The Netherlands is one of the world’s largest cheese exporters. Kaas (cheese) is central to Dutch culture and cuisine. The most famous varieties: Gouda (named after the city, aged from jong to oud — fresh to mature), Edam (ball-shaped, mild, red wax for export), Leerdammer (mild with holes), Beemster (from North Holland polder, DOP protected), Maasdam (Swiss-style with holes and nutty flavour), Limburger (pungent washed-rind), and Rookkaas (smoked cheese).
Cheese markets (kaasmarkten) are tourist attractions and living traditions. Alkmaar’s cheese market (operates since the 16th century, every Friday in summer) features porters in traditional white costumes carrying cheese on wooden sledges. Gouda and Edam also have markets. Vocabulary: de kaasboer (cheese merchant), het wiel (wheel of cheese), jong belegen (medium-aged, 2-4 months), belegen (aged, 4-7 months), oud (old, 7-12 months), extra belegen (extra-mature).
Cheese in daily life: hagelslag op brood (chocolate sprinkles) and kaas op brood (cheese on bread) define the Dutch boterham (bread slice). Kaasplank (cheese board) appears at parties. Uitsmijter — two fried eggs on bread with ham and cheese — is a classic Dutch lunch. The word kaaskop (cheese head) is a mild slur for a Dutch person used by Belgians and others, but Dutch people generally embrace it with pride.