🧀 Maasdam

Maasdam is a Dutch semi-hard cow's milk cheese with large round holes and a sweet, nutty flavour. It belongs to the semi-hard cheeses and looks like Swiss Emmental, but its paste is softer and moister.

Maasdam is a relatively young variety, developed by Dutch cheesemakers as an affordable alternative to Emmental. The method is close to Gouda: pasteurised milk is soured with a starter culture and coagulated with rennet, and the curd is cut, washed, pressed and brined. The key difference is propionic acid bacteria: in a warm ripening room they release carbon dioxide, which forms the large holes and adds a sweetish note.

Ripening lasts from a few weeks to several months. The paste is pale yellow and supple and slices easily; the rind is usually smooth and often covered with wax or a polymer coating. The name Maasdam is not protected in the EU, so the cheese is also made outside the Netherlands. General requirements for cheese are set by the Codex Alimentarius standard CXS 283.

Maasdam melts well, so it suits toasted sandwiches, gratins and fondue blended with other cheeses. On a cheese board serve it with fruit, nuts and a light white wine (see Wine and cheese). Try it next to Edam and Gouda, the other well-known Dutch semi-hard cheeses.

Why it matters to you. Large holes are a sign of proper fermentation, not a defect. Maasdam is milder and sweeter than Emmental, so children often like it. Keep it wrapped in the fridge so the cut surface does not dry out.