Edam (Edammer in Dutch) is a cheese from the Netherlands, traditionally sold as a ball of pale yellow cheese wrapped in a thick film of yellow or red paraffin.
Description
Its flavor is mild, a light smell compared to other cheeses, its taste becomes more pronounced as it ages. Its fat content is also lower (40%) 2 than that of other traditional cheeses. It contains 25% protein. Due to its low fat content, edam has a softer paste than cheeses like cheddar. The first cheeses were made with raw skimmed milk, today we find some made from pasteurized milk.
Edam cheese is covered with a film of red or yellow paraffin. There are several varieties depending on the degree of maturity. A cheese can be young (two to three months), half-parboiled (six months) or parboiled (over six months) 2. A black film indicates that the cheese has been ripened for at least seventeen weeks.
Origin
The name comes from the city of Edam in the province of North Holland, which is a very old breeding region1. As early as the 14th century, the city was renowned for its cheese exports (kaas in Dutch), and this is probably the reason why its name is attached to the product. In the 17th century, cheese was exported to Germany, France and Great Britain. Easily transportable, nutritious, it is practical for refueling ships; but also as currency for spices or other commodities. The red color of the rind of the cheeses comes from the Bordeaux barrels in which they are then transported. The cheesemakers of northern France are inspired by it to make the first mimolettes. Edam cheese is very popular in North America, northern Europe, and many other countries around the world.
