Netherlands

 Gouda
Gouda Facts: The difference between Edam and Gouda is the fat and moisture content. Gouda has 48% fat In the Dry Matter (FDM) and Edam has only 40%. Mild cheese has been aged 4 to 6 weeks. A Medium cheese has been  aged 8 to 12 weeks. A Matured cheese has been aged 12 to 18 weeks. An Aged cheese has been aged6 to 12 months. An Extra Aged cheese has been aged for more than one year. The difference between Farmers Cheese (Boerenkaas) and regular cheese made in the factory is that Farmers Cheese is always made from whole, non-pasteurized milk from cows feeding outside in the meadows while factory made cheese is made from pasteurized, skimmed milk. Cheese is often coated in wax (paraffin) to keep the cheese from loosing moisture, thereby halting the aging process and preventing the formation of mold while it is shipped and stored. Typically for the export, Gouda uses yellow wax while Edam uses red wax.
Gouda Red Wax
Gouda is a yellowish Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda. The cheese (which accounts for more than 60% of Holland's cheese) is made from cow's milk that is cultured and heated up until the curds separate from the whey. About ten percent of the mixture is curds which are pressed into circular moulds for a couple of hours. Next, the cheese is soaked in a brine solution which gives the cheese its rind and improves the taste. After the salt soaks in, the cheese is then dried for a couple of days before being coated to prevent it from drying out. Exported Gouda is usually the young variety (aged between 1 and 6 months, rich yellow in color and with a yellow paraffin wax coating. This cheese is easily sliced on bread with a cheese slicer.
Also: Volendammer

Farmer Gouda, Yellow Wax (Boerenkaas)
The Dutch have been producing hand-made farmhouse Goudas for many centuries. Due to Holland's fertile soil and lush green pastures, its cows produce unusually rich milk which in turn leads to extra creamy cheeses. Gouda is the most famous of Dutch cheeses and is made from whole milk only. This semi-soft cheese has a creamy yellow body with irregular holes and a natural yellow rind. For export, Goudas are always coated in red wax. But we have brought in a shipment of yellow waxed Gouda, the product intended for the European market, so you can enjoy the same rich Dutch Gouda that is enjoyed in its homeland. Made from pasteurized cow’s milk. 

Smoked Gouda/Maasdam
Eighteen pound logs of pasteurized processed Gouda cheese are produced in Holland in some of the world's most modern, computerized dairy plants. The cheese is still smoked in brick ovens over smoldering hickory chip embers. This cylindrically shaped cheese is perfect for impromptu picnics, party platters or midnight snacks. The brown, smoky rind is edible. The following are offered at Waterwheel and have been a longtime flavor favorite
Smoked Maasdam
Smoked Gouda
Smoked Maasdam with mushrooms
Natural (not processed )Smoked Gouda

 Maasdamer Swiss Wheel—a Waterwheel Favorite

Often compared to Swiss Emmental, but much smaller in size when produced, this nutty flavored, mild cheese gets its characteristic appearance of large "eyes" (holes) and a domed top from a special bacteria which emits carbon dioxide during the maturation process. Maasdam is a perfect compliment for salads and sandwiches and is ideal for melting. Slightly sweeter and nuttier than Swiss Emmenthaler, we think it is more kin to Norwegian Jarlesburg-but far more reasonable in price. 

Beemster Premium Selection
Beemster cheeses are composed of only grade-A cow’s milk coming from cows that graze freely on the lush, pesticide-freegrasses of the famous Dutch Beemster Polder located 20ft below sea level in North Holland. The Beemster Polder was reclaimedin the year 1612 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Location in 1998. The rare environmental makeup of the Beemster polderallows for the creation of the highest quality cheese in the world, Beemster Cheese.

Beemster with Mustard
This mustard cheese is popular in both Holland and elsewhere. Selected mustard grains give this cheese a harmonious, delicate taste. Beemster with Mustard seeds is a summer favorite for burgers on the grill or an afternoon accompaniment for a cold beer. 

Beemster w/wild garlic
I Beemster Garlic combines the full taste of a creamy cheese with the pleasantly piquant flavor of garlic. Wild Garlic Gouda transforms ordinary Gouda into something fantastic and exciting. A cheese you will crave endlessly, Wild Garlic Gouda is everything you expect it to be and more. Flashy and flavorful, the garlic hits you right away but doesn't overpower. The Gouda base has just the right amount of saltiness, with a texture that is not gummy like many other Goudas on the market. 

   Walnut Cheese
The cheese market in Holland is changing rapidly. For years, Holland was known for Gouda and Edam, two simple cheeses that appeal to the masses. With almost every cheese plant in Holland geared up for the production of these two cheeses, several shifted their strategy to new and inventive specialty cheeses. Since the mid 1990's, many new cheeses have been developed in Holland. Rouveen, the maker of this cheese, is one of the pioneers of the specialty movement. Walnut Gouda turns plain old boring Gouda into something fantastic and exciting. A cheese you will crave endlessly, Walnut Gouda is everything you expect it to be and more. Subtle yet flavorful, the walnut adds a sensual warmth to the basic Gouda cheese, whose texture is not gummy like many Goudas on the market. A truly surprising cheese, we recommend serving Walnut Gouda at your next party or get together.  

