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EDAM Tourist Information
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The little town of Edam, in the Dutch province of North Holland, used to be the centre of Dutch cheese exports. It began in the 12th century, when farmers and fishermen settled along the little Ye river where they built a "dam".  "Ye-dam" was born.

Edam is now still a very small old town a few miles north of Amsterdam, facing East across the lonely grey waters of the Yselmeer (formerly the Zuiderzee, or "Sea of the South"). The town stands at the point the rising waters finally reached in the 16th century — almost surrounding Amsterdam at one time — before the late medieval technology of the windmill allowed reclamation to begin in earnest. Together with Amsterdam, Hoorn and Enkhuizen, Edam was one of the most important commercial towns in Holland.

Nowadays Edam cheese is produced all over The Netherlands. Its round shape and red colour are very distinctive. Edam's red appearance is obtained by dipping or spraying with wax which at the same time gives the cheese a protective coating.

Edam is a town with authentic 17th century architecture, convincing proof of its rich past. When walking along the old streets and quiet canals, one can easily imagine how it must have been in a Dutch town centuries ago. Discover quaint cottages, peaceful parks, and enough cheese and clogs to fill your heart's desire in Edam. Despite Edam's proximity to the city and the influx of tourists every year, the town  has resisted the lures of commercialism and maintained its pleasant storybook atmosphere. The narrow streets, little white bridges, and beautifully maintained 17th-century houses seem somewhat lost in time.

The usual weight of Edam is approximately 2 kg. The cheese has a fat content of 40% in the dry matter, as it is made from skimmed milk. Edam is also available in 1 kg size known as a `Baby Edam'. This cheese is also produced with cumin seeds giving it a spicy and aromatic flavour, and has an orange wax coating. Green waxed Edam denotes garden herbs. They are both available in 2 kg and 1 kg balls. The taste of Edam cheese differs according to its age, although the Edam cheese most widely available is sold when approximately 6 weeks old and is well-known and appreciated for its mild flavour and smooth texture. However, when Edam `ages' or matures its flavour becomes more robust and is easy to distinguish from the younger Gouda as it is black-waxed.

 

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