The Texel Sheep Cheese is a worthy Dutch alternative to the Italian Parmesan Cheese.
The history of the Texel Sheep cheese dates back to 1567, but around 1850 the production of cheese on the Dutch Island plummeted. Lamb meat was more lucrative than sheep cheese and after World War II, almost all cheese farms disappeared.
In the early 1980s the production of this artisanal cheese revived and the gourmet cheese is back on the shelves.
A whole Texel Sheep Cheese weighs approximately 4 to 5 kgs and matures for at least 6 months. The rind of this special cheese is frequently rubbed with vegetable oil.
In order to comply with US FDA regulation for export to the USA the maturation of this cheese has been extended to over 60 days.