From the Cheese Portraits series.

This here is my largest cheese portrait, so far.  I've been wanting to push myself and scale up some and I just knew I wanted a good glower. However, I have painted a lot of Goudas and wondered if I'd be able to find a new one at the store.  I picked up this beautiful Belgian Gouda at Di Bruno's and the monger kindly cut me off a nice thin, translucent wedge to take home.

It's made by Kaasboerderij T Groendal in West Flanders, Belgium.  OG is for Old groendal, and helps make a name that is much easier for Americans to pronounce.  Curds were washed in warm water and the cheese aged at least 18 months, adding to the sweetness.  It's incredibly sweet and savory at once and its  paste is so SO creamy.  I loved that the wheel is coated with red wax and had to turn the wedge slightly to show off that hot rod rind. Most notable among Goudas, this one is laden with tons of crunchy tyrosine crystals; it's like a constellation of a delicious cheese galaxy.  

Origin: Belgium

Price: $3500