Edam cheese
Semi-hard Dutch cheese with red wax rind, popular from 14th–18th centuries.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Edam is a semi-hard cheese from the Netherlands, taking its name from the town of Edam in North Holland. It is typically sold as a flat-ended sphere with a pale yellow inside and a coating of red paraffin wax. The cheese ages well and travels without spoiling, instead growing harder over a long period. These qualities helped make it the most popular cheese in the world from the 14th through the 18th centuries, especially on ships and in distant colonies.
Most young Edam sold in stores has a very mild taste, slightly salty or nutty, and almost no smell compared to other cheeses. As it ages, the flavor becomes sharper and the texture firmer. Edam can have as little as 28% fat in its dry matter. Because of its low fat content, modern Edam is softer than cheeses like cheddar.
Mild Edam pairs well with fruit such as peaches, melons, apricots, and cherries. Aged Edam is often eaten with traditional "cheese fruits" like pears and apples. Like most cheeses, it is commonly served on crackers or bread, and may follow the main course as a dessert of "cheese and biscuits." Recommended wines include Pinot gris, dry Riesling, semidry Riesling, sparkling wine, Chardonnay, and Shiraz/Syrah.
In Spain and some former colonies—including the Philippines and many Latin American countries—the cheese is called *queso de bola* (ball cheese) and was long considered a delicacy. In the Mexican state of Yucatán, *queso de bola* is prepared as *queso relleno* (stuffed cheese): a ball is cut in half, hollowed out, stuffed with seasoned ground meat, raisins, capers, and olives, then braised in chicken stock and served sliced with a thickened stock and spiced tomato sauce.
In the Czech Republic, Edam is the most common cheese, usually sold as *eidam*. It is often used for *smažený sýr* (fried cheese), a popular snack also found in neighboring Slovakia, where it may be served with a slice of ham and always with tartar sauce or mayonnaise.
In Belize, where it was once one of the few commercially available cheeses, it is also known as *queso de calavera*, *queso de colorado*, or Dutch cheese, and is usually eaten well-aged and sharp, commonly with bread and coffee.
In Indonesia, Edam is quite popular due to historical ties with the Netherlands and is known as *keju edam*. It is used for cooking *kaasstengels*, a snack served during Eid ul-Fitr, Christmas, and Chinese New Year. Other Ind
- type
- Semi-hard cheese
- origin
- Netherlands (town of Edam, North Holland)
- fat_content
- As little as 28% fat in dry matter
- known_for
- World's most popular cheese between the 14th and 18th centuries; red wax rind; mild to sharp flavor
- common_names
- Edammer, queso de bola, eidam, keju edam
Lore & Background
Edam cheese originated in the Netherlands and is named after the town of Edam in North Holland. It is traditionally sold in flat-ended spheres with a pale yellow interior and a coat of red paraffin wax. The cheese ages and travels well, hardening instead of spoiling for an extended period, which contributed to its status as the world's most popular cheese between the 14th and 18th centuries, especially at sea and in remote colonies. Young Edam has a very mild, slightly salty or nutty flavor and almost no smell, while aged Edam becomes sharper and firmer. Modern Edam is softer than cheeses like cheddar due to its low fat content, which may be as little as 28% fat in dry matter.
Reader's Guide
Edam's significance lies in its historical role as the world's most popular cheese from the 14th to the 18th centuries, valued for its ability to age and travel without spoiling, making it ideal for sea voyages and colonial outposts. Its legacy continues in many regions: in Spain and former colonies like the Philippines and Latin America, it is known as queso de bola and considered a delicacy; in the Yucatán, it is stuffed with seasoned meat and braised. In Czechia and Slovakia, it is the most common cheese, used for fried cheese snacks. In Indonesia, it is used in kaasstengels and as a topping for various dishes. In the Philippines, it is a Christmas staple served with jamón and pandesal. In Scandinavia, its red color associates it with Christmas buffets. Edam also appears in popular culture, from novels and films to crossword puzzles, where it is famously clued as 'Dutch cheese that's made backwards.'
Did You Know?
- Edam is traditionally sold in flat-ended spheres with a red paraffin wax rind.
- It was the world's most popular cheese between the 14th and 18th centuries.
- In the Philippines, queso de bola is customarily served with jamón and pandesal during Noche Buena.
- In Czechia, Edam is the most common cheese and is used to make smažený sýr (fried cheese).
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