Wax eloquent

The surprising thing about gouda isn't the taste - that is usually inoffensively mild - it's how it's pronounced, at least in the Netherlands, where the cheese was originally produced. It's not 'gow-dah' or 'goo-dah'; the Dutch say 'how-dah', with the 'h' being said from the back of the throat.

The cheese was named after the town in which it was traded but like so many others - such as feta (Greece), mozzarella (Italy) and brie (France) - gouda now carries several passports and is made in many places.

It is made most often from cows' milk but it can also be produced from the milk of goats and sheep. Mass-produced gouda is made from pasteurised milk, although 'artisanal' producers use raw milk. The wheels of cheese are dipped in a distinctive wax coating before being laid down to age. The wax - usually bright yellow-orange or red (although it can be black) - prevents the cheese from losing too much moisture as it ages. The varieties most commonly available are creamy-yellow in colour and have a texture that's dense but soft with a mildly sweet flavour. The longer gouda is aged, the darker, firmer and drier it gets; the flavour becomes sharper, saltier and more complex, and the price rises. Some producers make smoked gouda, or flavour the cheese with herbs and spices.

Gouda melts smoothly, making it good for cooked dishes such as fondue and macaroni cheese, both of which are best made with two or three varieties of cheese, for complexity of flavour.