Cheese is a wonderful, tasty and healthy product, probably loved by everyone. The technology of its production has existed for more than one hundred years. Some researchers even believe that this food product was born long before the advent of writing, in areas where people switched from simple gathering and hunting to animal husbandry.

A bit of history

Until now, there is no clear understanding of where exactly the first cheese making originated. And, most likely, cheeses began to be produced in Europe, and in Asia, and in Africa - wherever a person received milk from ruminants. But the first evidence of cheese dates back to 5500 BC! Most likely, the method of its preparation was discovered by chance, since ruminants have long been used by humans for storing foods, including milk. And it curled up there under the action of rennet, turning into whey and cottage cheese. And in pre-Petrine Russia, this product was made without the use of heat treatment, in a raw way (hence the Russian word "cheese").

Classification

Technologically advanced rennet cheese products are divided into hard cheeses, soft and brine. Their production uses a special enzyme previously isolated from the stomach of a calf or lamb (age - not more than 10 days) after slaughter. Nowadays, recombinant chymosin produced as a result of the fermentation process by bacteria or yeast is widely used. According to research data, hard cheeses produced all over the world, as an ingredient in 80 cases out of 100, were created on the basis of this kind of enzyme! So for animal and vegetarian defenders such modern products are not dangerous and may well be recommended for use.

Hard Cheese

Today they are produced quite a lot of varieties. The terminology “hard cheeses” is applied to all similar cheese-making products having a characteristic dense structure. On top they crust. They have less moisture than soft ones. And aging lasts differently: from 3 months to 3 years. The highest quality ripened hard cheeses have a unique taste and aroma, and the price is quite high. They differ in very long shelf life. And in their composition - many natural substances that are beneficial to the human body.

Hard cheeses. Names

• Of course, there are varieties well-known and very popular all over the world. These include Italian Parmesan - hard cheese of long ripening. It is characterized by low fat content - 32%. And long shelf life. The taste is simply unique. This cheese product is used in many traditional dishes of Italian and French cuisine.
• Type - Swiss. This is cheese, shaped like a cylinder, with pronounced large eyes almost round in shape. The product has a bright sweetish and spicy taste. Fat content is traditionally higher than that of parmesan - 50%. The Swiss group includes cheeses: Swiss, Soviet, Altai, Moscow.
• Type - Dutch. The cheese is round in shape, slightly flattened, with small eyes and sharp. It has a slightly sour taste. The percentage of fat is 45. Names: Dutch, Kostroma, Yaroslavl.

Hard cheese is also a natural maturing product such as edamer, gouda, maasdam. Cheeses with a red crust: doruvael. Cheeses peasant: Bömster, stolveiker. Blue Cheeses: Blau Bastianse, Delfts Blau. In fact, there are even more of them allocated to the “hard cheeses” group. The names of cheddar, freezien, romano, chester are heard by many Europeans (and Russians as well). It is characteristic that among solids there is a small amount of mold, since the product has a denser consistency than regular cheese, and the mold in it does not multiply and develop.

Composition: benefit and harm

Hard rennet cheeses are a real storehouse of natural nutrients that have a beneficial effect on human organisms. Firstly, they have a lot of protein. It is absorbed better than non-sour milk proteins. Cheeses also contain lysine and other beneficial amino acids. There are a lot of lipids there. But you need to be careful with eating cheese, especially for those who carefully monitor their figure. The calorie content of some varieties is simply huge! So, for example, in a cheddar, it is 426 kcal for every hundred grams of the product. Minerals and vitamins are also present in wonderful hard cheeses of various varieties. And in cheeses based on goat’s milk, many useful microorganisms have been found that improve the intestinal microflora.

Natural rennet cheeses are recommended to eat for people suffering from anemia, disorders of the nervous system. And for a vegetarian diet, this is a source of fairly easily digestible protein that is not forbidden by beliefs. But, as mentioned above, with fatty cheeses, you need to be careful, as they are a source of bad cholesterol. And with excessive use of such a product, headaches and overweight occur. For people on a diet, cheese is recommended as an affordable source of protein. But overeating also should not be due to the extreme calorie content of the product.

A bit about nostalgia

What did this product represent according to GOST? Hard cheese in the USSR (GOST 7616-85) was produced according to fairly stringent standards, roughly corresponding to world standards. So, for example, the ripening of Swiss cheese was determined within 180 days! There were restrictions on additives and production technology. Now this GOST has lost force in the Russian Federation. Therefore, probably, the results of independent testing today show terrifying results: in most of the cheeses produced, milk fat is partially replaced with vegetable fat. Whatever the producers say, real hard cheese must still be made from natural milk!

So, after a long break, the third special post about interesting things that hit us in turn is next.

