Edam

Edam is a semi-hard cheese from the Netherlands, named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. It is recognised by its slightly flattened spherical shape and the red or yellow paraffin wax coat that covers it, and for centuries it was one of the most widely traded cheeses in the world.

History

Edam's great asset was its keeping quality. It ages and travels well and, rather than spoiling, it hardens over an extended period. These qualities, among others, helped make it the world's most popular cheese between the 14th and 18th centuries, both at sea and in distant colonies.

Today it is made from pasteurised cow's milk, using rennet or other approved coagulants, with mainly lactic fermentation. It ripens at about 10 to 20 °C and is brined after production. The protected designation is Noord-Hollandse Edammer, and there are formats such as the mini and the rectangular block. A young Edam has a mild, slightly salty flavour and almost no aroma; as it matures it grows firmer and sharper.

Culture

Outside the Netherlands it is known as queso de bola in Spain, much of Latin America and the Philippines. On the Yucatán Peninsula it has become part of local cooking: it is used in marquesitas and in queso relleno, a dish in which the cheese is hollowed out and filled with seasoned minced meat, raisins, capers and olives, then braised and served with a spiced tomato sauce. Since 2019 the region has held a fair devoted to the cheese. It also appears at Christmas in traditions in Curaçao, Venezuela, the Philippines, Sweden and Norway. In the Czech Republic it is the base of smažený sýr, a fried cheese snack that is also popular in Slovakia. As an accompaniment, young Edam pairs with peaches, melon or cherries, while aged Edam is often served with pears and apples.

Trivia