Frederic Melton
Dutch Edam cheese is a semi-hard cheese that originates from the Netherlands and is named after the town of Edam in North Holland. It is made with partially skimmed cow's milk and is meant to be eaten within a few weeks to a few months of its creation, depending on how intense a flavour the cheesemaker is looking for. When young, Edam has a mild, creamy, nutty flavour with a dense yet springy texture. As it ages, the flavour intensifies, becoming more robust and complex, with slightly nutty notes, hints of sweetness, and a salty finish. Its texture also becomes drier over time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Smooth, supple, creamy, dense, springy, dry, crumbly |
| Taste | Mild, nutty, buttery, salty, sweet |
| Fat content | 28% milk fat |
| Country of origin | Netherlands |
| Common uses | Snacking, cooking, sandwiches, burgers |
| Wine pairings | Pinot gris, dry Riesling, semidry Riesling, sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Shiraz/Syrah |
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What You'll Learn
Edam cheese is a semi-hard cheese with a creamy, nutty taste
Edam cheese has a rich cultural significance in Dutch culture and is a staple in many traditional Dutch dishes. Its mild, nutty flavour and semi-hard texture make it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen, suitable for both snacking and cooking. It pairs well with fruits like apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and cherries, as well as savoury items like cured meats and olives.
The cheese is known for its consistent flavour profile, attributed to the well-bred Dutch cows that graze on quality pasture, resulting in milk with a rich, creamy taste. Edam cheese typically has a lower fat content than other cheeses, contributing to its mild flavour. When young, it has a dense yet springy texture with nutty, buttery undertones.
As Edam cheese ages, its texture becomes drier and its flavour becomes more intense, developing slightly nutty notes, hints of sweetness, and a salty finish. This aged version is commonly eaten with traditional "cheese fruits" like apples and pears and is considered a delicacy in some countries. In the Netherlands, Edam cheese is typically covered in yellow paraffin, while in the US, it is covered in red paraffin.
Edam cheese is the second most exported Dutch cheese, after Gouda, and is enjoyed worldwide, including in Indonesia due to its historical ties with the Netherlands. It is also the most common cheese used in the Czech Republic, where it is often fried and served with ham and tartar sauce or mayonnaise.
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It's made from cow's milk or goat's milk
Dutch Edam cheese is traditionally made from cow's milk, although some varieties may use goat's milk. The cheese has a rich cultural significance in the Netherlands and is often associated with Dutch culture and cuisine. It is named after the town of Edam in North Holland, where it originated.
Edam cheese made from cow's milk has a distinct flavour and texture due to the quality of milk produced by Dutch cows that graze on the country's pastures. The milk is known for its rich creaminess, contributing to the smooth and creamy texture of young Edam cheese. The lower fat content of Dutch cow's milk, around 28%-40% milk fat, gives Edam a mild flavour compared to other cheeses like cheddar.
The production process of Edam cheese involves adding natural animal rennet to pasteurized cow's milk, triggering coagulation and curd formation. The curd is then cut and separated, allowing the whey to strain off and promoting the ideal concentration of flavour and texture. The draining of excess whey prevents any trace of acidity and bitterness in the cheese.
The curd is then placed into molds or pressed into spheres, and the cheese is brined in salt to inhibit bacterial growth and add flavour. The cheese matures on wooden shelves for up to a year, developing a drier and more crumbly texture over time. The maturation period can be adjusted to achieve the desired flavour intensity, with young Edam having a milder, nuttier flavour and aged Edam taking on a sharper and more complex profile.
While cow's milk is the traditional choice for Dutch Edam cheese, some cheesemakers may experiment with goat's milk. Goat's milk can impart a unique flavour and texture to the cheese, as seen in the Dutch cheese Geit-in-Stad (meaning "goat-in-the-city"), which is a variety of Gouda cheese made with goat's milk. It is known for its sweet and creamy flavour and smooth texture, lacking the tangy, bitter aftertaste commonly associated with goat cheese.
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It's named after the town of Edam in North Holland
Edam cheese, named after the town of Edam in North Holland, is a semi-hard cheese with a rich cultural significance in the Netherlands. It is often associated with Dutch culture and is a staple in many traditional Dutch dishes. The cheese is made with partially skimmed cow's milk and is typically meant to be eaten within a few weeks to a few months of its creation, while it still has a smooth, supple, and springy texture.
