Celebrate Women's History Month This Month

Join us as we shine a light on women in the cheesemaking and dairy industries!

When most people think of Dutch cheese, they think of Gouda. That classic red-wax-coated, cream-colored cheese is a staple on many breakfast tables and is usually the first thing to come into mind for most.

At Zingerman’s we are reminded of the Signature Gouda L’Amuse and Brabander from Fromagerie L’Amuse. Betty Koster is the owner of Fromagerie L’Amuse in Amsterdam, NL. She’s considered to be the Netherlands most knowledgeable cheese connoisseur.

As a child, Betty was enamored with her maternal grandmother’s cheese shop in Haarlem. She loved going there and trying all the different cheeses. She eventually started working at her grandmother’s shop and market stall. It was there that she learned the ropes to making and selling cheese.

At the age of 25, Betty got a job in Amsterdam working for a cheese wholesaler. She did very well and was asked to become the head buyer for the company. Later, In 1989, Betty and her husband Martin opened up their cheese shop in Haarlem. They chose the name L’ Amuse, because it came from the French saying l’amuse gueule, which translates to “caressing the tongue.” The name worked perfectly because it was everything the shop and cheese was about—savoring and letting it caress the tongue.