The quintessential Dutch cheese is made from cows’ milk, and has a firm, soft yellow interior with a sweet, slightly nutty taste. The whole cheeses are round, and those being exported are coated with mostly a red wax. Edam cheese that originates from the Dutch port of the same name is protected by a European PDO mark. It melts well, and is used a lot in cookery. In Holland, Edam is traditionally served at the end of a meal with pale ale and of course as a sandwich, usually on brown bread.