🇳🇱 Dutch cheeses

Dutch cheeses amount to 971,000 tonnes in 2024, mostly Gouda, and about 9% of EU cheese, fifth in the Union. There are 7 protected names: 4 PDO and 3 PGI. Nearly all are made from cow's milk, but there is also a Dutch goat's cheese and a farmhouse Leiden cheese with cumin.

The registration application for Boeren-Leidse met sleutels cites a handbook according to which cheese from Holland was sent to Paris as early as 1184. In 1395 the town of Gouda acquired the right to sell cheese in the county of Holland, and farmers could trade only at its market. Cheeses came to be named after markets: Gouda after Gouda, Edam after Edam.

Gouda Holland weighs 2.5–20 kg, has 48–52% fat in dry matter and ripens for at least 28 days at 12 °C or above, without foil. Its milk comes from Dutch farms. Noord-Hollandse Gouda is made only with milk from the province of North Holland and is less salty. The word «Gouda» itself is free.

Edam is lower in fat: 40–44% in dry matter. Edam Holland is mostly a flattened ball of 1.5–2.5 kg, ripened for at least 28 days, while the small baby of up to 1.5 kg ripens from 21 days. It also comes as a block or loaf, up to 20 kg. Noord-Hollandse Edammer weighs 1.7–1.9 kg.

Boeren-Leidse met sleutels is a semi-hard farmhouse cheese of semi-skimmed unpasteurised milk to which cumin must be added. It has 30–40% fat in dry matter, and its rind bears the arms of Leiden with crossed keys. The cheesemakers' association dates from 1927. Kanterkaas is registered in three forms: plain, with cloves (Kanternagelkaas) and with cumin (Kanterkomijnekaas).

Hollandse geitenkaas is made much like Gouda, but from the goat's milk of Dutch holdings. It weighs 1.5–20 kg, has 50–60% fat in dry matter and ripens for about 4 weeks, at least 25 days. Nettle, fenugreek, thyme or tomato may be added. Maasdam, with its large holes, has no protected name.

Why it matters to you. The words «Gouda» and «Edam» are free, so such cheese is made all over the world. Only the full names with the PGI or PDO mark guarantee origin. Foil ripening is allowed for the goat's cheese but banned for Gouda Holland and Edam Holland. For firm cheeses, check the age on the label: flavour grows stronger with time.