A Taste of the Netherlands: The Henri Willig Cheese Farm Excursion on an Avalon River Cruise
- Lindsey Markwood
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
When you think of the Netherlands, what comes to mind? For most travelers, the Netherlands is all about the windmills, tulips, and food including cheese, stroopwafels, and chocolate.
During my recent stay onboard the beautiful Avalon View, I had the opportunity to experience the "Windmills, Canals & Cheese" shore excursion from Amsterdam. A highlight of this trip was visiting the Henri Willig cheese farm. It was really fun and an river cruise excursion I would recommend.
Henri Willig is a family-run business that started in 1974. Today, they craft about 15,000 cheeses a day featuring 30 different flavors. During our tasting, the Chili Gouda became my favorite. Pro tip: it pairs perfectly with their honey mustard! Cheese in the Netherlands can be made from cow's, goat's, or sheep’s milk.
How Authentic Dutch Cheese is Made
If you are curious about the process, here is how they turn fresh milk into the famous wheels of cheese we love:
Heating and Mixing: Cow's milk is heated to 29°C (84°F). They add a culture to start the process and a rennet to thicken the milk. Interesting fact: Back in the day, they used rennet from a cow's stomach. They no longer do this though and now it is plant based.
Separation: After 30 minutes, the milk becomes a pudding like substance. It is cut with special knives for another 30 minutes to separate the thickened curd from the liquid whey. If you didn't know whey is used in cosmetics, protein shakes, and is often fed to other animals.
Pressing and Brining: The curd is pressed for 2–3 hours to squeeze out the remaining moisture. Then, the cheese soaks in a 20% salt bath, which adds flavor and acts as a natural preservative.
Drying and Waxing: After 24 hours, the cheese is dried on shelves and coated in a special wax to preserve it for your refrigerator or pantry.
They Say Happy Cows Make Great Cheese During my late winter visit, the cows were still staying cozy inside the barn. Once late March/early April arrives they cows are let out into the pasture. The Dutch call it koeiendans which is a huge joyous celebration where the cows literally dance as they are released into the outdoor pastures for the season! It is a big deal for many farms.
The farm is highly modernized to ensure the cows' comfort. The cows actually decide for themselves when they want milked by automated machines. I watched a few different cows get milked. It was wild. They simply step into a stall where a machine scans their tag which identifies the cow. Their udders are cleaned and the pump is attached one at a time. You can see the milk going through the tubes. Once the machine is done pumping they are cleaned again.
The barn also has a brush and it is really cute watching them scratch themselves with it. There is another machine that deals with cleaning up the cow poop that has dropped on the barn.
Where to Purchase Henri Willig Cheese
While purchasing directly at the farm is an option, you can also find Henri Willig stores throughout Amsterdam and at the airport. They make it easy for tourist. They even have cheese warehouses in the US so you can order online. Travel Note: If you buy cheese to bring back to the States, make sure it is vacuum sealed and has the proper documentation to get through US Customs.
Ready to Taste the Netherlands for Yourself? As a Marietta-based travel advisor, I help travelers in the East Cobb area and beyond plan seamless, unforgettable European river cruises. You shouldn't have to stress over which excursions are worth your time, which river to go on, or even which river cruise line is the best for you and your travel party. Looking forward to connecting soon.
