Alkmaar Cheese Market

One Friday we went for a tour of the Alkmaar Cheese Market and witnessed a weekly ritual which has been carried out since 1593. The Alkmaar cheese carriers’ guild is responsible for moving and weighing cheese during the cheese market on Fridays.

Every Friday between April and September, Waagplein Square in Alkmaar is prepared before the cheese carriers’ guild goes into action. The market inspector supervises the removal of the cheese from the trucks.

When the bell is rung at ten o'clock, the barrows are loaded and the cheese carriers carry them to the balance to weigh the cheese. Sworn weighing masters supervise the weighing and complete the weight slips. Meanwhile, on the square, traders and inspectors determine the quality of the cheese on offer. Haggling about the price takes place using the handjeklap system, literally clapping hands with other merchants.

As it was very busy with hundreds of tourists cramming the edge of the square, it was difficult to actually see the ceremony in action. Ariana and I could only catch glimpses of men in white uniforms and huge golden circles of cheese. Gordon, being so tall, was able see over the heads of most people and took the above pictures.

                                             
                                                     Ariana poses on a bridge in Alkmaar.

We decided to leave the main crowded area, and peruse the market and streets off the square. Ariana was thrilled to buy a stained glass window for her Mom at this stall.

Our bus then headed for a nearby village where we went on a tour of a cheese factory where cheese is still made in the old fashioned way. We were quite hungry as we watched the cheese making demonstration by a woman in a traditional Dutch costume.

The walls gleamed with row after row of golden moons of cheese.

We then sampled cubes of the most delicious Gouda cheese I have ever eaten. Ariana, cautious at first, was smitten the moment the creamy, scrumtious cheese entered her mouth. 'It's so good!", she declared. After several more samples, we bought three rounds of the Gouda cheese; regular (red wrapper), garlic (yellow wrapper) and herb (green wrapper). Ariana chose the garlic for herself to bring home to Canada.

We devoured the regular Gouda over the next week, slicing off snippets almost every day. It became Ariana's favourite snack and I think she could have eaten the entire round by herself!