Finally we got to the traditional Dutch Miracle - Cheese! It seems to us that everyone has heard about Edam, Gouda, Maasdam ... These are all originally Dutch cheeses that have won love and respect not only among locals, but throughout the world. Dutch cheese   - this is a real brand, probably, it can only be compared with the fame of Belgian chocolate, Swiss watches, French champagne, etc.

By the way, various manufacturers are actively using this: we think that you saw cheese called “Dutch” in stores (though it was made somewhere in our blue-eyed ... And this is far from the worst option!)

Of course, before the trip, we thoroughly prepared - because we just could not miss the opportunity to learn more, and most importantly try the legendary Dutch cheese. In this post we will briefly talk about the history of cheese, the recipe for its popularity in the Netherlands, dwell on the most famous varieties of Dutch cheese, try to explain our emotions that arose after the tasting, and of course we will give some useful tips!

Well?! Ride!

So what exactly is “Cheese”, who invented it and how is it made?

Cheese   - this is a dairy product obtained using milk-clotting enzymes and lactic acid bacteria or by melting various dairy products (for example, cottage cheese). In general, the Russian and Belarusian word "cheese" really came from "raw", in the Netherlands - look for the word " Kaas", Which came from the Latin" Caseus "- cheese)).

The technology for making cheese is so simple that historians believe that it appeared even in primitive times. They say that the homeland of cheese is the Middle East.

It was there that the nomads tried to maximize the shelf life of dairy products (initially by curdling). But over time, the nomads noticed that if the milk was in bags of goat or sheep’s stomachs (it was there that the milk was combined with a special gastric enzyme), then a new product was obtained, which “matured” longer, but at the same time acquired the ability to retain its properties for a long time and not spoil. By the way, for example, in the markets of Baku you can still find cheese sold in goat / sheep’s bags ...

Given the peculiarities of life and life of ancient peoples, new and new recipes of cheeses appeared - Greek cheeses from the island of Demos, Roman "moon" cheeses, etc. are known. They say that in the laws of King Hammurabi, cheese is mentioned as the main component of the daily diet - along with bread and beer. And during the period of the Roman Empire during campaigns in Gaul, Caesar’s troops, along with treasures, collected local cheese, which went under the hammer in Rome for fabulous money!

Golden cheese making time is associated with Middle ages. It was then that the monks (as the most progressive of people) began to search for the ideal cheese and its production (first for themselves, and then for sale). It is believed that at that time cheese and wine (and for Belgium and the Netherlands - beer) became inseparable. It is interesting that during the Renaissance, cheese was even called a harmful product (possibly because of its ability to be addictive, more on that below).

However, already in the XVIII and XIX centuries, an active industrial production of cheese began, which every year everything develops!

You probably want to know why is Dutch cheese considered the reference in the world?   Sources again need to be sought in cheese stories:

The Dutch in cheese making inherited the experience of the masters of ancient Rome. Given the local specifics of raw materials and traditions, we improved the existing recipes and the process of making cheese. Initially, the peasants made the cheese: for themselves and for sale. As a result of the development of commodity-money relations in the Netherlands, specialized cheese markets appeared in the towns of Haarlem, Daden, Alkmaar and Oudewater. If you believe history, then in the Middle Ages cheese was even considered the settlement currency within the Netherlands.

Cheese production has received a new round of development in connection with development ... fleet and shipping!   Suddenly?! And there is logic in this: sailors in search of a “better life” (and for work purposes) went on a weekly or even annual voyage. Strong and healthy men need good high-calorie and healthy nutrition, ideally it should have been stored for a long time and not spoiled ... And then the cheese came in handy! The convenient form, which allows to increase the shelf life, moreover, every day the taste of cheese became only “richer”. About utility and calorie content in general, you can not explain! The perfect find for a sailor!

In addition to “self-feeding”, cheese was actively sold all over the world during trade expeditions! And since the Netherlands was a powerful trading and maritime power, accordingly, there was a lot of cheese and a real “race” began to create the best of the best cheese (competition and nothing more)!

As a result of cheese battles, the real world record holders became known all over the world - the best among the best:Gouda, Edam   and Maasdam! In addition to the indicated ones, the Netherlands also produces many excellent local varieties of cheese (this variety can apparently only be compared with the number of Belgian beers (about it very soon in a special post)!

So, briefly about the best:

1.Edammer   (the name comes from the name of the town, north of Amsterdam) - semi-hard traditional Dutch cheese. "Edam" was known already in the XVII century. Made from cow's milk. The structure is very dense, as a rule, has a lighter shade than Gouda. Its taste is slightly nutty, and the aroma intensifies as it ripens. Unripe (young) “Edam” is mild, slightly sweet, with a nutty flavor. The ripe Edam is drier and salty. The ripening period of "Edam" is from 1 to 10 months. Ideally round heads of "Edam", made for local use - are covered with a yellow shell, for export - red.

The most popular are the temperate version of "Edam" - it is very gentle, soft and if you put it in your mouth, it will melt leaving a rich creamy finish. Mmm ..

