Young cheese is the first flavor stage of Goudse cheese and the best-selling cheese in the Netherlands. The cheese ripens for about four weeks and during that short period still has a high moisture content, which keeps the texture soft and sliceable. The flavor is mild, creamy and slightly buttery, with no sharp or spicy notes. That makes young cheese a great fit for almost any sandwich, toasted or as cubed snacks on a charcuterie and cheese board.
In this guide we explain how young cheese is made, how to recognize its flavor, how it differs from semi-mature and mature, and which young cheese works best for which occasion.
How young cheese is made
Young cheese starts as cow’s milk that is heated, curdled and pressed into molds. After pressing, the cheese goes into a brine bath to absorb salt, which develops flavor and extends shelf life. It then ripens on wooden boards in a cheese warehouse, where temperature and humidity are carefully controlled.
After just about four weeks, the cheese can carry the label young cheese. So soon after production, the cheese mass is still moist and supple. The flavor is mild and the rind is thin, yellow or slightly white. This ripening period is the starting point of what’s known as the Goudse ripening ladder: young, semi-mature, mature, extra mature, aged and extra-aged. Want to know what those further stages taste like? Read what is mature cheese and what is Goudse cheese.
Flavor and texture of young cheese
The flavor of young cheese is soft and creamy, with a light sweetness from the milk. You taste little salt and no sharpness. The texture is supple and smooth. Unlike older cheeses, you won’t find any crystals (the salt crystals that only develop after months of aging). Young cheese slices easily into thick slabs or cubes and melts beautifully in cooked dishes.
Difference from semi-mature
Semi-mature cheese ripens for two to three months. By then the moisture content is lower and the flavor a bit fuller and more pronounced, while the cheese is still easy to slice. Those who appreciate the mild flavor of young cheese but want a little more character often end up with semi-mature. Our semi-mature Goudse cheese is a classic step in that direction.
Serving tips for young cheese
Because young cheese is mild, it pairs well with a lot of things without overpowering the rest of your plate. A few ideas:
- On fresh bread with butter, simple and satisfying.
- In a toasted sandwich with tomato and fresh basil.
- Grated over roasted vegetables or a gratin, where it melts beautifully.
- Cubed on a charcuterie and cheese board, paired with figs, grapes or honey.
- With a light beer or a crisp dry white wine like sauvignon blanc.
Store young cheese in its original packaging or in cheese paper, in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. That way it stays at its best for two to three weeks. Find more storage advice in storing cheese.
Which young cheese suits you?
At Cheese In A Box we hand-pick young cheese with a full, rounded flavor. Our young Goudse cheese is a classic with 48+ fat content and a creamy finish. If you’re looking for a mild variety with the character of pasture milk, go for the Noord-Hollands 35+ mild. For fans of organic, there’s the organic semi-mature, made from the milk of cows on certified organic farms. Want to try the first cheese of summer? Our spring cheese is young cheese made from the first spring milk.
Want to taste for yourself?
At Cheese In A Box we carry freshly cut young cheese in our range:
Or explore the flavor journey from young to aged with our cheese subscription: four special cheeses delivered to your door every month. A great way to compare different ripening stages side by side. You can also order cheeses individually in the webshop.