What is Adam?

Edam is a sweet, nutty cow’s milk cheese with a semi-hard texture originally produced in the Netherlands. like GoudaAnother popular Dutch cheese, this cheese is named for the town where it was traditionally sold. Edam, a port city in northern Holland, has one of the country’s centuries-old traditional cheese markets.

What is Adam?

Adam has been developed in Holland since the 15th century, one of many Famous cheese produced by the Dutchwhose dairy-centric, cheese-loving culture dominated European cheese from the Middle Ages through the Industrial Revolution. Adam was originally produced primarily for export.

Adam is usually produced in strong cylindrical or nearly spherical wheels that traditionally weigh up to three pounds, although many varieties produced today are larger. The wheels are dipped in a characteristic coating of red wax for aging, a modern version of the traditional reddish-purple rind created by dyeing the finished cheese with transol, a color from a Mediterranean flower. Made from seeds.

Adam’s texture is firm but rubbery when young but will become hard and crystalline with age. The cheese is usually sold at about three months of age when it has a mild and buttery flavor, with notes of almonds and Brazil nuts. When aged for several months, it will develop notes of caramel or toffee, like an aged gouda or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

How is Adam made?

Partially skimmed cow’s milk is heated in a large pot. Starter cultures and secondary cultures are mixed before the addition of Rantwhich collects the milk. Yogurt. After the curds are cut, they are washed with cold water, which removes both lactose and lactic acid, resulting in a sweeter finished product. The curd is then shaped into small drum-shaped or spherical molds and lightly pressed. Next, the formed wheels are soaked in salty brine. At this stage, the wheels are traditionally charred in hot whey. The export-spec wheels are wrapped in a characteristic red wax. Adam can be aged for up to 12 months, although it is usually sold and eaten much younger.

Types

Most adam is produced on an industrial scale in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. Pasteurized cow’s milk. This is due to the fact that, like almost all Dutch cheeses, Edam does not have a Protected Designation of Origin, or PDO, which defines how and when a cheese can be legally sold using the name Edam. Where can it be produced? However, some traditional Dutch Cheesemakers still make varieties with raw milk, and artisan cheesemakers around the world continue to use their traditional methods to produce Edam-style cheeses.

Alternative

Mild gouda, German buttermilk, and mild fontina make good substitutes for Edam cheese in recipes. Babybel, a small snack cheese, is made in Adam’s style and can be used in its place.

uses

Edam is a great cheese for snack plates or Cheese Boards. It can be sliced ​​for sandwiches, thinly sliced ​​or added to salads. It can be baked or used in biscuits, breads, or souffles. Cheese ball recipe. Young Adam is an excellent melting cheese.

Storage

Wrap the Edam cheese slices tightly in wax paper or parchment paper, then seal them in an unsealed plastic sandwich bag or plastic container. This will allow the cheese to breathe and prevent it from becoming dry or off-flavored. Keep Edam cheese in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. If mold grows on the surface of the cheese, cut around it to remove the mold thoroughly. Be careful not to let your knife come into contact with the mold, which can spread it to other parts of the cheese.

Adam’s Recipes

Can you eat the rind?

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