2.Gouda   (the name is also associated with the name of the town) was already known in the 6th century. “Gouda” - from tender and soft, nutty to richly spicy. Made from cow's milk. It has a rich and even light yellow color with small holes throughout the area. Today, numerous cheese factories around the world make it according to the original Dutch recipe. The more cheese ripens, the more pronounced its flavor and it becomes drier. Gouda matures from 1 to 36 months. By the way, the production of Gouda makes up the largest share of the total industrial output of cheese products (and not only in Holland).

Gouda is often used as the basis for various culinary experiments: for example, smoked Gouda, used exclusively with cold beer; cheese with caraway seeds, herbs, mustard and pepper. Read on and find out where to try a wide variety of cheese variations.

3.Maasdam- and finally, the last representative of the "Great Dutch Cheese Three". Cheese that originated in a town on the Meuse River; which is represented by the word "Cheese": the owner of yellow color and huge holes - Maasdam! The youngest of these cheeses (its production began only in the XX century). It has a unique sweetish aroma. An interesting fact is that initially Maasdam looks the same as Gouda and Edam, however, in the process of ripening, the cheese takes on a completely different shape (it becomes the owner of luxurious cavities - cheese holes). And this happens because of the gases that appear inside the cheese during fermentation.

By the way, the ripening process of Maasdam is very short (therefore, it is considered young) from only 1 to 3 months. Someone will say that Maasdam is a Dutch copy of Swiss Emmental, this is only partially true. The advantages of Maasdam compared to Emmental are its availability (production is faster and less costly) and of course the soft and delicate sweet taste.

So, lovers of the original fragrance should try Leiden cheesemade from skim milk with the addition of caraway seeds and other aromatic herbs that give the cheese a unique taste (sometimes they are written on the labels komijnekaas   (caraway cheese).

Connoisseurs blue cheese   can appreciate the Dutch Blauw Klaver(Blau Claver) or "Doruvael"   (Doruwael). Blauw Klaver based on the name - cheese with a “blue crust”, which is edible and gives the cheese a piquant flavor.

"Doruvael"   - cheese with red mold, the taste is sharper. They say that because To work with the red bacteria that produce this mold, special sterility is required, at the moment only one farm in the Netherlands has permission to make such cheese.

Now we will try to describe our impressions of cheese products that we were lucky to try when visiting Holland:

Oude Graht

“Oude Graht” (a traditional cheese that we found in Utrecht, the name of the cheese comes from the name of the central water channel of Utrecht).

We accidentally tasted this cheese in - the first city of our travels. It was bought in a small cheese shop "Pakhuis Utrecht" near the center (Lijnmarkt 6, 3511 KH Utrecht). Irisha fortunately confused the only Dutch cheese about which she heard “Old Amsterdam” with “Oude Graht”, which is why we took it)). We will not paint anything, just say that in order to buy a piece of cheese head “Oude Graht” (the nearest city where you could buy the original Utrecht “Oude Graht”). Oude Graht is very good and, in our opinion, ideal: it is a very seasoned cheese, but at the same time it has a sweet milky aroma inherent in young cheeses.   Looking at its surface, you can see small dots (blotches) that indicate long-term maturation. It turns out cheese - 2 in 1 (sort of hard, but with the aroma of sweet cream). Production of Oude Graht began in 1908 and continues to this day according to the old recipe based on milk supplied by local farms. The cheese ripens for about 14 months!

Oude Graht has its own website http://www.oudegrachtkaas.nl/, where you can find out where cheese is sold and even walk around the factory online.

In fact, “Old Amsterdam” is a great hard cheese that cheese lovers will love!Its distribution region is wider than Oude Graht. So, we bought a piece of cheese in a regular hypermarket. By the way, essentially “Old Amsterdam” is a mature “Gouda”.

By the way, if you see cheese covered with black paraffin, then with a high degree of probability it can be argued that it is aged (mature).

Cheeses of the Henri Willig trademark

Distinctive features of the Henri Willig network include the possibility of tasting cheese and a huge selection of different types of cheese. So, for example, you can easily try cow, sheep and goat cheesesto be served with interesting ingredients. How do you like the combination cheese with pepper or garlic or herbs   - standard? Then try - cheese with coconut or truffles, or with pesto! Henri Willig also produces smoked cheeses, which the Dutch like to drink with beer. You can find both hard (mature) and soft (young) cheeses (baby). A convenient portioning format (small round heads) allows you to easily transport cheese directly to your table.

Cheese mix from the grocery market

So mixes are a fairly common occurrence in Dutch grocery stores. The set includes several cheeses of various types (by the way, each cheese is signed and is in a separate bag) and a jar of sweet jam (for example, pear). This option is very good for those who want to arrange a real cheese festival. Oddly enough, all the cheeses in this package were really tasty and unusual. An excellent move for sellers is to try the cheese “sampler” and come again for it!

