In his love letter to Gouda, David Leibowitz describes how this mild Dutch cheese is a staple in France, where few foreign fromages achieve this kind of widespread success. One of his recent staples is a gouda étuvé, or "cooked gouda," mysteriously described as "cooked with steam."

The French are rightfully proud of their cheese, but one they can’t take credit for is Gouda Étuvé – which is very popular in France nonetheless. And I don’t blame them for going gaga over this Gouda. At my fromagerie, they keep the giant half-wheel right on the counter, in front of them, because perhaps fifty-percent of the customers order a wedge of it. Or in my case, 100%.

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Photo by David Lebovitz