A dutch cows' milk cheese, containing 30 - 40% fat, in th shape of a large ball with a yellow or red waxed coating .The seihard pressed cheese is firm but elastic, free of holes , and light yellow to yellow ochre in colour, depending on its degree of maturity.Edam is described as 'young' after two or three months in a dry cellar, when it has a sweet nutty flavour; after six months it is 'semimatured' with a stronger flavour; at the end of a year's maturing it is described as 'matured' and has a slight bite.Edam is also known as tete de mort or tete de maur( dead man's head or Moor's head), due to its characteristic head like shape. Measuring about 13 cm in diameter,it weighs between 1.5 and 1.7 Kg. A baby Edam is also available , weighing 1Kg, and a triple Edam, weighing6.5Kg.
Edam is made everywhere in the Netherlands, and even in France and Belgium, but authentic Edam, from the small port in the northen Netherlands, is proctected by a lable of origin.It is usually served after the meal, often with pale ale, but it is also used a good deal in cookery. Young or semimatured cheeseis suitable for sandwiches, pastries, canapes, croquemonsieurs,and mixed salads; matured ccheese is used in gratins, souffles, and tarts. In bordeaux it is sometimes cut up into small cubes and served at wine tasting in the vineyards. Lastly, it is used in traditional dish called keshy yena from curacao, the maim island in the Dutch East Indies.
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