What Is Edam?

Edam is a sweet, nutty cow's milk cheese with a semi-firm texture originally produced in Holland. Like Gouda, another well-known Dutch cheese, this cheese is named for the city where it was traditionally sold. Edam, a port city in northern Holland, is home to one of the country's centuries-old traditional cheese markets.

What Is Edam?

Edam has been produced in the Netherlands as far back as the 15th century, one of many iconic cheeses developed by the Dutch, whose dairy-centric, cheese-loving culture dominated European cheese from the Middle Ages through the Industrial Revolution. Edam was originally produced primarily for export.

Edam is typically produced in stout cylindrical or nearly spherical wheels traditionally weighing up to three pounds, although many types produced today are larger. Wheels are dipped in a characteristic coating of red wax for aging, the modern version of the traditional reddish-purple rind created by dyeing the finished cheese with turnsole, a dye made from the seeds of a flower that grows in the Mediterranean.

The texture of Edam is firm yet rubbery when young but will become hard and crystalline when aged. The cheese is typically sold at around three months old when its flavor is mellow and buttery, with notes of almond and Brazil nut. When aged for many months, it will develop caramel or toffee notes, similar to a long-aged Gouda or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

How Edam Is Made

Partially skimmed cow's milk is heated in a large vat. Starter cultures and secondary cultures are mixed in before the addition of rennet, which coagulates the milk into curd. After the curds are cut, they are washed with cold water, which removes both lactose and lactic acid, and results in a sweeter finished product. The curds are then shaped into small drum-shaped or spherical molds and lightly pressed. Next, the formed wheels are soaked in a salt brine. At this stage, wheels are traditionally scalded in hot whey. Wheels destined for export are coated in the characteristic red wax. Edam may be aged for up to 12 months, although it is typically sold and eaten much younger.

Types

Most Edam is produced in mass quantities across Europe, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand on an industrial scale with pasteurized cow's milk. This is due to the fact that like nearly all Dutch cheeses, Edam does not have a protected designation of origin, or PDO, that defines how and where cheese using the Edam name can be produced legally. However, some traditional Dutch cheesemakers still produce varieties with raw milk, and farmstead artisan cheesemakers around the world produce their own Edam-style cheeses using their own take on traditional methods.

Substitutes

Mild Gouda, German Butterkäse, and mild Fontina make good substitutes for Edam cheese in recipes. Babybel, the miniature-sized snack cheese, is made in the style of Edam and may be used in its place.

Uses

Edam is an excellent cheese for snack plates or cheese boards. It can be sliced for sandwiches, diced or shredded, and added to salads. It can be baked into biscuits, breads, or souffles or used in a cheese ball recipe. Young Edam is an excellent melting cheese.

Storage

Wrap pieces of Edam cheese tightly in waxed paper or parchment paper, then enclose them in an unsealed plastic sandwich bag or plastic container. This will allow the cheese to breathe and protect it from drying out or picking up off-flavors. Store Edam cheese in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. If mold grows on the surface of the cheese, cut around it to thoroughly remove the mold. Take care not to bring your knife in contact with the mold, which can spread it to other parts of the cheese.

Edam Recipes

• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Czech Fried Cheese (Syr Smazeny)
• The Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Can You Eat the Rind?

The rind of Edam cheese is typically coated in wax, which should be removed before eating.