Frederic Melton
Dutch cheese is made from the milk of cows, sheep, or goats, with cow's milk being the most commonly used. The process of making Dutch cheese involves heating the milk and putting it into a centrifuge to alter its fat content. Dutch cheese is typically ripened for several weeks or longer, sometimes even for over a year, and is often covered in plastic wrapping. The most popular varieties of Dutch cheese are Gouda and Edam, which are made all over the world. Dutch cheese has a long history, dating back to around 800 BCE, and has become a well-known product of the Netherlands, with the country being the world's biggest exporter of cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main type | Semi-hard to hard |
| Main ingredients | Pasteurised milk, cows' milk, cumin seeds or other spices |
| Fat content | 40–52% fat in dry matter |
| Water content | 55–63% |
| Weight | 0.2–20 kg |
| Shape | Flat cylinder, sphere, rectangular block, loaf |
| Ripening time | Some weeks to over a year |
| Rind | Covered with plastic coating |
| Texture | Semi-soft to firm and smooth, changes to firmer and more brittle during ripening |
| Flavour | Mild to strong, tangy, nutty, salty |
| Colour | Yellow, extra yellow |
| Examples | Gouda, Edam, Beemster, Boerenkaas, Graskaas, Maasdam, Nagelkaas, Limburger, Smoked cheese, Blue Gouda |
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Milk type
Dutch cheese is usually made from cow's milk, although small amounts of similar cheeses are made from sheep's or goat's milk. The most popular Dutch cheeses, such as Gouda and Edam, are made from cow's milk. Gouda, for example, is made from cow's milk standardised to a protein-fat ratio of 1.07.
Gouda is also produced in other countries, as the name and brand are not protected. However, since 2010, the name "Gouda Holland" has been geographically protected by the European government. The name comes from the city of Gouda, where the cheese was historically traded, not produced.
Edam, the second most popular Dutch cheese, is also made from cow's milk and is known for its red wax coating, which gives it excellent preservation qualities. In the past, the red crust was made with poppy juice.
Other Dutch cheeses made from cow's milk include Beemster, Leyden, Leerdammer, Maasdam, Nagelkaas, and Limburger. Beemster is made from the milk of cows that eat grass grown on sea-clay polder, which gives the cheese a unique flavour.
Some Dutch cheeses are made from unpasteurised milk, such as Boerenkaas ("farmhouse cheese"), Stolwijker, and Remeker. Boerenkaas is a traditional farmhouse cheese that can be made with spices like cumin or other seeds, herbs, and spices grown on the farm. Stolwijker is produced in the Dutch village of Stolwijk and is only made by farmers, not in factories. Remeker is made from the milk of farm-reared Jersey cows that eat grass and clover.
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Ripening and ageing
Dutch cheese is typically aged under drying conditions. The ageing time depends on the type of cheese being produced. For example, Beemster cheese is extensively aged, resulting in a sharp, salty flavour. Boerenkaas, a classic Dutch cheese, can be aged for as little as six months or up to seven years. The ageing process significantly impacts the taste and texture of the cheese, with older cheeses developing crunchy milk proteins and butterscotch sweetness.
The shape of the cheese also plays a role in the ripening process. Rectangular and loaf-shaped cheeses are often used for foil ripening, a method employed for rindless cheese. Dutch cheese is known for its long-lasting quality, and its hard varieties, such as Gouda and Edam, are well-suited for travel. This characteristic made Dutch cheese popular among sailors and crews on long voyages during the Dutch Golden Age.
The Dutch have a long history of cheese production, dating back to around 800 BCE. The first cheese markets emerged in the Middle Ages, and the Dutch Golden Age in the 1600s propelled Dutch cheese to international fame. Today, the Netherlands is the world's biggest exporter of cheese, producing approximately 650,000,000 kilos of cheese annually, with two-thirds destined for export.
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Texture and consistency
Dutch cheeses vary in texture and consistency, with some being semi-soft, others semi-hard, and others hard. The most popular Dutch cheese, Gouda, is described as having a fudgy texture, while also being hard. Boerenkaas, or "farmhouse cheese", is semi-hard, and its texture can range from grassy to crunchy depending on how long it is aged. Beemster cheese is also hard, while Edam is semi-hard.
The texture and consistency of Dutch cheeses can also depend on the type of milk used and the diet of the cows from which the milk is sourced. For example, Beemster cheese is made from milk from cows that eat grass grown on sea-clay polder four meters below sea level, which gives the cheese a particularly sharp, salty flavour. Graskaas, or "grass cheese", is made from the milk produced by cows when they are first let out to pasture in spring, giving the cheese a unique flavour.
Dutch-style cheeses are also made from sheep's or goats' milk, though this is less common. These cheeses tend to be semi-hard. Dutch cheeses can also be smoked, which gives them a distinctive brown rind and smoky smell.
