Time’s up!

If I had known you guys were so eager to try a few Dutch gadgets, I would have made this a giveaway quite some time ago. Good to know, I’ll try to find more specifically Dutch (an cute) items for giveaways.

The good news; it wasn’t Kryptonite they tried to pass off as green cheese! It was, in fact, Basil cheese. Tried it and lived to tell! The bad news is; it wasn’t all too tasty. Not to my palate, that is. I’m almost embarrassed to tell you that this isn’t the only cheese store we have. We have cheese stores like this—most of them a lot bigger—on practically every corner of the street. We’re cheese junkies, what can I say!

The number that came up in the true random number generator is 254.

Which would be Debby! Congrats!

E-mail me at kay@kayotic.nl, so I can mail you the cheese grater planer (sorry, just had to say it one more time).

In two of my previous postings (Indonesian Chicken Salad & Kay’s Potato Salad) I’ve mentioned turning the cheese grater planer (I know that’s not what they’re called, I just like the phrase:) into a give away. My very first give away. Let me wipe away a tear, it’s too emotional!

I was surprised to find the broad range of cheese planers we have here—and specifically one of these graters—are so hard to come by abroad!

So I went downtown….

Downtown Gouda is fun. Lots of things to see. From gorgeous ancient buildings to worn-down yet very photogenic walls with bikes parked up against it. You’ll see lots and lots of bikes around here.

But I wasn’t sight-seeing, I was on my way to the market to buy cheese, vegetables and other stuff. The market is—and how could it not be—on our market square. The vendors put up their stands around our beautiful old town-hall on Thursday morning and on Saturday. It was overcast when I went down there.

The town-hall looks more impressive from the front. And when the weather is slightly better—as it was when I took this shot about 2 weeks ago. There was a wedding ceremony going on, hence the big Bentley. Did you know the Japanese built an immaculate replica of our town-hall for one of their theme parks in Nagasaki?

On my way home I went to the cutest little cheese store. They sell the most amazing (and bizarre) types of cheese there. They also have a mini tapas-bar filled with olives and other yummy goodies. Most cheese stores in Gouda also sell tapas on the side and some even have a special chocolate section. Don’t ask me why.

I can see why tourists are drawn to it.

There it is. My cheese grater planer! The one I can’t live without. My life is empty and meaningless without it! Okay, so maybe not entirely empty and meaningless, but it sure makes some kitchen tasks easier for me! They didn’t really have photographic friendly light in there. Ouch. Photos are bad, but you’ll forgive me, right?

Handed the girl behind the counter the cheese grater planer (I love saying that) and asked her to gift-wrap it.

While I was waiting for my package, my attention was drawn to a small plate of cheese cubes on the counter. Cheese! Fully ready to be devoured by little ole me. How could I resist? That’s right. I couldn’t.

Bad Kay. Bad bad Kay.

Right before grabbing my umth piece of cheese, the girl came back and handed me the package. Bummer. Now is that Dutch gift wrapping or what? Gotta love the tacky Delfts Blauw.

On my way out I couldn’t help but notice the green cheese. It stopped me dead in my tracks. The stuff was so bright green it looked like Superman’s Kryptonite! I have no idea what it was, but I kindly passed on trying a sample. Nothing good can come from green food that was not meant to be green.

 I’m a wuss and I’m proud of it, too! :)

Just leave a comment. On Saturday morning I’ll take a swing at the True Random Number Generator (random.org) and will post the results here.