Take a look into the world of traditional cheese making. Taste the many different homemade cheeses. Here you will learn everything about Texel, the Texel sheep and of course cheese making. Be sure to visit the sheep museum or shop.
Address: Hoornderweg 29, Den Burg
Website: Wezenspyk
Check the latest information and opening hours on the provider's website!
Together with Jitze, I drive to Den Burg. At the cheese farm, we get to watch fenugreek cheese being made. Robert receives us and gives us a hairnet and slippers for our shoes. Everything has to be hygienic, of course.
The preliminary work has already been done by Robert, who went out early this morning to get milk. As a result, we can now start making the cheese right away. After the ingredients are added to the milk, Robert calls someone in and they get to work together. This morning, 252 small cheeses are made, with the rest being poured into blocks of 15 kilos each. These are also called hotel cheeses. All cheeses are given a unique number after which they are pressed into a mould. After pressing, each cheese is stripped of its edges by hand. This way, you are left with nice, round cheese. Jitze and I also got to try this. It looks simple, but it was more difficult than expected.
After making cheese, we get another tour of the cheese storage area. When we go out again, a tractor just happens to arrive. Robert explains to us that they separate the curd from the whey. The curd is used to make cheese and the whey is collected by tractor by a local pig farmer. This way, no raw materials are wasted during the process.
Robert continues with the second batch of cheeses while Jitze and I take a look at the rest of the farm. For example, behind the farm they have a sheep pen equipped with all kinds of information, you can see the sheep in the sheep pen and there is a shop. Would you like to take a piece of Texel cheese home with you? The shop has cheese from cows, sheep and goats. Jitze and I also picked up a piece; the Wezenparel cheese. One of the best-selling cheeses the farm has. At the cheese farm, they like to experiment with new flavours. So, in addition to Wezenparel, you can find cheeses with samphire, leeks, jalapeño and even beer!
After a visit to the cheese farm, you will definitely look differently at a piece of cheese. What a lot of work goes into that before you turn milk, into cheese! I found it very unique that we were allowed to take a look in the kitchen, but this is also possible as visitors. Indeed, two large windows have been installed through which you can watch the whole process. Jitze also enjoyed the day: "I thought it was a fun and educational experience. You get to hear a lot about the company and its surroundings. Even though I was born and raised on Texel, I had never been to cheese farm Wezenspyk. I have tasted the cheeses before, but I had never seen the process. By experiencing this, you realise that there really is a lot of labour involved and you also appreciate the cheese more."
Editors De Krim Texel
Update: January 16, 2023 8:00