Dutch cheeses are typically ripened for several weeks or longer, sometimes for over a year, and this process affects their texture. As they ripen, Dutch-type cheeses become firmer and more brittle, and their flavour intensifies.
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Taste and flavour
Dutch cheese, particularly the popular varieties of Gouda and Edam, is known for its mild, nutty, and tangy flavour. The taste can vary from grassy notes to butterscotch sweetness, depending on the ageing time. For instance, Beemster cheese, a variety of Gouda, has a sharp and salty flavour due to its extensive ageing time. It is made from milk produced by cows that graze on grass grown in sea-clay polder, which lends a unique flavour to the cheese.
Gouda, named after the city of Gouda in South Holland, is one of the oldest recorded cheeses still made today, with the first mention of it dating back to 1184. It is typically shaped like a wheel and has a mild, nutty, and tangy flavour with a fudgy texture. It pairs well with dessert wines, fruits, and sandwiches. Gouda is also produced in other countries, and while the name is not protected, the term "Gouda Holland" has been geographically protected since 2010.
Edam, the second most popular Dutch cheese, is known for its distinctive spherical shape and red wax coating, which was traditionally made with poppy juice. It has a minimum fat content of 40% and a moisture content of up to 45%. Edam has a mild flavour and is often used as a generic term for Dutch-style cheese.
Other Dutch cheeses include Boerenkaas, a "farmhouse cheese" made with raw unpasteurised milk, which can have added spices like cumin or other seeds, herbs, and spices. Its taste and texture vary depending on ageing time, from grassy and nutty notes to butterscotch sweetness. Leidse kaas, or Leyden cheese, is another variety that is traditionally spiced with cumin and caraway seeds.
Smoked cheese is also a popular Dutch variety, made by melting and smoking regular cheese before reconstituting it into a long, tube-like shape with a brown rind. It has a smoky aroma and a distinctive flavour. Dutch cheese also includes varieties with added herbs like chives or parsley, and more unusual types with mustard, pepper, onions, or nettles.
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Cheese markets
Dutch cheese markets have been around for hundreds of years, with the first cheese markets launched in Haarlem in 1266, Leiden in 1303, Oudewater in 1326, and Alkmaar in 1365. Today, there are five cheese markets operating in the Netherlands: Woerden, Alkmaar, Gouda, Edam, and Hoorn.
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is home to one of the biggest and oldest cheese markets in the Netherlands, dating back to 1365. The market is located on Waagplein ("weighing square") and is open every Friday between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm, from the first Friday in April until the last Friday of September. The Alkmaar Cheese Guild (Kaasdragersgilde) was established on 17 June 1593 and is composed of 30 men who accompany their leader, the Cheese Father. The guild members are divided into four groups called Forwarding Companies, distinguished by the colour of their straw hats: red, blue, green, or yellow.
Gouda
Gouda is one of the most famous and popular cheese markets in the Netherlands, located about an hour by train from Amsterdam. Gouda cheese has been traded at the Gouda cheese market for over three centuries, and the market is surrounded by stalls selling other artisanal wares, including the famous Dutch waffle cookies, stroopwafels. The market is open from mid-June until August, every Thursday morning between 10:00 am and 12:30 pm.
Edam
Edam is a charming city famous for its Edam cheese and has a long tradition of cheese markets. The Edam cheese market takes place every Wednesday morning from late June through mid-August, starting at 10:30 am and lasting until 12:30 pm. Horse-drawn carriages and boats bring farmers' cheeses to the Jan van Nieuwenhuizen Square to be presented at the current weigh house, built in 1778.
Hoorn
Hoorn was historically a city in West-Friesland that profited from the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company). After losing its seaport, cheese became a major industry, and the Hoorn cheese market took place on the Roode Steen. Today, the Hoorn cheese market is not an active cheese market as it is more economical for cheese producers to collect milk directly from farms. However, the market still takes place between mid-June and August on Thursdays in the afternoon, starting at 1:00 pm.
Woerden
The Woerden cheese market is located about 40 minutes by train from Amsterdam and is considered one of the most authentic Dutch cheese markets. At the Woerden market, you can see the whole process of purchasing cheese, from inspection and tasting to the hand-clap method of negotiating the price.
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Frequently asked questions
Dutch cheese is usually made from cow's milk, although small amounts of similar cheeses are made from sheep's or goat's milk.
The milk is heated and then put into a centrifuge to alter the fat content. Rennet is added to set the milk. Dutch cheese is ripened for several weeks or longer and is often covered in a plastic coating.
Gouda and Edam are the primary Dutch-type cheese varieties. However, there are hundreds of types of Dutch cheese, and many towns or villages have their own variety.
The flavour of Dutch cheese varies from mild to strong and depends on the ripening time. Dutch cheese typically has a firmer and more brittle structure.
Dutch cheese can be purchased at supermarkets, cheese shops, and farmer's markets in the Netherlands.
