Cheesemate

General information

As a land of windmills green meadows and grazing cattle, Holland's national heritage has been associated with milk, butter and cheese for centuries. However, it might be hard to fathom that this small European country is actually the world's largest exporter of dairy products. Sending the majority of their cheeses to Western Europe, America, and Japan, the dairy industry is the basis for Holland's prosperity.
For the Dutch, cheese making remains an art that is entrenched in their culture. To this day, traditional cheese markets are still held in the towns of Alkmaar, Gouda, Edam and Woerden. And throughout the Netherlands, visitors can explore sixteenth and seventeenth century weigh houses and cheese museums.