Gouda & Edam Protected!

Gouda has been my favorite cheese ever since my first taste (that I remember) in Junior High School. I was doing one of my projects on how my Dutch grandfather immigrated here. I named the project Holland to America. I collected many Dutch things to include in the project - even some Gouda cheese! Even the cheese has made it from Holland to America! It is usually found at stores with a high price tag. Although, in my previous post, A Very Filling Dinner..., I mentioned that Costco carries Gouda for a very good price. Some of the Gouda's they carry are imported from Holland and others are made in New York. Out of curiosity, I always look at the package to see if it is made in Holland (though this doesn't always dictate whether I buy it or not). While many of the imitation Gouda's are very tasty, they are not made of Dutch cow's milk. Dutch cheese farmers have been fighting for a seal of authenticity to protect unsuspecting consumers from buying those imitation cheeses by mistake. Gouda and Edam cheeses will now have that seal and protected name.

Cheeses in Holland are traditionally named after the "mother-cities" where they are made from the cows that live there. However, until now, there has always been a chance of buying an "imitation Gouda" because there is no secret ingredient or recipe to make it. The Gouda's process has been followed in the US, Germany, and Poland to make imitation Gouda. Radio Netherlands Worldwide reports "the European Commission has awarded both of the cheesemaking cities [of Edam and Gouda] a Protected Geographical Indication." This special seal will ensure the cheese you have bought was made in the Dutch city of Gouda. "Dutch cheese farmers are happy with the European seal. Their age-old tradition has now finally been acknowledged in a victory over prefab supermarket cheese" RNW news desk.

Here is the Pick of the Day from RNW - Gouda and Edam cheeses protected