Boeren-Leidse met sleutels

What is Boeren-Leidse met sleutels?

Boeren-Leidse met sleutels (also known as Boeren Leidenkaas) is a traditional farm-made Leidse kaas from the west of the Netherlands. This cheese is protected by a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification. The addition of "met sleutels" (which means "with keys") stems from the city of Leiden's coat of arms, which bears a set of keys. The production of this Dutch cheese takes place in the vicinity of the Sleutelstad (Leiden is referred to as the "Sleutelstad," i.e., "the key city").

Traditional Boeren-Leidse is a cumin-infused semi-hard farm cheese with a firm and somewhat crumbly texture. This is because it is prepared from raw, semi-skimmed milk with a fat content between 30 and 40%. Boeren-Leidse met sleutels can be easily recognized by the crossed keys logo imprinted on it by the Members of the "Association of Farmers Leiden Kaasmakers." This cheese has a strong, rich flavor with an extra zing of cumin.