The Dutch cheese we are used to seeing on store shelves is a descendant of the Dutch Edamer. It is a solid dairy product, the taste of which depends on the degree of aging. It can be salty, sweet, sour, or neutral. The original Dutch edamer is a pale yellow shade. Its taste has subtle sour notes and a slight nutty flavor. The structure of the cheese is considered noble - tender, plastic, but quite dense. What you need to know about the product, which cheeses are considered Dutch and is it safe to add them to your daily diet?

general characteristics

Cheese is a food product based on cheese-like milk, lactic acid bacteria and special enzymes that fold milk protein. The protein that we extract from cheese is absorbed much easier and more efficiently than milk protein. Extractive substances, which are abundant in cheese, stimulate appetite, promote salivation and prepare the gastrointestinal tract for active work. Healthy nutrients from a dairy food product are absorbed by 98%. Among them are retinol (vitamin A), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), B vitamins and minerals. Cheese is a concentrate. The ratio of proteins / fats / carbohydrates / nutrients in it is optimally balanced to cover most of the body's needs.

Varieties of the food component

Dutch cheese is classified as a hard cheese. According to their hardness, the ingredients are divided into soft, fresh, cut, hard, semi-hard, hard cut. Dutch-type cheeses are made mainly in a rounded flattened or oval shape. They have small eyes or a completely flat, smooth cut surface. The taste of the product is spicy, slightly salty; neutral varieties are also popular. Mass fraction of fat (on dry matter) is 45%. There are dozens of product varieties in the Dutch cheese category. Let's analyze the most popular ones.

Hard cheese originally from the Netherlands. The basis is cow's milk. Fat content - from 48 to 51%. The product is made in the form of a medium-sized circle. Young cheese has a mild creamy taste that becomes more pronounced, rich and crisp with age. As it ripens, the structure also changes - it becomes dry and crumbly.

Burenkass

Burenkass is one of the variations. It is prepared exclusively on farms from unpasteurized milk. The ripening period is at least 18 months, and the maximum period reaches 4 years. 4-year-old head of Dutch cheese is covered with an orange crust, the flesh is colored in a pale yellow or linen shade. The product is dense, crumbly, characterized by a nutty taste and a bitter coffee aftertaste. The ripening period affects the brightness of the flavors. The older the cheese, the more refined and less harsh its flavor palette. Most of the cheese batches of Burenkass remain in the Netherlands. The minimum part of the matured heads is exported.

Leerdam

Another Dutch cheese based on cow's milk. Its taste is very similar to traditional varieties like Gouda or Emmental. Manufacturers indicate that the palate is nutty and soft. The fat content of leerdam is 45%. The product is traditionally sold with huge heads weighing up to 12 kilograms.

Edam

Semi-hard cheese, which belongs to the middle price category. The product is made in the form of ball-shaped heads. The taste of the product has a distinct nutty flavor, and the smell increases with maturation. young edam is not sharp, gentle, sweetish with spicy notes. The more mature edamer is dry, unsalted and has an intense flavor. Cheese is prepared based on pasteurized cow's milk. The amount of liquid varies from 40 to 50%, and the calorie content is from 300 to 380 kcal per 100 grams.

Maasdam

It is a naturally ripened product that is famous for its delicate nutty taste and large eyes. is one of the top 3 most popular cheeses in Holland and is in great demand among gourmets around the world. In the early stages of production, maasdam is no different from edamer or gouda. Later, as it ripens, voluminous eyes appear in it. This is due to fermentation and the effect of gas on the pulp. The diameter of the eyes varies from 1 to 5 centimeters. Natural fermentation gives not only a special structure, but also a flavor. Ripening period - 4 weeks or less. The ripening period of maasdam is much shorter than that of other Dutch cheeses due to the cheese leavening. They contain propionic bacteria, which provide the product with its characteristic fresh taste, large eyes and rapid ripening.

Roomano

Hard Dutch cheese with a structure and taste very similar to Gouda. The main difference lies in the manufacturing technology - pasteurization is used for roomano. The finished product contains at least 48% fat, in gouda this figure is always less than 48%. Roomano is made from cow's milk and left to mature for 4-5 years. The gustatory palette combines both sweet and salty notes, which alternately replace each other and act on the taste buds. Gourmets especially note the toffee aftertaste of roomano, which is very rare in hard cheeses.

