Leerdammer
| Leerdammer | |
|---|---|
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| Country of origin | Netherlands |
| Region, town | Schoonrewoerd, Leerdam |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurised | Yes |
| Texture | Semihard |
| Aging time | 3-12 months |
| Certification | Trademark name |
Leerdammer (Dutch pronunciation: [leːrˈdɑmər]) is a Dutch semihard cheese made from cow's milk. It has an aging time around 3–12 months. It has a creamy white texture and was made to be similar in appearance and flavor to Emmental, but it is rounder in taste. Its sweet and somewhat nutty flavour becomes more pronounced with age. It also has distinct holes. In a past advertisement campaign, this was made use in claiming jokingly that "the taste is around the holes".
The cheese is produced exclusively by le Groupe Bel. The Leerdammer name is a trade mark of Bel Leerdammer B.V.
Leerdammer cheese is produced in Schoonrewoerd in the municipality of Leerdam, the city which gave Leerdammer its name. Generic Leerdammer-style cheese is sold as Maasdam cheese. Groupe Bel has a second factory producing Leerdammer in Dalfsen, in the eastern province of Overijssel.
The cheese was developed by Cees Boterkooper, who had owned a small dairy in Schoonrewoerd since 1914, and Bastiaan Baars, who ran a cheese shop in a nearby village. The two met in 1970, and soon afterward decided to collaborate. They worked on a cheese that could compete with Gouda and Edam. Leerdammer was launched in 1977.
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