Edam Is Much More Than Cheese In Holland

Filed under: Europe, Netherlands
Edam is a city in the Dutch province of Noord-Holland that is famous as the original source of the cheese with the same name. Recently, we spent a day in Edam walking cobblestone streets, sampling fresh cheeses made daily and enjoying a city that looks today much like it did decades ago.

"Edam is a city with a rich history. It began in the 12th century, when farmers and fishermen settled along the little Ye river. With that, 'Yedam' was a fact. This primitive settlement developed into an increasingly prosperous town well into the 17th century," says Edam.com, a website devoted to the city.

Edam cheese was the most popular cheese in the world from the 14th to 17th centuries, especially at sea and in the colonies far away. Sealed in wax, the Edam cheese could mature very well so it was easy to bring along to eat while traveling. We brought some home too, sneaking right through customs, while drug-sniffing dogs were on the prowl for tourists that might have visited Amsterdam, where marijuana is virtually legal.

Legend has it that Edam cheese became even more popular when used as bullets for cannons. "True or not, it is a fact that the Edam cheese is very strong, big and round and has the same shape as a bullet. Edam cheese thanks its name to the harbor where the cheese was sold most (harbor of Edam)," adds Edam.com.

The Edam cheese of today is not the same cheese as the original. Since the 19th century Edam is no longer made from full milk but from partly skimmed milk. The fat percentage of the Edam cheese is lower (40%) than the fat percentage of similar Gouda cheese (48%). Over the years, Edam replaced the strong-flavored farmer's product with a softer, factory-made cheese.

In Edam, architecture that dates back to the 12th century wraps around shops selling everything from Dutch chocolate to Tulip bulbs and fresh flowers as we see in this photo gallery.

Gallery: Edam, NetherlandsContinue reading Edam Is Much More Than Cheese In HollandEdam Is Much More Than Cheese In Holland originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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