The term EDAM ALTERNATIVE refers to two types of cheese, Tilsit (6 letters) and GOUDA (5 letters). Tilsit is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese that originated in East Prussia, now part of Russia. It has a mild flavor and is often used as a table cheese. GOUDA is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese that originated in the Netherlands. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is often used for grating or melting. Both cheeses are popular alternatives to Edam, a semi-hard cow's milk cheese from the Netherlands.