on the cheesemaking. My sisters worked in the shop and my brother and I always helped with the farming and cheese making.”

At Thunder Oak Farm, Gouda is made from fresh milk produced daily by 70 of the Scheps’ cows. The family creates baby- and full-sized Gouda rounds in 13 flavors plus mild, medium and extra old aged varieties. “Our biggest sellers are smoked Gouda and jalapeño Gouda. We’ve also added a Dutch-style Swiss cheese called Masdaam to our line.”

The Thunder Oak Cheese Farm store and cheese-making operation have both recently moved to a new, larger building, still in the valley but off the farm. “It is a working farm,” says Walter, “with farm machinery moving around in a busy yard. We thought it would be less awkward and safer for visitors if we moved the store to a nearby site.”

Not all of the Scheps’ cheese makes it off the farm, Walter notes. “Our Gouda makes an excellent grilled cheese, and that’s the extent of my cooking. However, my mom has collected an amazing number of cheese recipes.”

Margaret shares her muffin recipe here, and I’ve tossed in my favorite for Croques-Monsieur, just in time for a fine fall feast.

Margaret’s Gouda Muffins

Makes a dozen

  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1-1/2 c. shredded Gouda (or any medium cheese)
  • 1 c. plain yogurt
  • 1/4 c. melted butter
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400° F or 200° C.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in cheese.

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine yogurt, butter and eggs. Add all at once to dry ingredients.

Stir until just moistened. Divide batter evenly among 12 large greased muffin cups.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

Juli’s Croques-Monsieur

Makes 4 sandwiches

  • 1 c. grated cheese (Gouda or Gruyère preferred) plus 4 tablespoons reserved for sprinkling on top
  • 2 Tbsp. sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
  • 8 slices good quality white bread
  • 4 thin slices of cooked ham (your preference)
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 c.) unsalted butter, softened

In a bowl, mix together 1 cup cheese, sour cream and mustard. Spread 1 tablespoon of the mix evenly on one side of each bread slice. Arrange the ham on 4 slices then cover with the remaining slices, spread side down. (I prefer to remove the crusts.) Spread the tops of the sandwiches lightly with 2 tablespoons of butter. Invert the sandwiches into a large skillet, spread the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and grill the sandwiches over moderately high heat, turning once, for 6 to 8 minutes or until they are golden brown on both sides.

Transfer sandwiches to a baking sheet, sprinkling the tops with the remaining 4 tablespoons of cheese and broil them for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is just melted.

Juli Kellner is the host of “WDSE Cooks.”