De Kaaskamer (cheese shop), Amsterdam

These days, when most folks are buying their cheeses from supermarkets, quite a few of them, especially in cities like Amsterdam, are sold at street markets, farmers' markets, and fancy specialty stores. One such store is found in the Nine Little Streets ("De Negen Straatjes") area and goes by the name De Kaaskamer. This shop carries a fantastic range of real-deal, high-quality cheeses sourced from all over the globe, making it an ideal destination to savor both imported and locally-produced delicacies.

Unlike the array of cheesy tourist-traps that have sprouted up up all over Amsterdam lately, which the locals avoid like the plague — you know, the ones that locals dodge like the plague because they're selling overpriced cheese in souvenir packages – De Kaaskamer is authentic and even artisan in nature, serving the locals and visitors alike. Understandably, this place is busy, but the friendly staff is super helpul and efficient, and don't skimp on the free samples, either.

If you're scratching your head about what cheese to get, don't sweat it – just hit up the staff for their recommendations. Otherwise, give their Gouda a whirl. Truffled Gouda is like heaven in cheese form, and the aged Gouda with cumin seeds, paired with a fig and nut loaf, is straight-up out of this world!