Gouda, named for the Dutch town of Gouda located just outside Rotterdam, accounts for more than 60% of the cheese produced in Holland. Gouda, now produced globally, comes in a variety of sizes, both waxed and unwaxed, and varies in age from a month to two years or more. A young Gouda has a firm, pale yellow paste and a supple texture with a sweet and fruity taste. As the cheese matures, the rind thickens and the paste darkens and hardens, particularly at the edges. The flavor intensifies to give a much more complex taste. Cheeses which are aged for more than two years take on an almost butterscotch flavor. Mature Gouda (18 months plus) is coated in black wax which provides a stark contrast to the deep yellow interior. Factory-produced Gouda is soft and springy with a buttery cheese aroma and a lightly fudgy, nutty mild taste.
Semi-Hard
