Aldi Finds: Cheese Advent Calendar

“If I ever have an affair, it’s going to be with cheese.”

Yes friends, those are the words of a cheese fiend. The words of my fiancé. Should I be worried? I figure as long as I keep our fridge stocked with cheese at all times, the man shouldn’t stray too far from his own kitchen.

In the fascinating world of cheese boards, mac ‘n’ cheese, and fancy blues (or is it bleus?) the most exciting cheese of them all is the kind you can only find during the holiday season.

Oh no no,  I am not talking about the elegant spreads you might find at an upscale Christmas party. Nor am I referencing the gourmet cheese shops that offer free tastings on Saturday mornings. Although I’ll likely never turn down a sample of a washed rind formage, that’s not what this post is all about.

So what’s with all the hype?

Cheese Advent Calendar From Aldi

Yes, that’s right. An entire calendar of cheese! If you’re lactose intolerant, I suggest you step away now. As for the rest of you cheese heads, read on! A grand total of 24 festive, imported mini cheeses – one for each night of December. Well, almost. You’ve likely heard of and probably had a chocolate advent calendar.  And, if you’re lucky enough to live in a state that allows grocery stores to sell wine, Aldi is also finally offering its wine advent calendar here in U.S. stores. Cheese, chocolate, and wine? Now that is one tasty threesome I can fully support. In this case, however, the cheese stands alone and it is more than enough to satisfy.

What’s Included?

This calendar contains 24 individually wrapped cheeses, imported from Europe. Each night you will unwrap either an aged cheddar, red leicester, gouda, or edam. The cheese is every bit as gouda as you can possibly expect, but the element of surprise is the real reason to celebrate here. There’s something about not knowing what cheese we’ll be unwrapping each evening that brings back the excitement of Christmas I’ve only known as a child.

Although there are only 4 types of cheese in the calendar, there is variance in if they are aged, spicy, or flavored with herbs and  mustard, so it keeps from becoming too repetitive. In fact, there are 12 distinct cheeses listed on the back of the calendar, which would lead us to believe there are 2 of each hidden throughout.

The downside is that the storybook-shaped calendar is rather large and must be refrigerated until consumed. The upside is that the calendar creators at Aldi had the foresight to design it in such a way that halfway through the month, you can rip off half the calendar to make more room in your fridge.

Limited Supply

Thanks to the podcast, We Like Drinking, that Matt regularly listens to, we were tipped off to the cheese advent calendar sold by Aldi.  Special shout out guys! For all the pairing ideas you’ve hooked us up with in the past few months, our taste buds are eternally grateful. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and check out their site.

If Matt had not heard the calendar mentioned in this podcast, we never would have been able to try the cheesy goodness. They sold out at all locations within a 30-mile radius of our home within the first few hours.

I’m afraid if you’re reading this in 2020, it may be too late for you. BUT there is always next year. Mark your calendars now. Keep an eye out for the release date in November 2021 and be ready to go when the stores open. While you’re out, get yourself a bottle of bubbly. You deserve it.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the cheese lover in your life, we recommend this book all about cheese and wine. We have a copy that never sits idle on our bookshelf for too long.

We were unable to get our hands on two of the cheese advent calendars, so Matt and I are forced to share our nightly indulgence. The pieces of cheese are fairly big. They have been enough to split in half and still get a good bite-sized serving. I make sure to give him the bigger half so he’ll stick around. At least for the month of December.

Cheers friends!

Megan & Matt