"cheese shops" news and stories

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.

Years ago, I discovered this little pocket of cheap foodie Toronto awesomeness -- Kensington Market. Mixed in with irresistible spice and veggie stores, and the rather sketchy uncovered beans that sometimes meet the dirty feet of pigeons, lies Cheese Magic.

Run by an army of cute slacker dudes of seemingly unending supply, Cheese Magic is one of those places that makes you want to buy more and more cheese. No one barks at you for your order, and within a few glassed cases and an overflowing-with-cheese counter, there's almost anything you could possibly want. And if you're not sure -- just ask for a taste, or two, or three. They're happy to help; they're generous with their samples; and the cheese has always been insanely tasty.

I remember going early one weekday morning to acquire a selection of edibles for a wine and cheese party I was throwing that night. I told the woman behind the counter that I was throwing a cheese-themed party, and for the next half hour, she introduced me to a myriad of options, giving me a taste of each. I learned the eye-rolling wonder of Smoked Applewood Cheddar. I picked up some chaumes, havarti, brie -- while trying to refrain from picking up one of everything, being in debt for forever, and growing bigger than an expanding Violet Beauregarde.