“Het Groene Hart” (the Green Heart) is the nickname for the region between Leiden, The Hague and Utrecht in Holland, an area with a rich cheese tradition. One of the classic cheeses produced here is “Stolwijker”, a cheese that has always been just a tad more spicy and seasoned than cheeses from the neighbouring villages. Its traditional 20 kilo size makes it specifically suitable for ripening: large cheeses retain their smoothness longer than smaller cheeses. Producer: Adrie van Eijk from Vlist, Krimpenerwaard, Gouda region. The farm is located on the small Vlist river and has been producing cheese in wooden cheese boxes since 1964. The piebald cows graze on peat meadows from April through to mid November. The cheese reaches full flavour after a 12 to 15 month ripening process.