Edam (cheese)

Edam (cheese)

Edam (Dutch: Edammer, ) is a Dutch cheese traditionally sold in spheres with a pale yellow interior and a coat of red paraffin wax. It is named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland, where the cheese is coated for export sale and for the tourist high season. After aging for at least 17 weeks the cheese sphere is coated with black wax, rather than the usual red or yellow. Edam ages and travels well, and does not spoil; it only hardens. These qualities (among others) made it the world's most popular cheese between the 14th and 18th centuries, both at sea and in remote colonies.