Therefore, our advice is to buy such a mix and try it if you wish and ready for a new one! By the way, from the point of view of the price tag, it really can be called a very budget option! So to speak, ask at the grocery stores in the Netherlands!)

You can ask us “So where to try Dutch cheese?” .
We give you a detailed answer. There are several ways to do this in the Netherlands:

.Civilized Way - Tasting Rooms   (they are Tasting Room)

Here is an example of a site of famous establishments in Amsterdam of a similar direction: http://www.reypenaercheese.com/

We must say right away that we ourselves were not in them, respectively, we can’t say anything bad or good. But if you believe the descriptions, then in a ceremonial setting you are offered several varieties of cheese, usually together with wine (which is selected for each cheese), and during the tasting they tell various interesting things (about the production of cheese, about a particular kind of cheese, etc. ) On the Internet there are a lot of positive reviews about such establishments, so if you want to "sit nicely" - we recommend that you consider the option of tasting rooms. Please note that, as a rule, you must book your participation in advance!

.Soulful Way - Food Markets

Cheese is the constant companion of any food markets in the Netherlands. If you are lucky enough to attend such events, do not miss the opportunity to try some cheese! In the markets you can see the soul of the Dutch people, appreciate the unique cheese of small farms, bargain when buying a cheese head. What is important for budget tourists, as a rule, such a tasting option will not require additional investment from you)

An important point is the choice of date and time: markets are usually held on certain days of the week and have their own time limits, so you need to know in advance when you can get to grocery markets (information can be obtained from the global network - the Internet, travel guides or from local residents) .

By the way, the photo shows the famous food market of Rotterdam (Markthal), you can read about it in ours!

. The standard way - Cheese shops

Before buying cheese, you can try it not only on the Henri Willig network (although it can be done there without contacting sales consultants). Cheese shops are interested in having tourists try and buy, not only cheeses, but also various additions to them: for example, wines or kitchen utensils (special knives, cutting boards, etc.). The consultants will kindly help you choose the cheese you are looking for or make the perfect pair (cheese + wine).

No less relevant is the question   “And where to buy real Dutch cheese?”

Again, there are several options: the most plain - in the food market, cheese is always there, but there can be problems with tasting and choosing varieties. For example, we bought the classic Gouda and Old Amsterdam in such a non-specialized store.

One of the most widespread chains of food stores in the Netherlands where you can find cheese)

It is also not particularly difficult to find (especially in tourist cities) cheese shop   in which you can try and pick up cheese for every taste and budget. This option should be considered cheese gourmets. By the way, as practice has shown, if you really liked the cheese and have a desire to take it as a souvenir - it’s better not to pull it and buy it right on the spot (especially in the case of constant movement), otherwise you can’t find it in the next city ... (especially mature (hard) cheese, you don’t have to worry much, because at your request, sellers can easily seal the cheese in vacuum packages, which, unfortunately, is not very common with us so far ...

The third option for a place to buy cheese is food or specialty cheese markets. The advantages of such places have been described above. Sometimes you can try a unique cheese “hand made”. So follow the schedule of the markets! The best of all options is to purchase cheese at the common grocery markets that locals go to: no tourist price markup; quality cheese + the opportunity to see the life of ordinary citizens!

In the end, we note only that when choosing a souvenir from the Netherlands - put aside Chinese magnets, bells, clumps, and it is better to take more different good Dutch cheese so that, being far from the Netherlands, one evening, cut the reference cheese into thin slices and remember great trip!

So, the mandatory part of this post can be called finished - you can not read it further)) Or you can read it to find out some, in our opinion, interesting facts and cheese news)

Cheese markets in the Netherlands

One of the types of entertainment for foreign tourists can be visiting specialized cheese markets. In towns Alkmaar, Gouda, Edam and Horn   - there are historical copies of the cheese markets that existed in the Middle Ages. Cheese markets are for the most part representations for tourists in which kaasdragers, dressed in traditional costumes, load cheese heads onto their stretchers (rocker arms weighing at least 160 kg!) And run with them into the weight building. Cheese is checked for quality, weighed, evaluated and sold.

Despite the fact that the activity of the markets is aimed at attracting tourists, they still fulfill their initial task as a point of sale for local farmers' cheese. If you plan to visit cheese markets - be sure to specify their work schedules in advance!

A limiting factor can only be the absence and high cost of natural milk, given its consumption in the preparation of cheese ... So if you want your own cheese - it is advisable to have a farm or at least a "house in the village"!)

Summary:summing up the post, I want to note that Dutch cheese is a real attraction that every self-respecting tourist should not avoid when traveling in BeniLux! Cheese can be so different: hard or tender; salty, sweet, spicy; contain additional zest in the form of spices or impress with its brevity; be insanely expensive or quite affordable; contain addictive substances, and a bunch of useful vitamins and minerals ... Cheese will even help you learn the story, organize a great festive evening and just get real pleasure! And if we talk about real Dutch cheese ...) Let's repeat the phrase from about bicycles: “ We have someone to take an example!»

