The best Gouda cheese is not made in Gouda but in Belgium, according to the jury at the Concours International de Lyon, an international competition focusing on the world’s best food products.

The Deweer family of the Groendal cheese farm in Roeselare, Belgium won golds for their Ancienne Belgique and their Vieux Roulerse, both Gouda-style cheeses.

Although “Gouda Holland” is an EU-protected product and must be made in the Netherlands from Dutch milk, other countries can make Gouda-type cheeses as well.

“The name Goudse does reflect well on the Netherlands, and it’s good that the prize didn’t go to a Parmesan once again,” Carl-Victor Deweer told the Telegraaf.

Ancienne Belgique beat a competition of 2,200 cheeses from 23 countries and scored the maximum 100 points for flavour, texture, balance, intensity, and smell.

“Our secret is that no matter how old, our hard cheeses melt in the mouth. It’s a combination of our neighbouring cheese countries: the hardness of the Dutch cheeses and the zing of French soft cheeses, and that is what people like,” he said.

The gold medals have been very welcome, Deweer said, but their real claim to fame is that American astronaut Shannon Walker chose a Groendal cheese to take with her into space, not once but twice.