Gouda is a Dutch semi-hard, washed-curd cow's-milk cheese, traditionally sold in round, wax-coated wheels and named for the market town of Gouda where farmers once brought it to trade. Young Gouda is pale, smooth, supple and mild, melting cleanly and tasting gently sweet and buttery; aged for a year or more it dries to a deep amber, hardens, and develops a rich, nutty, butterscotch-caramel sweetness shot through with crunchy crystals. It is one of the most-eaten cheeses on Earth.