The chemical composition of hard cheese

The benefits and possible harm of hard cheese

The most important element in the composition of Dutch cheese is polyunsaturated fatty acids. They protect cells from the oxidative process, and a person from aging, regulate blood levels, protect against diabetes mellitus, and restore a harmonious psycho-emotional state.

Dr. Dariusz Mozaffarian heads the Department of Nutrition at the School of Nutrition and Behavioral Sciences at Tufts University. He believes that dairy amino acids are relatively beneficial to our health. Milk fat is neutral and should not be taken out of the food basket or overused.

A dairy product is packed with healthy nutrients. It strengthens the protective functions of the body due to ascorbic acid (vitamin C), improves the quality of the skin and vision due to retinol (A) and stimulates the vital functions of the body due to mineral substances. But their usefulness is too small in front of the possible danger.

The concentration in the cheese exceeds all permissible values. One full bar contains more sodium (Na) daily value. In addition to cheese, a person also eats a number of salty foods. This worsens the work and condition of blood vessels, leads to edema and affects functionality during the day.

Cow's milk can contain hormones and antibiotics. Hormones get there because of the structural features of the animal organism, but the person himself supplies antibiotics to milk. Farmers give their cows special feed or injections to grow faster and produce more milk. Enzymes are not absorbed in the animal's body, but go straight to our plate. The result is hormonal disruptions, psychoemotional disharmony, sudden weight surges and uncontrolled eating behavior.

How to protect yourself? First, make your diet varied. Ditch your daily cheese sandwiches in favor of toast, fruit, or oven meats. Second, try to keep your dairy intake to a minimum. Instead of the usual half of a bar, eat a quarter, gradually reducing the dosage. Third, buy only high quality cheeses. The producer must responsibly monitor all production cycles, keep cows in comfortable conditions, and painless milk collection and slaughter.

The price affects the quality of the finished product, since it is formed from the total costs of manufacturing 1 bar. Buy cheeses from the medium to high price range to reduce the risk of antibiotics, hormones, and other harmful impurities.

Dutch cheeses have long been very popular, as they have a number of useful properties and an interesting peculiar taste. At the same time, there are a fairly large number of different varieties. And at home, it turns out, it is quite possible to cook delicious cheese according to the Dutch recipe.

History

Despite the name of the cheese, the recipe for its preparation did not appear in Holland. The ancient Romans (1st century BC) are considered its creators. It gained wide popularity during the Middle Ages, when Holland was engaged in the development of the navy.

Food on the ship is one of the main components of a successful expedition, because the physical condition of the crew and their working capacity depended on it. In addition, not all products had the ability to maintain their suitability for use for a long time.

That is why the main dish on ships was cheeses, which have a high energy value and can be stored for a long time. Due to the great attention to cheese products, its production has grown to a huge scale. New varieties appeared, which became known not only in the country itself, but also abroad.

Main characteristics

The main ingredient in Dutch cheese is pasteurized milk, which is fermented using lactic acid bacteria. The peculiarity of this type of cheese is a pale yellow color and a sour taste with a nutty tone. If the product is of the highest standard, the pattern will be in the form of eyes that evenly cover the head and may vary in size. Appearance is important: the surface is homogeneous and elastic, thin crust, no damage. The cheese melts easily and is often used for baking.

Depending on the aging period, the taste of the cheese may vary. The same variety can be sweet, salty or sour at different stages of ripening. In the composition of a natural product, except for milk, sourdough, calcium chloride and annatto dye, nothing else should be present.

In Holland, they believe that the best shape for cheese is a cylinder, in which it is most convenient to age.

The nutritional value of 100 g of the product averages 350 kcal, where fats prevail, then proteins and carbohydrates. Composition as a percentage: fats - 52.1%, proteins - 46.6%, carbohydrates - 1.3%. The permissible fat content limit is from 45 to 50%.

Choice

There are certain rules when choosing this type of product.

• Study the composition carefully to exclude the presence of unnatural ingredients.
• Take a look at the surface, it should be yellow or white, even and free from cracks that mold can form.
• A product that has been stored incorrectly, if you look closely, you can see oily emissions. Be careful when buying.

Benefit and harm

The use of Dutch cheese has a beneficial effect on human health: blood sugar levels normalize, the skeletal system is strengthened, and the condition of muscle tissues, hair and nails improves. This beneficial health effect is due to the beneficial substances that make up the product: phosphorus, iron, sodium, calcium, vitamins of various groups.

Due to its high energy value, the product is able to satisfy hunger and restore spent energy in a short time, so even one cheese sandwich is enough for a full meal.