The town of Edam, where the cheese gets its name from, has a rich history dating back to the 12th century when farmers and fishermen settled along the Ye river. By the 17th century, this primitive settlement had transformed into a prosperous town with numerous shipyards, producing famous ships like the Halve Maan (Half Moon).
Edam cheese has a creamy texture and a mildly salty taste with nutty undertones. Its lower fat content, around 28% milk fat, contributes to its mild flavour. When young, Edam has a dense yet springy texture, but as it matures, it becomes drier and develops a sharper and more complex flavour with slightly nutty notes, hints of sweetness, and a salty finish.
The consistency of the flavour profile in Edam cheese is attributed to the well-bred Dutch cows that graze on quality pasture, resulting in milk with a rich and creamy taste. The maturation period can be adjusted to achieve the desired flavour intensity, with longer maturation resulting in a more robust and memorable taste.
Edam cheese is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of culinary preparations. It is perfect for snacking, cooking, or adding to sandwiches and burgers. It pairs well with fruits like apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and cherries, as well as savoury items like cured meats and olives. When melted, Edam adds a rich and creamy element to dishes.
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It's the second most exported Dutch cheese
Edam cheese is a semi-hard cheese that originates from the Netherlands, named after the town of Edam in North Holland. It is one of the most well-known Dutch cheeses, second only to Gouda in terms of export volume. The cheese has a rich cultural significance in the Netherlands and is often associated with Dutch culture and cuisine.
Edam cheese is made with partially skimmed or partly skimmed cow's milk and sometimes goat's milk, and it is meant to be eaten within a few weeks to a few months of its creation while it still has a smooth, supple, and springy texture. The maturation period can be adjusted to achieve the desired flavour intensity, with longer maturation resulting in a drier texture and a more robust, complex, and sharper taste with slightly nutty, buttery, and sweet notes.
The distinctive flavour of Edam cheese is attributed to the quality of Dutch cow's milk, which is known for its rich creaminess. The consistent flavour profile of Dutch Edam is also due to the standardised diet of Dutch cows, as they all graze on pasture at the same altitude and latitude. The lower fat content of Edam cheese, around 28-40% milk fat, contributes to its mild flavour compared to other cheeses like cheddar.
Edam cheese is versatile and suitable for both snacking and cooking. It pairs well with fruits like apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and cherries, as well as savoury items like cured meats and olives. When melted, Edam adds a rich and creamy element to dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches or casseroles. It is a common ingredient in traditional Dutch dishes and is also used internationally, such as in the Czech Republic, Indonesia, and Latin America.
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It's a staple in many traditional Dutch dishes
Edam cheese is a staple in many traditional Dutch dishes. It is a semi-hard cheese that originates from the Netherlands, named after the town of Edam in North Holland. It is made with partially skimmed cow's milk and is best eaten within a few weeks to a few months of its creation, depending on how intense a flavour the cheesemaker is looking for. The cheese has a smooth, creamy texture and a slightly salty taste with nutty undertones. As it ages, the flavour intensifies and becomes more robust, developing a sharper and more complex profile.
Edam is the second most exported Dutch cheese, after Gouda, and is covered in red paraffin in the US and yellow paraffin in the Netherlands. It has a rich cultural significance in the Netherlands and is often associated with Dutch culture.
The cheese is versatile in the kitchen and can be used for both snacking and cooking. It pairs well with fruits like apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and cherries, as well as savoury items like cured meats and olives. When melted, Edam adds a rich and creamy element to dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches or casseroles.
In the Czech Republic, Edam is used as the base for the snack smažený sýr ("fried cheese"), which is also popular in neighbouring Slovakia. In Indonesia, Edam is quite popular due to historical ties with the Netherlands and is used for cooking kaasstengels, a snack served during Eid ul-Fitr, Christmas, and Chinese New Year.
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Frequently asked questions
Dutch Edam cheese has a mild, nutty, and creamy flavor with a smooth, supple texture when young. As it ages, the flavor intensifies and becomes more robust, developing a sharper and more complex profile with slightly nutty notes, hints of sweetness, and a salty finish.
Dutch Edam cheese is made from a combination of skimmed and part-skimmed cow's milk or goat's milk. It has a lower fat content than other cheeses, contributing to its mild flavor.
Dutch Edam cheese is very versatile and can be used for snacking, cooking, or both. It pairs well with fruits like apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and cherries, as well as savory items like cured meats and olives. It is also commonly eaten on crackers and bread.
