After years of working on painting a cheese made in each of the 50 states, Mississippi was my final state to paint. The only artisan cheese made, as far as I could find, is a tradition of over 80 years at Mississippi State University. The Bearden Dairy Research Center's Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) milk around 200 cows, that is an award-winning Jersey herd.

In 1938 the beginning of this tradition was a rush shipment of 10 teakwood hoops from Holland that enabled them to start making the famous "cannon ball" Edam cheese.

Edam is a semi-firm cheese that traditionally is coated with red wax and originates in the Netherlands, named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland.

The MSU Edam is creamy and tasty reminding me of a rich buttery yet soft cheddar.

Country of Origin: USA, Mississippi

Price: $800