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Edam is made with partially-skimmed pasteurized cow's milk. The milk is heated to 86 degrees F (30 C), and bacteria is added. Then, rennet is added to create curd. The curds are cut into small pieces, heated to 104 F (40 C), then drained of the whey, moulded and pressed into small balls or wheels and salted. It is let ripen at 50 F (10 C.)

The cheese is semi-hard and is a pale yellow with a mildly-tangy and slightly salty taste. Baby Edams, generally under 2 1/2 pounds (1 kg) in weight, are meant to be eaten young, within weeks of being produced. Some Edams, though, especially larger ones, are aged. If you see an Edam with a black wax coating, it means it was aged for at least 17 months.

Edam that is exported is covered with a shiny red wax coating. This originally helped preserve the cheese by preventing surface mould from developing: now, it has an additional, thoroughly-modern purpose -- to help market the cheese by giving it a distinctive look.

Substitutes
Gouda or fontina or a mild cheddar

Nutrition
Per 1 oz (30g) of Edam: 101 calories, 7.9g fat, 7.1g protein, 207 mg calcium

Storage
Like most cheese, Edam can be frozen. Cut into 1/2 pound (225 g) chunks, and wrap air-tight. When thawed, it is best for cooking.

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Semi-Firm Cheeses
Appenzeller Cheese (Quarter Fat), Ardrahan Cheese, Asadero Cheese, Blue Cheeses, Botton Cheese, Brunost Cheese, Buxlow Paigle, Caerphilly Cheese, Cantal Cheese, Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese, Cheshire Cheese, Chèvre, Chihuahua Cheese, Cotherstone Cheese, Criollo Cheese, Danbo Cheese, Danish Fontina Cheese, Edam Cheese, Farmer's Cheese, Fontal Cheese, Gaperon Cheese, Grimbister Cheese, Huntsman Cheese, Jalapeño Cheese, Leerdammer Cheese, Liederkranz Cheese, Livarot Cheese, Maasdam Cheese, Manchego Cheese (Mexican), Monterey Jack Cheese, Morbier Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, Pavé d'Auge Cheese, Pavé d'Isigny Cheese, Pavé de Berry Cheese, Penyston Cheese, Quartirolo Cheese, Queso con Loroco, Ricotta Salata Cheese, Tetilla Cheese, Vacherin Fribourgeois, Wensleydale Cheese

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