However, cheese can be harmful to some people. In case of problems with the liver and gallbladder, it is not recommended to eat cheeses, as they heavily load the above-mentioned internal organs.

Obese people are also at risk, because the product contributes to the accumulation of body fat. When following a weight loss diet, Dutch cheese is still included in the diet, provided that it is consumed in small portions to satisfy hunger during the fasting weeks. With an unhealthy digestive system, the lactic acid in the product can aggravate the condition, being an irritant.

Expiration date and storage rules

Storage in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 6-8 degrees will help extend the shelf life. It is best to wrap the product in plastic wrap. These storage conditions are easy to organize in any modern kitchen, they will not allow hard cheese to deteriorate within two months, soft cheese - 15 days. Do not freeze cheese in the freezer, otherwise it will become crumbly. Cheese should not be stored on the same shelf with products that have a strong odor.

If the product is dry, it can be grated. Grated cheese works well as an addition to pasta.

Varieties

The names of the most popular varieties that will be discussed have always received positive reviews and were highly regarded for a long time.

• Old Amsterdam. An honorable place among all is the variety with the name Old Amsterdam. For its production, milk is used, the extract of which is not less than 18 months. The secret of the preparation is kept secret, its keepers are members of the Westland family, who have managed to create a cheese with a taste reminiscent of caramel and nut. Fruits with pistachios and figs, which have become an attribute of this variety, help to expand the taste sensations obtained from cheese. Also, the taste of Old Amsterdam goes well with sweet mustard, which complements other varieties well.

• Edamer. Another favorite is a variety called Edamer, which first appeared in the city of Edam. In a short time, cheese gained great popularity, despite the fact that then Dutch products were not in demand due to the close attention to cheeses of French and Italian origin. For the cheese to harden, aging is required for two months. The variety is considered semi-hard and is sold in the form of a ball-shaped head. If there are eyes, then there are a small number of them.

• Gouda. The Gouda variety was named after its homeland. To obtain the characteristic creamy taste for which Gouda is prized, nine months aging is required. During aging, the cylindrical shape proved to be the best in practice, in which it is most convenient to cook cheese. Ripening, Gouda takes on a spicy taste.

• Maasdam. Less popular than the previous varieties, but with its own zest, Maasdam is considered. Thanks to the many large holes of various shapes, the product attracted the attention of Peter I, who highly appreciated it. After tasting the cheese, you can feel the light taste of nuts. Gourmets prefer to serve smoked meats and dried fruits with this cheese.

• Bemster. Bemster, unlike other varieties, is the creation of ordinary peasants who use milk in their preparation, which does not undergo processing. That is why this variety is distinguished by its high fat content and characteristic creamy taste. Most Dutch people are convinced that if you combine Beemster with other dishes, all of its indescribable individuality is lost, because in Holland this cheese is eaten separately from other products.

• Leiden. To make Leiden cheese, skim milk is used, to which cloves and cumin are added. In appearance, it resembles Gouda. The cheese is kept for six months. This variety goes well with other cheeses, resulting in a rather unusual pleasant taste.

• Doruvael. The crust of this variety is covered with red mold, which, unlike the secondary one, is not harmful to health. The cheese has a creamy taste. It is consumed separately from all meals.

• Fleeting. The most unusual variety, which is referred to as French, but by origin it is still "Dutch". It has a spherical shape and a raised gray crust. During the ripening period, a flour mite and special worms are placed on the surface of the product. Due to their moves, a characteristic pattern for the variety and a nutty-mustard taste are obtained. A year and a half is a period of full maturation.

How to cook at home?

The principle of cooking is not much different from the preparation of classic Russian cheese. A significant difference between these two technologies: the use of whey, under the layer of which a layer of Dutch cheese is formed. The cooking process will not take much of your time, but you will have to wait with aging.

Required Ingredients:

• milk - 10 l;
• mesophilic leaven - ¼ tsp;
• calcium chloride solution - 10% - 1.2 ml;
• liquid rennet - 2.4 ml;
• water - 3 l.

Recipe

• The milk is pasteurized and cooled to 32 °, then the sourdough is added. The rehydration process takes three minutes. The resulting mixture is mixed with a slotted spoon.
• Before adding coagulant and calcium chloride to a saucepan with milk, fill them separately with warm water of 50 ml, for this use two containers. Then everything is evenly mixed.
• The resulting mass should ripen in a saucepan with the lid closed. It takes half an hour to form a curd of cheese, which is covered with whey.