 Wasabi Cheese -Beemster
Japanese horseradish, or wasabi, is considered to have a distinct flavor and pungency that is superior to horseradish. This is a very unique cheese from cow’s milk with a gouda-like texture and a rich clean finish. Add wasabi, and you have a great cheese with a mild kick. Delicious as a table cheese, try melting it in your favorite recipes for extra flavor.  

Leyden
Leyden is a classic Dutch cheese which is aged over three months. It's a spicy gouda-type cheese flavored with caraway seeds. It's flavor pairs well with country ham, crackers or bread. Ingredients: Pasteurized Cow’s Milk, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Animal Rennet

Goat Gouda- Chevre-Blanc-Van Dijk
A few entrepreneurial Dutchmen discovered that Gouda, the cheese people most commonly associate with Holland, could be made from goat's milk as well. Goat Gouda has proven wildly popular in Europe and is starting to turn heads here in the States too. This satiny, bright white cheese is now manufactured by several Dutch cheese producers. It is a tangy, satiny, mouth-watering gem.  Ours is made by Anna Van Dijk from the milk from her herd of 500 goats in Eindhoven, Holland.  We expect to be offering several other cheeses made by Anna if it’s popularity continues to grow.

Switzerland/France/Alpini Region

 Emmental cheese is a Swiss cheese. It is sometimes known as Swiss cheese in the USA, although Swiss cheese does not always imply Emmental. The cheese originally comes from the Emme valley in the canton of Bern. Unlike some other cheese varieties, the denomination "Emmental" was not protected ("Emmentaler Switzerland®" is, though). Hence, Emmental of other origin, especially from France and Bavaria, is widely available. Even Finland is an exporter of Emmental cheese. Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard cheese, with characteristic large holes. It has a piquant, but not terribly sharp flavor that is nuttier and more bitter than similar varieties.  

Swiss Gruyere Wheels
Made into wheels weighing between 65 and 85 pounds, with a natural rind and a briny dry, slightly piquant flavor, This extra special delicacy from the Gruyere district of Switzerland is well known as the basic ingredient in fondue. But with its delightfully nutty, spicy, full flavor, it is delicious as a table cheese as well. Upon eating Gruyere, one immediately recognizes the taste of whole milk that is used exclusively in making this grand cheese. Gruyere weighs about 80 pounds. In fact, it takes over 100 gallons of milk to make a single wheel of Gruyere! Enjoy this traditional favorite julienned into a chef's salad, melted on a hot open-faced sandwich, or of course, in a classic cheese fondue. 

This is item is imported from Switzerland. It is a Genuine Swiss Cheese Fondue. Made from cow's milk, it is ready made and merely needs to be slowly heated and served.  More economical than buying all of the ingredients including kirsch brandy.

  Norway 
In Norway, dairy farmers take their cheesemaking very seriously. Jarlsberg is not made on small farms in rural communities, but rather is created in a laboratory setting through a multi-stage, high-tech manufacturing process. The special bacteria that give the cheese its famous wide-eye holes and its sugary sweet flavor are cultivated in a controlled environment and added to the curd midway through the cheesemaking process. The result is a beautiful and delicious 20 pound wheel that defines the baby swiss category of cheeses. Jarlsberg was first produced in 1815 and has long since become Norway's most famous cheese and a household name here in America. Jarlsberg cheese is a Norwegian Emmentaler type cows milk cheese with large holes, a rich buttery texture and mild, sweet nutty flavor. It has a slightly lower fat content than Swiss cheese. 

Asiago from the Veneto region of Italy and the USA
Asiago is a cow’s milk cheese that originates in the high plains of the Alps of the same name. This reserve stock, slow-ripened Asiago is aged for a full year as opposed to regular Asiago d'Allevo's six months. Made in small batches from partially skimmed raw cow's milk, this cheese takes on a distinct but pleasant sharpness with hints of butterscotch as a result of the additional six months of time spent in the cellar. It has a texture that is firm enough to grate yet allows it to be served as a table cheese as well. We love this cheese as part of a traditional northern Italian meal, grated over risotto, polenta or pasta. This is a cheese that can be served for snacking, as an appetizer or at the end of a meal. Accompany with fresh or dried fruits, a fig jam or a fruit mostarda. Very versatile also cooking, it will add much flavor to any dish. Try it over pasta or with a risotto. In the Veneto, the region of its origin it is often used to accompany the local traditional dish of polenta. Serve it with a robust red wine. This is a semi-fat cheese with semi-cooked paste produced in the province of Vicenza, Trento and some areas around Padua and Treviso. The paste is compact, with small to medium size scattered holes.