Gouda

Gouda cheese (Goudse kaas, "cheese from Gouda) is a sweet, creamy, yellow cow's milk cheese originating from the Netherlands. It is one of the most popular cheeses worldwide. The name is used today as a general term for numerous similar cheeses produced in the traditional Dutch manner.

The first mention of Gouda cheese dates from 1284, making it one of the oldest recorded cheeses in the world still made today, reaching full maturity during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century. Cheesemaking traditionally was a woman's task in Dutch culture, with farmers' wives passing their cheesemaking skills on to their daughters. During the summer months in the city of Gouda, South Holland, there is a cheese market in traditional style once a week primarily as a tourist attraction. Most Dutch Gouda is now produced industrially. However, some 300 Dutch farmers still produce boerenkaas (“farmer's cheese”) which is a protected form of Gouda made in the traditional manner, using unpasteurised milk.

The cheese is named after the master of Gouda, not because it was produced in or around that city, but because it was traded there. In the Middle Ages, Dutch cities could obtain certain feudal rights which gave them primacy or a total monopoly on certain goods. Within the County of Holland, Gouda acquired market rights on cheese, the sole right to have a market in which the county's farmers could sell their cheese. All the cheeses would be taken to the market square in Gouda to be sold. Teams consisting of the guild of cheese-porters, identified by distinct differently coloured straw hats, carried the farmers' cheeses, which typically weighed about 16 kg (35 lb), in barrows. Buyers then sampled the cheeses and negotiated a price using a ritual bargaining system called handjeklap in which buyers and sellers clap each other's hands and shout out prices. Once a price was agreed upon, the porters would carry the cheese to the weighing house and complete the sale.

Various sources suggest that the term Gouda refers more to a general style of cheesemaking rather than to a specific kind of cheese, pointing to its taste, which varies with age. Young (and factory-produced) Gouda has been described as having a flavour that is "lightly fudgy with nuts, but very, very, very mild", while the same source describes a more mature farmhouse Gouda as having a "lovely fruity tang" with a "sweet finish", that may take on "an almost butterscotch flavour" if aged over two years.

After cultured milk is curdled, 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 lactose, resulting in a reduction of lactic acid produced. About 10% of the mixture is curds, which are pressed into circular moulds for several hours. These moulds are the essential reason behind its traditional, characteristic shape. The cheese is then soaked in a brine solution, which gives the cheese and its rind a distinctive taste.

The cheese is dried for a few days before being coated with a yellow wax or plastic-like coating to prevent it from drying out, then it is aged, during which process the cheese changes from semi-hard to hard. Dutch cheese makers generally use six gradations, or categories, to classify the cheese:

• Young cheese (4 weeks)
• Young matured (8–10 weeks)
• Matured (16–18 weeks)
• Extra matured (7–9 months)
• Old cheese (10–12 months)
• Very old cheese (12 months to 20 months)

As it ages, it develops a caramel sweetness and has a slight crunchiness from cheese crystals, especially in older cheeses. In the Netherlands, cubes of Gouda are often eaten as a snack served with Dutch mustard. Older varieties are sometimes topped with sugar or apple butter. Cubes of Gouda are commonly served as a snack along with beer in traditional Dutch Brown Bars.

In most cases, the moisture content of gouda cheese falls somewhere in the range of 40-50%. The amount of moisture that is present in Gouda cheese plays an important part in determining its texture. Cheeses that include higher moisture levels have a tendency to be softer and more creamy, whilst cheeses that have a lower moisture content have a tendency to be stiffer and may develop a crystalline structure as they age. Gouda cheese has a high moisture content.

Gouda cheese has a variable fat content, typically ranging from 20-40%. The fat content contributes to the cheese's texture and allows for the transportation and release of flavour-enhancing chemicals, increasing the cheese's overall flavour profile. The fat level also affects the cheese's melting properties.

Certain aroma-active chemicals that are found in Gouda cheese are responsible for the cheese's distinctive flavour character, which can be traced back to those components. Six components are believed to be distinctive of all Gouda cheeses. They are diacetyl, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, methional, ethyl butyrate, acetic acid and casein (the primary protein found in cows' milk). It is the predominant type of protein found in gouda cheese, which contributes to the cheese's high protein content. During the manufacturing process, casein coagulates to create the curds, which contributes to the cheese's stiffness and overall structure.

Gouda is recognised for its diverse flavour profile. Gouda cheese can exhibit a wide range of flavour qualities, from mild and creamy to harsh and acidic, depending on its age. The flavours develop as Gouda cheeses reach the medium stage of maturation, showing extra whey, sour aromatics and a somewhat cooked or milky essence, increasing the cheese's complexity. Matured Gouda has a rich, caramel-like flavour, which is developed after prolonged ripening, along with brothy and malty or nutty undertones. Depending on how long the cheese has been aged, the finish can range from silky to sharp.

Gouda has a solid and springy texture. The cheese gets crystalline as it ages. Young Gouda cheese often has a smooth, creamy texture and a pale ivory to light yellow colour. The cheese's look changes into a richer golden hue as it becomes older and its texture becomes more crumbly and firm. Small crystalline crystals within aged Gouda cheese may also be visible.

The term "Gouda" is not restricted to cheese of Dutch origin. However, “Boerenkaas”, “Noord-Hollandse Gouda” and “Gouda Holland” are protected geographical indications in the European Union. These cheeses can be made only in the Netherlands (although not only in the Dutch provinces of North and South Holland, in which Gouda is situated) and can use only milk produced by Dutch cows.