Twentse Bunker cheese

You may be surprised to hear it, but there is a new piece of Dutch glory hidden in an old bunker in the province of Twente. This is the ripening location of the Twentse Bunker cheese. The conditions in the bunker, the ripening process of about 7 months and the special recipe provide a slightly spicy, full and creamy taste. It is a semi-hard cheese weighing 16 kilos which is at its most delicious after about 25 weeks of ripening: a full and creamy taste, with a spicy and nutty undertone. In addition to the classic Twentse Bunker cow’s cheese, there is also the Twentse Bunker goat’s cheese.

Ingredients: 
Fat 52+ , pasteurised cow's milk, Vegetarian (Microbial) Rennet, salt

Quality:
Your Bunker cheese is freshly cut and vacuum-packaged!
The hard structure of Dutch cheese makes it perfectly suitable for sending by post.

Cheese from the munitions depot

In the Twente town of Daarle, there is a complex that was once be used for ammunition storage. The complex consists of 25 large and small ammunition warehouses and bunkers. Under thick concrete walls, which on the outside are richly overgrown with large trees and plants, eight bunkers are hidden. These have turned out to be the perfect space for the ripening of cheese. The air humidity is constant and there is good insulation, so the temperature always remains around 15 degrees C.

A family with a history of cheese

In 2011, cheese maker Jan Peter Nijenhuis encountered this beautiful bunker during his search for a good maturing location for cheese. The Nijenhuis family has a history in the cheese world. Jan Peter’s grandfather already had a cheese shop in Twente as far back as 1940 and his father had a cheese wholesale business. That is why he developed a lot of feelings for the Twente cheese tradition.

A vegetarian and sustainable cheese

In addition, Nijenhuis pays a lot of attention to a sustainable production process. Twentse Bunker cheese is ripened in an energy-efficient way, because the constant temperature requires little power. The cheese is produced as naturally as possible according to artisan traditions. For example, it does not contain any dyes. In addition – and very special - this cheese is vegetarian. This is due to the rennet. The rennet used in most cheeses is obtained from the stomach of a dead calf, which means that cheese is normally not vegetarian. However, the Twentse Bunker cheese contains vegetarian rennet, which means no animal suffering is involved.

Specially developed recipe

In addition to the fact that the Twentse Bunker cheese has matured for about 7 months in a serene environment, the specially developed recipe also helps to provide the unique taste. The ingredients include a special type of starter. But the main ingredient is, of course, the milk. The cheese is made from non-skimmed North Holland milk, and that gives it a great taste. The cheese is a wonderful accompaniment to a glass of port or a full red wine.

A striking appearance

The Twentse Bunker cheese is not only very tasty, its sturdy and artisan looks are also impressive. It has no label and wrapper, as is normally the case with cheeses, but the logo is pressed in the top and the side. This makes it a real eye-catcher in your kitchen, but also a great surprise gift!