🧀 Noord-Hollandse Edammer
Also known as: North Holland Edam
Noord-Hollandse Edammer is a Dutch PDO Edam cheese made from cow's milk of the province of North Holland.
Noord-Hollandse Edammer is a Dutch semi-hard Edam-type cheese made from cow's milk that comes from the province of North Holland. Since 1996 the name has been protected in the EU as a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin, eAmbrosia file PDO-NL-0315).
This is the difference from Edam Holland, for which milk from anywhere in the Netherlands is enough: for the PDO both the milk and the production are tied to North Holland, a low-lying land of polders with lush pastures, where the town of Edam also lies.
The milk is set with rennet and starter culture, the curd is pressed into the traditional round cheeses, salted in brine and matured in the region.
The paste is pale yellow and firm, with small holes; the taste is mild, slightly salty, with nutty notes, fuller with age.
How to eat it: 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.
Name and look. The cheese is named after the town of Edam, from where it was long shipped by sea. The cheeses are traditionally ball-shaped, often with a yellow or red protective coating that is removed before eating. Compared with Gouda, Edam is usually leaner, with a firmer, springier paste. Its neighbour from the same province, also a PDO, is Noord-Hollandse Gouda.
Why it matters to you: the PDO guarantees that Noord-Hollandse Edammer was made from North Holland milk following the approved specification.
Facts
| Raw material | Cow's milk from North Holland |
|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands |
| Region | North Holland |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 1996, PDO-NL-0315 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Noord-Hollandse Edammer → 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 Noord-Hollandse Edammer differ from Edam Holland?
For Noord-Hollandse Edammer (PDO) both milk and production are tied to North Holland; for Edam Holland (PGI) milk from anywhere in the Netherlands is enough.
Is it true that Edam is always red inside?
No. Only the protective coating may be red; the paste is pale yellow.
Where is the town of Edam?
In the province of North Holland, north of Amsterdam.
Similar
🧀 Edam Holland · 🧀 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.