The major difference between the two cheeses is fat content. Gouda is produced using whole milk, while Edam is made from part-skimmed milk. This means if you want to slice cheese for sandwiches, you should use Edam; if you want the cheese to melt, use Gouda. When young, these cheeses are bland, almost to a fault. The aged varieties are generally preferable. While aged Edam is common in Europe, it is rare in the U.S.

Aged Gouda, on the other hand, is readily available, and one of my favorite cheeses in the world. Deep caramel in color with a flavor to match, this cheese has been described as “butterscotch caramel dipped in Irish Whisky.” It is available in many ages, from 18 month to 5 years. My favorites are Saenkanter, a 4 year old, pasteurized milk cheese, and the 3-year version of Boerenkaas (translates as “farmers cheese”), a raw milk cheese. Both exhibit the wondrously complex web of flavors associated with these superbly produced cheeses. Aged Gouda is a marvelous grating cheese, superb in twice-baked potatoes or on a Boston lettuce salad with blood orange sections, candied walnuts, pomegranate seeds and a citrus vinaigrette. But it is best of all served simply as a table cheese, sliced paper-thin with a cheese plane, so it melts quickly in your mouth.

The Beer
In the world of beer, there are Ales and there are Lagers. The quintessential Lagers are the German beers from Bavaria; the quintessential Ales (in this humble writers opinion) are found in Belgium. Belgium boasts around 400 breweries in a country the size of Maryland! Naturally there are many different styles, but one of the more distinctive types is referred to as Dubbel or Double. Named for the potency of the beer (around 7% alcohol), Dubbels are dark auburn colored and have aromas of plums, Jamaican Jerk spices and cassis, with restrained bitterness and a long, slightly sweet, finish. The sweet finish is the result of special caramelized rock sugar used in the brewing process. The caramel flavor permeates the beer and makes this a great choice in pairings.

While several breweries in the U.S and Canada are making true Belgian-style beers, the best are still found in Belgium. My favorites from Belgium are: Westmalle Dubbel, the true benchmark Trappist Ale and Chimay Rouge, a larger scale production beer that is still of outstanding quality. From North America., Allagash Dubbel from Maine and Unibroue Maudite (Red Ale) or La Terrible (Strong Brown Ale) from Quebec, Canada are all good beers.

All of these beers come in 25.4 ounce wine-sized bottles, corked with champagne-style enclosures. The beers are re-fermented in the bottle to produce their distinctive carbonation, and are best treated like wine that requires decanting. Serve these beers no colder than 50°F and use a chalice-style glass to enhance the aroma. Note that these are not cheap, with the domestic versions in the $6-$7 range and the imports selling (when found) from $8-$12 per bottle. These are not everyday quaffers; they are special occasion sippers.

The Extras
Accompaniments for this pair can run the gamut from highly spiced charcuterie (speck, hot coppa) to candied nuts (brown sugar-jerk walnuts are my favorite here). One of my favorite groupings is spicy radishes, country style pâté, really hot German mustard and pumpernickel. Try these all together with the thin slices of Gouda and a big bodied Belgian Brown beer, and you will know what to look forward to in the afterlife.

Why it Works
This is a version of the classic Plowman’s lunch, Belgian-style. The sweetness from the cheese and the beer are balanced against the quick heat from the radishes and the more lingering heat from the mustard. The richness of the pâté holds everything together. The pumpernickel almost tastes chocolaty in this mix!  

.Read about Mark Todd.