Klaver Cheeses - Cheese Course

by Max Shrem, Posted Sep 8th 2009 @ 4:00PM

Dutch Cheeses at Tromp in Amsterdam. Photo: Henk van Kol

Usually, thinking of Dutch cheeses with spices in them conjures up wheels of cheese with the usual cumin seeds or cloves. However, in the last few years, a whole slew of new spices and herbs, ranging from chile to wasabi, have found their way into cheese.

On a recent trip to the cheese shop Kaashuis Tromp, at Utrechtsestraat 90 in Amsterdam, we discovered an entire universe of cheeses classified as Klaver and flavored with various herbs and spices from around the world.

According to the owner of Tromp, Henk van Kol, new flavors have been making their way into Dutch cheeses for the past five years. Besides chile and wasabi, other non-traditional flavors include tomato and garlic. There's even a cheese called Napoli that has sundried tomatoes, garlic and black olives inside. We tried some and it's delicious plain, but it seems as though it would make the perfect pizza topping -- spices included.

Continue reading about Klaver cheeses after the jump.

The addition of these herbs increases the moisture in the cheeses, and, as a result, makes it more likely that "unfriendly" molds will develop. For this reason, many Klaver cheeses are pasteurized rather than produced with raw milk.

"Some cheeses with cumin seeds are not pasteurized, but they use fewer seeds, therefore reducing the chance of mold developing," Kol says. "Although most [herbs and spices] are imported, some cheesemakers use fresh herbs."

In both cases, the herbs and spices must be cooked first to prevent the development of mold in the cheese.

Rather than take the attention away from traditional Dutch farmhouse cheeses such as Goudas and Edams, Klaver cheeses simply add a new dimension to the Dutch cheese family. "They are not cheeses we eat every day," Kol says. "We eat natural fresh farmhouse cheeses on a daily basis."

Klaver cheeses perfectly blend the rich creamy taste of a young Gouda with piquant spice. This mix of creaminess and spicy "foreign" (non-Dutch) tang seems to create a cheese that is both Dutch and Italian, as if mixing a Gouda with a Mediterranean tomato sauce.

Or, in the case of the cheese with wasabi, it's both Dutch and Japanese; the spicy wasabi assumes a delicate supple texture thanks to the young Gouda-like cheese. In other words, the flavor combination defies national culinary boundaries.

While Leyden cheese, the Dutch cheese with cumin seeds, has been available for several years at specialty stores nationwide such as Whole Foods, these more recent additions with Japanese and Italian spices and herbs are hard to come by in the United States.

Nevertheless, Klaver cheeses can easily be ordered online from Kaashuis Tromp. And, obviously, when in Amsterdam, check out the selection of cheeses at the shop itself.

Filed Under: Cheese Course, Ingredients
Tags: america, amsterdam, cheese, cheese shops, cheesecourse, CheeseShops, edam, europe, gouda, herbed cheese, HerbedCheese

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-14-2009 @2:34PM Judy Hausman said... Max
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This book has been really exciting to be a part of because Lisa’s farmstead cheese is so well-made and her farm, Rainbeau Ridge, is so inspiring. Our collaborator Karen Sabath’s photos capture the farm seasons sumptuously and Lisa’s recipes work deliciously too.

You’ll find lots of contact information in the press release and you'll see the advanced praise we are so proud of at www.rainbeauridge.com, which will also give you an idea of the breadth of the farm. Of course, the site will be updated with book release and pre-ordering information as well.

We’d be delighted to host you on the farm to scout it and also thank you in advance for spreading the word for us by blogging or planning for a book review
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