Delighting cheese enthusiasts, Whole Foods Market is bringing back its annual 12 Days of Cheese event. The grocery chain, based in Austin, has been running this event since 2012. This year, it's between December 13 and December 24, offering Prime members up to 35% off on select cheeses.

The handpicked selection embodies Whole Foods' international variety from countries like France, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy, as well as esteemed domestic options with some exclusives to the store. These dozen cheeses were curated by the market's gourmet cheese division, including certified cheese professionals recognized by the American Cheese Society.

"'The holiday season is a time for special experiences, and our 12 Days of Cheese brings together the best part of cheese: its potential to surprise, delight, and create connection," noted Cathy Strange, Whole Foods' ambassador of food culture, who has been associated with the company for over 20 years as global cheese buyer. "Each cheese has a story: from rare, exclusive varieties to familiar favorites, every selection invites exploration and savoring."

According to Strange, the chosen cheeses were selected for their impressive versatility, appealing to diverse tastes from children to mature cheese connoisseurs. Moreover, to ease customers' choices, Strange has thoughtfully paired each cheese with a cracker, an accompaniment, a charcuterie choice, a chocolate, a beer, and a wine. This, she believes, “is meant to bring out the unique flavors of the cheese in combination with the item paired," further enhancing the consumers' experience.

For the best experience, Strange recommends storing the cheeses in the fridge’s crisper drawer to minimize air exposure and allowing them to come to room temperature about 20 minutes before serving for maximum aroma. She points out, "Cheese is a living organism and when in the refrigerator, the molecules tighten up - by allowing them to reach room temperature, you liberate them for the celebration."

The handpicked varieties include the goat’s milk Midnight Moon from Cypress Grove – a cheese with a Gouda-style paste, aged for six months to develop notes of toasted nuts, salted caramel, and toffee. There’s also the rich and varied Mt. Tam from California’s Cowgirl Creamery and Wisconsin’s seasonal, alpine-style cheese made from May through November when cows are grass-fed on rotationally grazed land. Among the exclusive offerings, there’s a Parmesan-inspired cheese from Sartori made by master cheesemaker Pam Hodgson and a limited-release cow’s milk cheese wrapped with spruce bark and washed in Whole Foods’ exclusive Presto Prosecco before aging. From the international offerings, expect a raw sheep milk blue cheese aged in French caves, a bright orange-colored raw cow’s milk cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy in Britain, a Gruyère cheese aged for 12 months a traditional farmhouse Red Leicester, a Pyrenees Brébis following Basque tradition aged for six months, and a Spanish cheese from Canary Islands featuring a paprika-rubbed rind.