Beemster Cheese

The topping cheese I used for the Potato and Mushroom Gratin came from one of my husband's clients who purchased the cheese from a local cheese shop in our area. I did a little on line research and discovered there is actually a company in The Netherlands, Europe that is dedicated to making this particular cheese.
They make a number of cheeses under the "Beemster" label and there is a variety of this cheese available. The one we had was Beemster Viaskaas which is a cow's milk cheese. It is a semi hard cheese that in my opinion resembled an orange colored cheddar in look and the flavor was similar to a sharp cheddar cheese. There is a nutty flavor to the background taste and it really is a delicious cheese.
It may not be a cooking on a budget cheese as a small wedge from a purveyor of cheese - like any other "gourmet" cheese does not come without a higher price. I highly doubt you would find this in a local grocery market.
However, if you are into trying different cheeses and have a little extra I would recommend this cheese for a special occasion. This particular cheese according to the website pairs well with both wine or beer.

You can visit the website to learn more about this and other cheese products:
http://www.beemster.us/en-us/the-cheeses/beemster-vlaskaas/