Lakes drained because of Edam cheese!
The province of Noord Holland in the Netherlands used to have a number of inland lakes, but many of these were drained in the 17th century. Why were they drained? Because of cheese.
Full video on the impact of Edam cheese on Holland: • How Edam cheese drained lakes
Sources
Argeloo, Marc. Hoe De Edammer De Wereld Veroverde: De Geschiedenis Van Een Rond Kaasje. Hoorn, Netherlands: Uniepers, 2011.
Fleischer, Alette. "The Garden Behind the Dyke: Land Reclamation and Dutch Culture in the 17th Century." Icon 11 (2005): 16-32.
Images
Netherlands Compared to sea level (public domain)
Noord-Holland en Friesland from Brusselse Atlas by Christian Sgroten, 1573 (public domain)
Old map of the Netherlands from Atlas van Loon, 1664 (public domain)
Edam cheese (Pixabay)
