The Dutch Cheese Trade That Built Amsterdam

In this episode of The Story of the Netherlands, Lucas and Luna explore how Dutch cheese — particularly Gouda and Edam — became a global commodity and a cornerstone of the Dutch economy during the Golden Age. They trace the rise of cheese markets in Alkmaar and Gouda, the role of the kaasdragers (cheese porters) in their distinctive guilds, and how the VOC and WIC shipped wheels of cheese to feed sailors and trade in Asia and the Americas. The conversation also covers the invention of the kaaspers (cheese press), the standardization of cheese weights, and the surprising connection between cheese and the Amsterdam Wisselbank. A delicious slice of economic history that sticks. #Netherlands #DutchHistory #GoldenAge #CheeseTrade #GoudaCheese #EdamCheese #Kaasmarkt #Alkmaar #VOC #WIC #Kaasdragers #Amsterdam #Wisselbank #FoodHistory #TradeHistory #17thCentury #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo