Boerenkaas () is a

Dutch cheese This is a list of cheeses from, or connected with, the Netherlands. Dutch cheeses * Beemster – a hard cow's milk cheese, traditionally from cows grazed on sea-clay soil in polders. * Boerenkaas – "farmhouse cheese", prepared using raw unpa ...

, most of which is handmade from raw milk. The milk may be from cows, goats, sheep or buffalo; at least half of it must be from the farm where the cheese is made. The cheese may also contain cumin or other seeds, herbs, and spices. The name has been protected as a

Traditional Speciality Guaranteed A traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG, plural: ''traditional specialities guaranteed'') is a traditional food product protected under European Union and/or UK law. This label differs from the geographical indications, protected designation of o ...

by the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

since 2007.

Regulations

The name 'Boerenkaas' has been protected as a

by the

since 2007. Any cheese produced within the European Union according to the regulations laid down by the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...

may be sold as Boerenkaas; cheese carrying the mark 'KB' is certified to be of Dutch origin. The principal varieties are: Goudse Boerenkaas, from the area of

Gouda Gouda may refer to: * Gouda, South Holland, a city in the Netherlands ** Gouda (pottery), style of pottery manufactured in Gouda ** Gouda cheese, type of cheese originally made in and around Gouda ** Gouda railway station * Gouda, Western Cape, a s ...

; Edammer Boerenkaas, from that of Edam; and Leidse Boerenkaas, from that of

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...

. Other variants include from

goat's milk Goat milk is the milk of domestic goats. Goats produce about 2% of the world's total annual milk supply. Some goats are bred specifically for milk. Goat milk naturally has small, well-emulsified fat globules, which means the cream will stay in ...

, from

sheep's milk Sheep's milk (or ewes' milk) is the milk of domestic sheep. It is commonly used to make cultured dairy products such as cheese. Some of the most popular sheep cheeses include feta (Greece), ricotta (Italy), and Roquefort (France). Sheep breeds S ...

and from buffalo's milk.

Production

After the fresh unpasteurised milk has been heated to ,

rennet Rennet () is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. Chymosin, its key component, is a protease enzyme that curdles the casein in milk. In addition to chymosin, rennet contains other enzymes, such as pepsin and a ...

is added. After about half an hour, the curd is cut into fine grains (as large as a pea), removing part of the

whey Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of hard ...

. Hot water is then added (twice for cow's milk, with the curd first heated to 33 degrees and a quarter of an hour later to 36 degrees), and goat's milk, usually heated to 36 degrees at once. After half an hour of very slow stirring, the curd is poured into the moulds and, after a quarter of an hour of rest, the veins are well pressed. The cheese is left to rest and turned over to drain off any excess liquid. The fresh cheese is then removed from the mould, turned upside down and marked with a mark, pressed and turned over several times. After pressing, the cheese is sprinkled with salt and immersed in brine for between 1 and 6 days, depending on the weight of the cheese. Finally, the cheeses are left to mature in the curing room, where they are turned over several times until they reach the desired degree of ripeness.

References

{{Dutch cheeses Dutch cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses Traditional Speciality Guaranteed products from the Netherlands