Also known as Friesian, Dutch Kanterkaas is a hard, cylindrical cheese that can be additionally flavored with cloves; in which case it's called Kanternagelkaas, or with cumin in which case it's called Kanterkomijnekaas.
The Dutch word kanter, meaning 'edge', gives the cheese its name, because there is a sharp corner at the bottom of the cheese, and it is rounded off at the top. The rinds of these cheeses differ from one another, so Kanterkaas and Kanternagelkaas have a transparent or yellow rind, while Kanterkomijnekaas may be either transparent, yellow, or red.
It's made in two fat categories, 20+ and 40+, with minimum 20-25 and 40-44 percent fat content, respectively. The flavor of the cheeses changes a lot with aging. Kanterkaas tastes spicy to tangy, Kanterkomijnekaas tastes spicy, fragrant, mild to strong, and Kanternagelkaas varies in flavor from spicy, warm and spicy to tangy.
As it ages, its texture becomes more suitable for grating, and the cloves and cumin are spread evenly throughout the cheese. Its orange color comes from added annatto (a natural dye), providing a great contrast to the dark cloves. Since it has a hot, spicy and aromatic taste, it should be used sparingly, and goes great with salads, hot dishes, and beer.
