Named after the Dutch town of Gouda, near Rotterdam, Gouda cheese is one of the oldest Dutch cheeses. It counts for more than 60% of the whole Netherlands cheese production. Unfortunately the name is not protected so the same type of cheese with the name of Gouda is fabricated all over the world. To recognize the real Gouda from the imitation, look for ‘noord-hollandse Gouda’. It has a protected designation origin, meaning that cheese labeled thusly must actually be produced in the Netherlands by a licensed dairy which undergoes regular inspection by the European Union. The “real” Gouda needs to go through very specific steps that guarantee a very high and consistent quality. It is usually sold very young, and has a distinct creamy quality.

Fabrication process of the Gouda

The cow’s milk is cultured and heated until the curd is separate from the whey. Some of the whey is then drained, and water is added. This is called “washing the curd”, and creates a sweeter cheese, as the washing removes some of the lactic acid.

Serving

It is best to remove the cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving.

The young Gouda is soft and easy to cut with a slicer. The older Gouda is tougher and needs a strong knife to cut with Usually it is cut in cubes and eaten with drinks.