A few photos on the topic of the post:

Who can stay here?))

There is never too much cheese!) Spectacular shop window decoration. .

The tradition of cheese making. Continuity. This is exactly what made the Dutch cheese a reference!

Irisha and the Dutch toiler - Burenka in the square

We hope you enjoyed it! To new posts!

GILLIS, Nicolaes. Laid Table (1611, Private Collection)

The peoples who inhabited the territory of modern Netherlands began to master the art of cheese making, adopting it from the Romans in the 1st century BC. e. At the same time, they did not become blind imitators, but creatively rethought the cheese idea. In addition to the desire for this, they had all the conditions: the plain meadows were the best suited for the cows, which were raised in these places at least from the 17th century BC. e. - in any case, the remains of cows found in the north of the Netherlands date from this time. The main Dutch cheese makers were peasants who produced so much cheese that it was enough for the family and for sale. So there were dairy markets: in 1266 - in Harlem, in 1303 - Leiden, in 1326 - Audater, in 1365 - Alkmaar. In 1426, the profession of “cheese maker” (caescoper) was first recorded in Rotterdam trading books. And the cheese itself has become a kind of currency. It is known that Dutch sailors, for example, paid port taxes with cheese. Why not? This product practically did not spoil, its nutritional value was not subject to any doubt, in addition, it looked like gold in color, and coins in a round shape.

Artsen Peter (1508-1575). Market scene

By the middle of the XVII century, only through one port in Edame almost 500 tons of cheese were sold each year. By this time, this product has finally and irrevocably entered the life of the Dutch. And from about the same moment, cheeses, and especially Edam and Gouda, began to wage an irreconcilable struggle for the title of "very-most." Not only special markets appeared in the cities, but the “Waaggebouw” - \u200b\u200bspecially built to weigh the cheese heads of the building. Of course, now, along with windmills, they are rather a tribute to tradition - the cheese deal lasts a long time and looks more like a theatrical performance than a business venture. Judge for yourself: the buyer approaches the seller, meticulously examines the cheese heads, claps his palm on one of them and calls his price. The seller, depicting extreme indignation, also slams on the cheese and calls his price, of course, much higher. The discouraged buyer leaves, but soon returns with a new price, which is also rejected. Each blow to the cheese head means that the partners are getting closer and closer to agreement: either the seller lowered the price, or the buyer raised. In the end, the two sides come to an agreement and mark the matter with cheese. In order for the deal to go through without cheating, the cheese is weighed at Vesovy. There, heavy cheese heads are carried on stretchers by special people - cheese carriers, which can be recognized by white suits indicating that they belong to the guild of cheese producers. All of them are divided into four vems, the hallmarks of which are colorful hats. And, apparently, in order to diversify their work, they constantly compete with each other: which veme will carry more cheese per working day. The most famous market is located in Alkmaar, it operates according to the rules established in 1672 and is held every Friday from April to October.

Edam, named after the port town, is known abroad as the "visiting card" of the Netherlands, since more than half of it is exported. This cheese has been the main component of the prosperity of Edam since the Middle Ages. On April 16, 1526, the emperor granted the city the right to organize a cheese market on a weekly basis, and the prince Wilhelm I of Orangemade this right perpetual. So he thanked the inhabitants of Edam for the support they provided to the neighboring city of Alkmar, when he besieged the Spanish troops. Today, residents of Alkmaar continue to hold a ceremony in their market dedicated to Edam cheese: porters bring yellow heads of edam and lay out the entire market square with them, which makes it golden.

The ideally round heads of edam, made for local use, are covered with a yellow shell, for export - red. True connoisseurs prefer one and the other (especially from four months to one and a half years) Edam cheese, which is coated with a black film.

Bakelar Joachim (1530-1574). Marktplein, met op de achtergrond de geseling, Ecce homo en de kruisdraging

Edam production accounts for 27% of total cheese production in the Netherlands. In this indicator, he is inferior only gaude   (Gouda), cheese preferred by the Dutch themselves. Its sales in the “orange country” (by the way, this is what the Netherlands is called because orange is the color of the ruling Oransky-Nassau dynasty) is about 50% of all cheeses. In addition to the usual gouda, the Dutch adore smoked, with a delicious brown crust. She is especially good with beer. However, historically, gouda, like other cheeses, began to be smoked not because of taste, but for the sake of increasing shelf life.

Both leaders of Dutch cheese production are made from cow's milk, belong to the group of cheeses of natural maturation and have been made for at least seven centuries. Compared to them, the third popular Dutch cheese is maasdam   - just a baby: he was born in the 70s of the XX century. Dutch masters created it as a competitor to Swiss Emmental cheese. This cheese, also known as leerdam, is becoming a serious competitor to edam and gouda. It captivates the public not only with its original taste, but also with giant holes.

