When it comes to cheese, we don’t just talk the talk. We walk the walk. Or rather, we ride the planes, trains, boats, whatever means of conveyance we can, really, to find amazing cheeses from all over the world. We take our cheeses seriously, and we know our customers do too, so we’re willing to trek wherever necessary to find the real deal. For one stop in our cheese-fueled world tour, we visited the Netherlands, the iconic home of windmills, tulip booms, and Trader Joe’s 1,000 Day Gouda Cheese. It was there that we found the veteran cheese makers who hold the secret to ideal affinage—the art of caring for aging cheese—necessary for aging Gouda for such a prolonged period of time. During the maturation process, the cheese loses close to a quarter of its original weight, as its moisture content slowly but surely evaporates, condensing its naturally salty, caramel-y, and supremely savory flavor profile, without drying out completely. It’s an intricate balance, and one that produces an unbelievably flavorful cheese. It’s a long journey from the Dutch aging cellars to our cheese case, but it’s a journey well worth taking. It’s a delicious enough cheese that you may just find yourself idly snacking on it (we certainly won’t judge), but if you’re in the mood for a more organized setting, we recommend serving this Gouda as part of a dessert cheese plate, paired with a full-flavored Barolo wine, or as part of the most intense grilled cheese sandwich you’ve ever eaten.