More than 50 percent of the total cheese production consist of Gouda cheese. Both the name of a town and a cheese, for centuries, farmers from the surrounding towns have brought their produce to the cheese market in Gouda.

The “Waag” (weigh house) in Gouda is one of many beautiful monuments in town and dates from 1668. During the summer, cheese is weighed here every Thursday morning in an attractive ceremony drawing many tourists. Anyone interested or hungry can also take the opportunity to taste some authentic Gouda cheese.

Cheese Information
Without any spices added, this cheese has a mild, creamy taste that has not changed since the Gouda cheese was first made several centuries ago. It is made from cow's milk that is cultured and heated up until the curds separate from the whey. About 10% of the mixture is curds which are pressed into circular moulds for a couple of hours. The moulds give the cheese its traditional shape. Next, the cheese is soaked in a brine solution which gives the cheese its rind and improves the taste. After the salt soaks in, the cheese is then dried for a couple days before being coated to prevent it from drying out. The cheese then ages for at least a couple weeks before it is ready to eat.

Cheese Museum
The old weigh house of Gouda is also a cheese museum nowadays. The Dutch dairy-industry and the city of Gouda are placed in the framework of cultural history, economy, architecture, society, agriculture, trade and industry by means of visual displays and modern interactive media devices.