Arina Goat Gouda

Arina Goat Gouda is a semi-hard, Gouda-style, goat's milk cheese from Holland. It is aged four months and has a wonderfully mild, nutty flavor. You might not know you were eating goat cheese, unless you were told. Both its flavor and texture are unlike the tart, fresh chèvre most people are more familiar with.

In order to make a Gouda-style cheese, the curds must be pressed and heated to expell a good deal of the whey. I also believe (though I do not know for certain) that Goudas require the use of a particular strand of bacteria as the starter culture that aids the initial separation of curds and whey.

Arina Goat Gouda is a great party cheese. I brought some a couple of weeks ago to Ken and Jenn Shockley's annual philosophy gathering, and it was gone within minutes. The hosts didn't even get to try any.

Some other Gouda cheeses I've reviewed include the following:

• Ewephoria
• Vintage Van Gogh
• Saenkanter
• Double-Cream Gouda

Some salad recipes using Arina Goat Gouda include:

• Arugula, Pear, Arina Goat Gouda Salad
• Arina Goat Gouda Salad

Arina would probably make a good grilled cheese sandwich, too.