Congratulations to Our Goot Essa Cheese Assortment Giveaway Winner!

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Celebrating Our Lucky Winner in the Goot Essa Cheese Basket Contest

First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated and shared such wonderful feedback on the cheese, cheese cave post, and this newsletter. We received approximately 200 insightful comments, and I genuinely enjoyed responding to many of them. Your kind words have truly made this experience special—feeling like an early Christmas gift! 😊

Before revealing the fortunate winner (or feel free to skip ahead if you’re eager to find out!), I’d like to share a couple of exciting updates. The first is a second video from my extended conversation with John. In this clip, I playfully ask John, “Is Amish life challenging?” and I think you’ll enjoy his thoughtful response.

The second update pertains to cheese pairings. While cheese tastes fantastic on its own, it often reaches new heights when complemented with a flavorful condiment such as jam, honey, apple butter, or mustard. To give you some inspiration, John has shared his top 10 favorite cheese pairings, which I think you’ll find both tempting and inspiring.

John Esh’s Top 10 Favorite Cheese Pairings

If you visit us for a tasting, you’ll have the opportunity to try these combinations firsthand. Many of these pairings are also available in our gift assortments. Personally, I have a soft spot for anything with apple butter or a sweet-spicy mustard—oh, and strawberry rhubarb is a favorite as well! The variety of tasty pairings here is truly impressive.

  1. Old German Weissa Kase – Autumn Dawn Apple Butter
  2. Der Mutterschaf – Aunt Ruth’s Strawberry Rhubarb
  3. Marn Vom Berge – Rebecca’s Strawberry Cranberry
  4. Mt. Valley Sharp Cheddar – Sweet & Spicy Mustard
  5. Der Gouda Cheese – Henry’s Horseradish Mustard & Cacciatorie Salami
  6. Der Edel Bleu Cheese – Dutch Treat Red Beet Raspberry
  7. Der Weichen Gehl – Nittany Valley Pure Honey
  8. Der Vauden Swiss – Reuben’s Stone Ground Mustard & Boneless Ham
  9. Woodsmoked Cheddar – Sweet & Spicy Mustard & Hot Soppressato
  10. Emanuel Vom Tal – Aunt Ruth’s Strawberry Rhubarb

And the Winner Is…

Using a random selection tool from random.org, I picked the winner of the Goot Essa “Amish Tastes” gift basket. And the lucky recipient is… Comment #70, Nancy Hankey! Congratulations, Nancy! Please send me your shipping details so Goot Essa can send you this delightful assortment.

If you’re interested in trying some of Goot Essa’s cheeses, explore our gift baskets, browse individual cheese blocks here, or view everything including condiments and fudge on one comprehensive page here.

Important Holiday Shipping Deadlines for Christmas Delivery

To ensure your cheeses arrive in time for Christmas, please note the following order deadlines (which vary depending on your location):

  • West Coast & Texas: Tuesday, December 17
  • Midwest & Florida: Wednesday, December 18
  • East Coast: Thursday, December 19
  • Pennsylvania: Friday, December 20

Thank you once again to everyone who joined the conversation and participated in the contest. Wishing you an early and joyful Christmas season!

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