last week i headed to bellwoods brewery with my sister and her beau for some beers and grub. originally we’d intended to go elsewhere, but a three hour line-up sent us wandering down the street. to start, we had some tasty woodlot bread along with some cheese picks. we opted for the brie de meaux (which i neglected to photograph) and the extra old gouda from thunder oak (above, with lemon and chive butter). this brie is apparently one of the oldest french cheeses, while the other is from ontario’s only gouda-producing farm, with owners jacob and margaret schep each coming from a line of dutch cheese-makers. i was particularly taken with the gouda, a hard, cow’s milk cheese dotted with crystals which was sharp, but not overly so. it paired nicely with the toil & trouble dubbel, which was smooth and perfect, scented like caramel and banana, and tasting a bit like raisins and spice. i want more