• The readiness of the curd is checked using a cut made with a knife. Then the incision site is raised, if the edges are even, serum will flow, otherwise, wait another 10-15 minutes.
• The curd is cut into 1 cube cubes. cm. In order for the cubes to turn into curd and become elastic, they must be stirred for 20 minutes at a temperature of 33 °.
• Further, the acidity decreases. Pour 3 liters of whey from the pan, then pour the same amount of water and mix for 25 minutes, raising its temperature to 38 °.
• At the next stage, a drainage bag is taken, the cheese mass is placed in it, which is carefully crushed by hand to obtain a solid layer. There should be a layer of whey on top of the curd in the bag, this will prevent air from entering the cheese head.



The final and longest stage: maturation at a constant temperature of 10-13 °, which lasts 60 days. Due to the high humidity in the chamber, mold can appear on the crust; it can be removed with a brush and water. After waiting for the crust to dry, the cheese is placed back into the chamber.

During the cooking process, you can add various spices and seasonings in small quantities. If you overdo it with additives, the cheese will taste unnatural.

See below for how hard Dutch cheese is made.

Dutch cheese is a favorite dairy product that is loved and known all over the world. It is an ingredient in many dishes from different cuisines of the world, it is an ideal snack for millions of people. Cheese making is the richest culture. And in every country in the world there are national traditions and, the secrets of the production of cheese production, beloved by millions of people. There are more than a hundred varieties of Dutch cheese. The most famous and common are the following varieties:

• Hard cheese with mild flavor - Gouda.
• Peasant traditional cheese - Boerenkaas.
• The hard cheese produced in France is Leerdam.
• Cheese with holes with a sweetish flavor - Maasdam.
• Semi-hard cheese with a spicy taste - Eden.

Dutch cheese contains:

• Vitamins: A, PP, A (RE), B1, B2, B6, B9, B12, C, E (TE).
• Macronutrients: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus.
• Trace elements: iron, zinc, copper, manganese.

100g of the product contains:

• Water - 38.8.
• Proteins - 26.8.
• Fats -27.3.
• Carbohydrates - 0.
• Kcal - 361.

Dutch cheese can be eaten as a separate dish. But note that this product is an ingredient in almost all dishes. It can be said to be a versatile culinary product.

The benefits of Dutch cheese

Considering that Dutch cheese is rich in calcium, protein, phosphorus, etc., its benefits are great:

• This product satisfies hunger.
• Prevents the destruction of tooth enamel, strengthens bones and nails.
• Eating Dutch cheese is the prevention of osteoporosis.
• Improves absorption of carbohydrates, regulates sugar levels.

The harm of Dutch cheese

• The harm of Dutch cheese is its calorie content and it is not recommended to use it in large quantities.
• In the production of Dutch cheese in a production environment, additives and food spices containing phosphate are used. Therefore, cheese is bad for people with kidney disease.
• Also, cheese contains acid that irritates the stomach, so it is not recommended to use it in large quantities for patients with enteritis, gastritis and duodenal ulcer.

Diet for weight loss with Dutch cheese

Despite the fact that Dutch cheese is a very high-calorie food product, it is often included in the diet of all kinds of diets, due to the fact that it miraculously satisfies the feeling of hunger. Unloading week for weight loss:

• Monday - 1.5 kg of apples.
• Tuesday - 100g of boiled chicken or beef.
• Wednesday - 1.5 kg of fresh cucumbers or tomatoes.
• Thursday - 100g of Dutch cheese and 1 liter of still mineral water.
• Friday - 100g of boiled chicken or beef.
• Saturday - 1 liter of low-fat kefir and 2 hard boiled eggs.
• Sunday - 100g of Dutch cheese and a liter of red wine.

Such weeks can be arranged once every 2 months, if there are no contraindications for gastric diseases.

Let your diet always have Dutch cheese - a source of vitamins, microelements, macronutrients - an irreplaceable food product!

Calorie content of Dutch cheese per 100 grams when choosing a product with 50% fat 355 kcal. 100 g of cheese contains:

• 26 g protein;
• 26.4 g fat;
• 3.6 g of carbohydrates.

Dutch cheese is saturated with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B9, B12, C, PP, E, minerals zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, iron, manganese.

Calorie content of Dutch cheese 45% fat per 100 grams 344 kcal. In 100 g of dairy products:

• 25.5 g protein;
• 22.7 g fat;
• 3.7 g carbohydrates.

