🧀 Edam Holland
Edam Holland is a Dutch PGI semi-hard cow's milk cheese made in the Netherlands, ball- or block-shaped, with a mild, slightly nutty taste.
Edam Holland is a Dutch semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk in the Netherlands. It is the protected form of the well-known Edam cheese. The name is registered in the EU as a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication, eAmbrosia file PGI-NL-0329, Regulation (EU) No 1121/2010).
The word Edam itself is free: such cheese is made in many countries. But only cheese from Dutch milk, made and matured in the Netherlands to the specification, may be called Edam Holland. The name comes from the small town of Edam in North Holland.
The milk is set with rennet and starter culture, the curd is washed, pressed into round or rectangular moulds and salted in brine. The cheeses are given a protective coating and matured from a few weeks to several months.
The paste is pale yellow and firm, with a few small holes. The taste is mild, slightly salty, with nutty notes, more pronounced in aged cheese. Edam is traditionally lower in fat than Gouda.
How to eat it: sliced on bread, on a cheese board, in toasties and bakes. Beer and light wines go with it (see Wine and cheese).
The cheese belongs to Semi-hard cheeses, to Edam and to Dutch cheeses; it is made from cow's milk.
Why it matters to you: the PGI guarantees that a cheese sold as Edam Holland was made in the Netherlands from Dutch milk following the approved specification.
Facts
| Raw material | Dutch cow's milk |
|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands |
| Taste | Mild, slightly salty, nutty |
| Legal basis | EU PGI, PGI-NL-0329, Regulation 1121/2010 2 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Edam Holland → kind of → 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk
- Part of
- 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses, 🧀 Edam, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇳🇱 Dutch cheeses
Frequently asked questions
How does Edam Holland differ from ordinary Edam?
It is made and matured only in the Netherlands from Dutch milk under the PGI specification.
Is it true that the red coating is an edible rind?
No. It is a protective coating (wax or film) that is removed before eating.
How does Edam differ from Gouda?
Edam is traditionally lower in fat and often ball-shaped; Gouda is richer and wheel-shaped.
Similar
🧀 Noord-Hollandse Edammer · 🧀 Gouda Holland · 🧀 Noord-Hollandse Gouda · 🧀 Spressa delle Giudicarie · 🧀 Valle d'Aosta Fromadzo · 🧀 Tomme de Savoie
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.