A Trader Joe's Fan-Favorite Cheese Is Back To Bring A Hint Of Spring To Your Charcuterie Boards

If your charcuterie board has felt a little empty over the past few years, it may be because it was missing a beloved cheese that has been missing from Trader Joe's shelves for the past few years. Thankfully, you'll not only have something to fill that space but also be able to give your board a spring flavor. The retailer just announced that it has brought back Family Nijland Clover Gouda back to stores as its spotlight cheese.

This is the third time Trader Joe's has offered the Nijland Gouda as its spotlight cheese. It was first introduced in 2017 and then a second in 2021. According to the store's Instagram account, the cheese is produced on a 100-year-old family-run property in the Twente region of the Netherlands.

If you feel, well, good-a about the cheese's comeback, you should. The estate's 250 cows are treated quite well. They sleep on soft mattresses, are massaged with brushes, have room to roam, and eat lots of fresh grass and clover. The clover is what gives the cheese a slight flowery flavor. The estate is also proud of its sustainable farming practices, using solar energy for its cheese production. Its use of grass and clover also allows it to reduce its fertilizer use while increasing CO2.

The cheese is available for a limited time but the retailer does not say for how long. Although Trader Joe's has not released the price of the Gouda, Instagrammer @traderjoeslist, who posts regularly about Trader Joe's, found it at her location for $11.99 per pound. She described the cheese as "earthy," "not too grassy," and "smooth."

If you want to feel like life is coming up in clover, the cheese would certainly do the trick on any charcuterie board or cheese plate, especially if paired some of the other unique cheeses you can find at Trader Joe's. It can also be sliced for sandwiches or cut into cubes for snacks. The cheesemaker offers recipes on its website, suggesting dishes like a croque madame casserole, chicken with cheese and mushrooms, and a pizza verde. Gouda — especially when it's on the younger side — is a great melting cheese and one of those underrated cheeses that would add some sweet and nutty flavor to mac 'n cheese. You can probably file this announcement under Gouda News.