Dutch cheese made in compliance with the requirements of GOST has smooth, hard crusts without visible damage. This product has a pronounced cheesy taste, can be slightly spicy and slightly sour.

The color of high-quality Dutch cheese is monochromatic. Depending on the composition of the product, it can be from almost white to a pronounced yellow tint.

The benefits of Dutch cheese

The following health benefits of Dutch cheese are known:

• the product accelerates the absorption of carbohydrates, normalizes blood sugar levels;
• the high nutritional value of cheese makes it possible to use it for recuperation during heavy physical and mental stress;
• Dutch cheese is full of calcium and phosphorus, which are beneficial for the health of the skeletal system, muscle tissues, hair, nails;
• the cheese contains a lot of potassium, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the heart and blood vessels;
• the product is enriched with sodium - a mineral that maintains water balance in the body.

The harm of Dutch cheese

Despite the great benefits of Dutch cheese, one cannot but say a few words about the harm of this product:

• cheese is characterized by high fat and calorie content, therefore it is contraindicated in case of disorders in the functioning of the liver, gallbladder, overweight;

• the product should be discarded in case of stomach and intestinal ulcers;
• some people have an individual intolerance to the milk protein of Dutch cheese;
• cheese is contraindicated in kidney disease and enteritis.

We advise you to choose your Dutch cheese very carefully. A bright yellow product is likely to contain dyes. If there are cracks in the crust of the cheese, then we also recommend refusing to buy: mold often appears in such cracks.

Pay attention to any oily discharge on the surface and cut of the Dutch cheese. The presence of such stains indicates that the rules for storing the product have been violated.

Turning to history, you can find information about what the Bedouins from Africa began to make cheese. They led the life of nomads and kept milk in containers from a sheep's stomach. Exposure to heat, enzymes and cyclic movement turned milk into a substance of an unusual look, but a great taste.

News of an unusual product spread very quickly around the world, and very soon cheese appeared on the tables of many rich people in developed European countries.

There is a fairly wide variety of cheeses - about 200. Cheese of different degrees of hardness and different shelf life are distinguished.

This article will discuss the characteristics of cheese and, in particular, the health benefits of Dutch cheese.

Calorie content of Dutch cheese

Cheese is the product that is present on the table of any resident of Russia. And without its classic representatives, not a single feast or celebration can do.

The most popular variety bought daily is Dutch cheese. Its pleasant taste and relatively low price range make this cheese the record-holder in sales. In this article, we will tell you how many calories it contains, as well as the benefits and harms of eating Dutch cheese.

Semi-hard cheeses, to which this variety belongs, have almost the same calorie content. On average, it is in the under 400 calorie category per 100 grams.

According to the parameters of the BJU, the product has good indicators: 26 grams of proteins and fats. Cheese is an excellent source of protein, but you shouldn't forget about the rather high amount of fat in the product. Therefore, you should refrain from eating Dutch cheese in the evening or at night.

How to Pick a Good Cheese

Entering any store, the customer sees many packages of cheeses from different manufacturers with the same name: "Dutch cheese".

Not everyone knows what to look for when buying. Meanwhile, first of all, attention should be drawn to the color of the cheese. The color should be uniform light white or, in extreme cases, pale yellow. Bright colors indicate that dyes were added to the cheese head during production, which does not bring any health benefits to the buyer.

Advantages and disadvantages

You can endlessly list the advantages of Dutch cheese. After all, this product has a large amount of vitamins, minerals and, among other things, the calorie content of Dutch cheese will suit any person in its performance.

And the fact that it is perfectly absorbed by the body, without causing discomfort, makes it just an ideal product for daily consumption.

A distinctive feature of this cheese is that only natural and fresh milk is required for its production. This feature creates conditions under which it becomes impossible to add additional ingredients and flavor enhancers to the production process. Therefore, Dutch cheese remains an exceptionally natural and healthy product.

Cheese contains vitamins of group B, A, as well as a large amount of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and many others. Their concentration in Dutch cheese reaches such values ​​that the regular addition of several slices to your daily diet will significantly improve the condition of the body and provide it with all the necessary trace elements and substances.

In addition, this product is perfect for those who have to count calories in pursuit of a beautiful figure. After all, Dutch cheese is perfect for preparing a hearty breakfast or afternoon snack during the day, and will serve as a source of energy.

Related videos