Bessy's Best, Gouda

oil on wood, 6x12"

Bessy's Best, Gouda, original artwork by Mike Geno

This small round of Gouda is a fresh cheese made with natural milk on the Goetz farm, located in Sterling, North Dakota which has been family owned and run for three generations. I was glad to discover this cheese since it's from what seems the only cheese maker making handmade fresh cheese in the whole state.

My friend Chad brought some back from a recent visit to his home state, essentially becoming my cheese mule. He's helped enlighten me on the subtle differences of where he's from and Philadelphia. As a result, I decided to present this tasty table cheese in a flat landscape of earth tones and a clear sky blue background. Placement has been intentionally separate -present together but not touching- and these guys being from a vast terrain, don't look each other directly in the eye, respecting their personal space.

SIDE NOTE: I love how they explain their name: "We often get asked if there really is a Bessy the Cow. The answer is yes. She is one of our favorite cows that always comes up to us, wanting her ears rubbed. She follows us around like a pet and thrives on attention from visitors, too. We're convinced we saw her smile- just like our logo!"

Country of Origin: USA, North Dakota

Price: $550