Bakelar Joachim (1530-1574). Mercado

Since the XVI century, the Netherlands began to turn into the largest trading power in Europe. The world's first joint-stock company was the Dutch East India Company, founded in 1602. Through it, merchants traded exotic goods from Japan, China and numerous Dutch colonies. The activities of the East India Company brought shareholders considerable profit, but until 1644 it was paid in kind. Such an order rendered invaluable service to the Dutch cheese-maker: after all, spices accounted for a significant part of these goods. From the Moluccas to the Netherlands, merchants brought nutmeg (which was punished by the death penalty), from Asia Minor - anise, from India - black pepper, from Indonesia - cloves. The Dutch were not afraid of experiments and poured seasonings into the bathtubs with a generous hand, where the cheese was resting. Over time, the Netherlands lost their colonies, but cheeses with spices remained. The most interesting thing is that with all the abundance of colonial spices, most of all the Dutch love cheese with caraway seeds, for which you do not need to go to distant lands - cumin, or cumin, has been growing in Northern Europe since ancient times. Gained fame leiden cheese, which is made from skim milk, adding caraway seeds and less often chopped cloves. Sometimes this type of cheese is called komijnekaas, that is, “caraway cheese”.

Bakelar Joachim (1530-1574). Marché aux volailles

The pride of the Dutch cheese making is moldy cheeses. Although they are known in the world much less than the French Roquefort, but this does not detract from their merits. Despite the consistency that is as soft as that of Roquefort, the taste of Dutch blue mold cheeses is completely different. They can be eaten with a crust that other moldy usually throw away. One type of moldy cheese is called - Blau Claver   (Blauw Klaver), that is, "blue crust." In addition to cheeses with blue mold, cheeses with red mold on the crust are also produced, which differ in an even more original, sharp taste, for example doruval   (Doruvael). To work with the red bacteria that produce this mold, special sterility is required, therefore, at the moment, only one farm in the Netherlands has a permit for the manufacture of doruwael.

The Dutch have no special national technologies for the preparation of cheese. Pasteurized milk is poured into a container called a cheese bath, and a coagulating agent (most often it is rennet, due to which milk becomes denser) and sour milk bacteria, which convert lactose (milk sugar) to lactic (hydroxypropionic) acid, are added to it. Thus obtained cottage cheese is the main component of cheese. For hard cheeses, the resulting mass is crushed: the smaller the pieces, the denser the future cheese will be. Sometimes at this stage hot water is poured into the cheese bath - it rinses the curd particles, making them easier and more uniform.

Then the mass is heated to 35–55 degrees. Usually at the same time it is stirred so that the future cheese does not turn out to be grainy. Cheeses made with Lactobacilli or Streptococci bacteria are heated even more because these bacteria tolerate high temperatures. If the cheese is made with herbs, spices or seasonings, they are added at this stage.

Then comes the molding turn: the bunch is compacted, if necessary, cut into pieces of a suitable size and laid out in special molds. Now the excess liquid should be removed from the cheese mass - either under the influence of its own gravity, or under the press. The stronger the pressure, the harder and drier the finished product will be. In Holland, as in Russia, the resulting cheese unit is called the head, although the shape of the cheese can be not only spherical, but also oval or in the form of cubes, wheels, parallelepipeds, tetrahedrons.

Salt is added to almost all cheeses, not only for taste, but also to increase shelf life. This happens at different stages, depending on the variety: sometimes salt combines with milk at the very beginning, in a cheese bath; some cheeses sprinkled with salt in the finished form or soaked for several days in brine. Coloring pigments, for example annatto, from the tropical plant Bixa orellana L. are also added to the curd mass for making winter milk cheese. This natural dye, like carotene, which cows get from summer grass, gives the cheese a pronounced yellow color.

Finally, it is time to ripen. Simply put, the cheese should "rest", mature in a cool room specially designed for this. This process can take from several days to several years.

For all types of cheeses there is a stamp with which each head is stamped. It shows the country of origin (Netherlands), the name of the cheese, the fat content in the dry matter and the serial number. So by any cheese head you can always determine where, when and by whom it is made. This is the main guarantee of the quality of Dutch cheese.

   To the Brackelins Querinh Geretts van (c. 1622-1670). Interior with a man and a woman sitting by the fire

   Artsen Peter (1508-1575). Rural interior

   Bloemart Hendrick (1601-1672). Lot and his daughters.

   Ian Stan. Consequences of intemperance

Although the inhabitants of the Netherlands prefer simplicity and artlessness in everything, Dutch cheeses are quite suitable for organizing a “cheese ceremony”. True, this will require additional equipment. First of all, a round or rectangular cheese board. Marble ones are considered to be the best, but ordinary wooden is quite suitable. You will also need special cheese knives. There should be at least three: one with a long thin blade, it is intended for hard cheeses. The second is for soft cheeses, with a fork on the end and holes on the blade (they are made so that the cheese does not stick to the knife). Finally, the third - with a wide blade, for semi-soft cheeses.

