"Gargoyles & Graffiti"chronicles architectural elements that I find interesting or unique in my travels. Gargoyles are my passion, but today graffiti (which I hate but am learning to love as it is everywhere) is as much a part of architecture as the gargoyles and decorative railings that thrill me.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Windmills and Edam Cheese in Volendam

Volendam
Our last stop on our Rhine river cruise was Amsterdam. There was an optional tour that we took to the coastal town of Volendam. The town is small, on the ocean and full of charm. We had a nice, relaxing afternoon there. On the way, we stopped at a windmill.


Near Volendam



More information on Volendam can be found here. My niece, Sarah, and I spent a delightful afternoon enjoying pastries, walking around the tourist shops and visiting the ducks by the beach. 


Volendam beach area


We also saw a demonstration of how wooden shoes are made and of course, my favorite ... the Edam cheese. Right now, I have a "queso de bola" in my refrigerator ... a large Edam cheese, which is a Yucetecan tradition. My husband did the honors of opening the cheese in the traditional way. He is from Merida and edam and gouda cheese is very important to us here.

"Queso de Bola" at my house

What I didn't realize when I bought the cheese, it is not just the cheese that makes it "queso de bola," but a distinctive Yucatecan dish that you make with the hard part of the cheese. It acts as the bowl and you fill it with meat, some of the gouda cheese and other delicacies. 
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5 comments:

  1. HeatherDecember 22, 2011 at 7:53 AM

    I have been to Volendam before. Really lovely town. Love the cheese!

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  2. Luh MaderaDecember 23, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    Thanks, Heather. Merry Christmas. Look forward to seeing you soon!

    ReplyDelete
  3. RobDecember 24, 2011 at 7:22 AM

    That cheese looks delicious. I had no idea it was a big hit where you live. Funny.

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  4. Luh MaderaDecember 24, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Yes, Rob. A very popular cheese here. Adopted by the Yucatecos.

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  5. Luh MaderaDecember 28, 2011 at 11:05 PM

    What I didn't know until last night when my husband got back to town is that he didn't want just the ball of cheese, but a dish called "queso de bola" ... you scoop out the cheese using a spoon and then put in ingredients (he wasn't clear what??) and then some kind of sauce. He thought I was going to make one of his favorites. I had already cut up the cheese and put it in plastic containers. Sorry, honey.

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