The program of the "cheese ceremony" includes several varieties that demonstrate all the richness of the taste of the Dutch cheese palette. Minimum set: edam, gouda, maasdam, 1-2 cheese with mold (for example, Blau Claver), 1-2 cheese with spices (for example, Leiden), goat cheese (for example, chevret).

Bread (white, such as a French baguette) and fruits - pears, apples, grapes are necessarily served with cheeses. Some aesthetes prefer to eat cheese with honey. Chestnut is best suited for this. But the main partner of cheese is, of course, wine. Dutch wines, although they exist, are not very well known in our country (and in the world), so it is better to choose classic combinations. For goat cheese, dry white wines (such as Sauvignon) or light Portuguese rosés are recommended; Gouda goes well with Riesling, edam - with rich red wines such as Merlot and Cabernet. Dessert, sweet Sauternes wines are suitable for blue mold cheeses. In general, as the Dutch proverb says: “He who has cheese does not need dessert.”

   Clara Peeters (1589/94 Antwerp? - after 1657). Still life with cheese

   Clara Peters. Still life with cheese, almonds and pretzels (1612-1615)

   Clara Peters. Still life with shellfish and eggs

Schuten Floris Gerrits van (1590-c. 16555). Breakfast

   Schuten Floris Gerrits van (1590-c. 16555). Still Life (Alte Pinakothek, Munich)

   Schuten Floris Gerrits van (1590-c. 16555). Still Life with Ham and Cheese (1640, Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem)

   Schuten Floris Gerrits van (1590-c. 16555). Still life (Private collection)

   Schuten Floris Gerrits van (1590-c. 16555). Still-Life with glass, cheese, butter and cake

   Schuten Floris Gerrits van. Still Life with Cheese, Candlestick and Smoking Accessories (Courtesy McNay Art Museum)

   SON, Joris van (b. 1623, Antwerpen, d. 1667, Antwerpen) Still-Life with Cheese (1650, Palais des Archevêques, Tours)

   Martin Boelema de Stomme (1611, Leeuwarden - 1664, Haarlem). Still life of a salt cellar, cheeses, bread and radishes London, (Private Collection Bonhams)

   Pieter Claesz (Berchem 159697 - Haarlem 1660). Banquet with cheese and fruit

   DIJCK, Floris Claesz van (b. 1575, Haarlem, d. 1651, Haarlem) Laid table with cheeses and fruits (1615, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam)

   DIJCK, Floris Claesz van. Laid Table (1622, Private Collection)
   Oil on wood, 100 x 135 cm

   DIJCK, Floris Claesz van. Still Life with Fruits, Nuts, and Cheese (1613, Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem)

   DIJCK, Floris Claesz van. Still Life (1610, Private Collection)

   Jan van Kessel. Still Life with Facon de Venise Wineglass, Cheese

   Kessel Jan van the Elder (c. 1626-1679). Still life with cheese

Dutch cheese is a national product of Holland. His recipe was invented back in 400 g. The most popular varieties of Dutch cheese are Edam, Maasdam, Gouda, Blau Claver, Doruwael and others.

As far back as the 1st century BC, the peoples of the Netherlands adopted the traditions of cheese production from the Romans.

The Dutch did not just copy the recipes of Roman cheesemakers, local craftsmen improved the process and brought their Dutch flavor to the cheese recipe. The Dutch peasants began a large-scale production of cheese.

This is a hard cheese made from fresh cow's milk with a brackish or sweetish - depending on the aging - taste and light sourness.

The original Dutch cheese has a pale yellow color, a slightly sour taste with a faint nutty note and a soft plastic, slightly more noble texture.

A high-quality product should have a pattern in the form of eyes, which can have a different shape, but should be evenly distributed over the entire surface of the cheese.

Dutch cheese can be found at 45 and 50% fat. The consistency of this product is dense, but it is quite elastic.

The cheese manufacturing technology has been simple and unchanged for over 150 years, only production equipment has been improved.

Cheese is prepared under sterile conditions, after which it matures from at least thirty, but not more than sixty days.

On the basis of this cheese, an original and very tasty green color is produced.

The benefits of Dutch cheese

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of Dutch cheese, because in the process of preparation the product literally absorbs everything of value from fresh milk: retinol, B, E, C vitamins, folic acid, various minerals: calcium, magnesium, molybdenum, sodium, phosphorus, copper.

This cheese increases the absorption of carbohydrates, and it also has a positive effect on mood and regulates blood sugar levels.

Just a few slices of Dutch cheese will help you recover quickly after prolonged physical and mental stress.

Due to the presence of a large amount of phosphorus and calcium, bones are strengthened, and the state of muscle tissue improves.

In addition, you can notice a significant improvement in the condition of teeth, nails and hair.

There is sulfur in Dutch cheese, which is necessary for the normalization of metabolic processes in the body, and it also takes an active part in maintaining the oxygen balance.

Potassium is included in this product, which favorably affects the activity of the cardiovascular system. Due to the large amount of sodium, this cheese maintains a water balance in the body and thereby prevents the occurrence of dehydration.

Dutch cheese can bring harm to people with individual intolerance to the product. Due to its high calorie content, it is not recommended in large quantities to people who are obese or want to lose weight.

In addition, this product can adversely affect kidney diseases. Due to the acid content, Dutch cheese can irritate the stomach. Contraindications to the use of this product are in people with gastritis, ulcers and enteritis.

BZHU and calorie Dutch cheese:

• Proteins, g: 26.0
• Fats, g: 26.8
• Carbohydrates, g: 0,0
• Calories, Calories: 352

How to choose Dutch cheese?

When choosing Dutch cheese, you should first of all pay attention to the coloring of the head or piece. Natural cheese will be either white or light yellow and the color will be uniform. Bright yellow color can only indicate the presence of dye.

The composition of this type of cheese may include only milk, sourdough, calcium chloride and the natural dye of annatto. If you saw other components on the label, you should refuse to purchase and use this product.

If you notice cracks on the cheese, then it is better not to buy such a product, as mold may form in it. The surface of a quality product should be slightly damp.

Dutch cheese is not only the same universal bar with such an inscription in domestic stores, and not only Edam, Gouda and Maasdam, also well known to Russian consumers. Like the Dutch, these are predominantly hard and semi-hard varieties.

We present to you the 12 most famous cheese varieties that are produced in the Netherlands.

Bemster (Beemster)

   Bemster (photo: @beemster_au)

Hard cheese from North Holland. In the country itself, it is one of the most beloved and famous cheeses, while outside it it is not as widespread as edam and gouda. Bemster has a long ripening process, which lasts up to two years, during which its creamy taste is formed, for which he is so loved.

Edammer

  Edam (photo: @mabelpastry)

Semi-hard cheese of pale yellow color with a sweetish taste. Thanks to the fast ripening process (from 4 weeks to 10 months), edam is notable for its affordable price, and in the 16th-18th centuries it was the most popular cheese in Europe.

Graskaas

  Graskaas (photo: @ madmonger42)

Quite a rare Dutch cheese, which is produced, in particular, by Beemster. This is a soft cheese made from milk from the first milking after the cows go to pasture after a long winter, which is why it is called "grass".

Gouda

  Gouda (photo: @ alicyn01)

Cheese, which began to be produced in the southern part of Holland, in the city of Gouda. This is a light yellow hard cheese with round holes all over the surface, with a soft creamy taste. Ripe gouda cheese is saturated with a stronger and more tart taste and aroma, and its consistency becomes harder and drier.

Leerdammer

  Leerdam (photo: @lulusbuntewelt)

Hard cheese, which has been produced in the Netherlands since 1976. Its production began in the village of Schonrevourd of the Lerdam community, but the French company Fromageries Bel is currently engaged in production.

Leyden

  Leiden (photo: @ bd1824)

Semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk, which is produced in the vicinity of Leiden, near Amsterdam and The Hague. Caraway seeds, cumin and other seasonings are added to the cheese, giving the pulp a texture, spicy taste and aroma.

Maasdamer

  Maasdam (photo: @smakujemy_zycie)

One of the most popular Dutch cheeses in the world, which is also very popular in Russia for its sweet creamy nutty taste. Maasdam is a semi-hard cheese of natural ripening, during which large holes form in it.

Parrano

  Parrano (photo: @parranonl)

Semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk, which has a creamy nutty taste that combines sweetness and salty taste. It is compared with well-known Italian cheeses, which is why Italian cuisine complements this cheese.

Roomano

  Roomano (photo: @cheeserank)

Hard fat cheese made from pasteurized milk, it is sweet and salty at the same time. Romano ripening can last up to 5 years, so the cheese is quite rare even in the Netherlands.

Vlaskaas

  Vlaskaas (photo: @jovalvaldiva)

Light yellow semi-hard cheese with small holes over the entire surface. It has a sweet creamy taste with almond notes, goes well with apples, figs, walnuts.

Burenkaas (Boerenkaas)

  Burenkaas (photo: @dannybrouwer)

Burenkaas is nothing more than a variety of gauda variety, from which it differs by craft origin. The cheese ripens from 1.5 to 4 years, which gives it a stronger aromatic and taste and dense texture, which crumbles under a knife.

Sheep Cheese (Schapenkaas)

  Schapenkas Sheep Cheese (photo: @ dayennefoodblog)

A traditional sheep milk cheese made on the island of Terschelling in the north of the Netherlands. The cheese ripens from organic sheep’s milk for 4 months, and then fenugreek seeds are added to it.