H and I love to travel. For me, it’s the excitement of sensory overload and the exploration of newness. It resets my way of thinking from ordinary, day-to-day contemplation to a fresh new view of the world. I daydream a lot when I travel. I soak everything up like a sponge. But for H, well, his objective is a little different. From the moment he steps off the plane, he is focused like a laser on the culinary experience. And when we travel to Amsterdam, it’s not just any food, it’s his beloved Dutch junk food.
H’s brother usually picks us up at the airport, and before H can even ask the question, D has us settled in a local establishment for gebak and coffee. They spend much of their time in spirited bantering, each one working to persuade the other that he alone knows the location of the tastiest treats. The results of their exchange mean that we will be sampling from a variety of restaurants, pastry shops, street vendors and snack machines throughout the visit – often several times a day. We eat at the three main meals, in-between meals, and (don’t forget) during the traditional morning and afternoon pastry and coffee breaks. Needless to say, we save our most elasticized garments for the flight home.
Just look at these names: bitterballen, Chocomel, Chokotoffs, friets, gebak, hagelslag, koek, kroketten, pannenkoeken, poffertjes, snoepjes, stroopwafels, and vlokjes. The imagination runs crazy-wild trying to picture these delicacies, don’t you think? Let me help you out. Get your fork and pull up a chair to the kitchen table. Grab a napkin too.
Bitterballen: Deep-fried meat paste (I know what you’re thinking – don’t ask) in the shape of a ball. Dip it in mustard before eating. (See images of kroketten below and think "round.")
Chocomel: Chocolate milk similar to, but much better than, Yoo-Hoo
H’s brother usually picks us up at the airport, and before H can even ask the question, D has us settled in a local establishment for gebak and coffee. They spend much of their time in spirited bantering, each one working to persuade the other that he alone knows the location of the tastiest treats. The results of their exchange mean that we will be sampling from a variety of restaurants, pastry shops, street vendors and snack machines throughout the visit – often several times a day. We eat at the three main meals, in-between meals, and (don’t forget) during the traditional morning and afternoon pastry and coffee breaks. Needless to say, we save our most elasticized garments for the flight home.
Just look at these names: bitterballen, Chocomel, Chokotoffs, friets, gebak, hagelslag, koek, kroketten, pannenkoeken, poffertjes, snoepjes, stroopwafels, and vlokjes. The imagination runs crazy-wild trying to picture these delicacies, don’t you think? Let me help you out. Get your fork and pull up a chair to the kitchen table. Grab a napkin too.
Bitterballen: Deep-fried meat paste (I know what you’re thinking – don’t ask) in the shape of a ball. Dip it in mustard before eating. (See images of kroketten below and think "round.")
Chocomel: Chocolate milk similar to, but much better than, Yoo-Hoo
Chokotoffs: Dark chocolate, chewy candy found in the main grocery stores and candy shops (H and my nephew M, hunting and gathering)
Friets: Thick-cut French fries served with large amounts of mayonnaise.
Gebak: Pastry
Hagelslag: Chocolate sprinkles sprinkled on bread that has a light spread of butter to hold it on.
Koek: Honey cake; a thickly sliced breakfast bread that tastes something like a spice cake. It’s often served with a thin spread of butter and topped with a slice of Dutch cheese. (sorry, no images)
Kroketten: Deep-fried meat paste in an oblong shape, similar to but larger than bitterballen. These can be eaten like bitterballen or can be smushed and spread across hearty bread with a dab of mustard.
Kroketten: Deep-fried meat paste in an oblong shape, similar to but larger than bitterballen. These can be eaten like bitterballen or can be smushed and spread across hearty bread with a dab of mustard.
Pannenkoeken: Traditional Dutch pancakes, usually much larger and thinner than American pancakes. They often have fruit cooked in them; served with powdered sugar and Dutch stroop, a dark, thick syrup that tastes a lot like sorghum syrup.
Poffertjes: Baby pancake puffs served with butter and powdered sugar. These need a special pan to cook in.
Snoepjes: Candy of all types (D picking out snoepjes; note the stroopwafels in the background on the red table)
Stroopwafels: Syrup waffle; two round, flat waffle cookies with a thick syrup/honey center. These can be placed on top of a hot cup of coffee or tea for a minute or so to soften.
Vlokjes: Chocolate flakes sprinkled on bread that has a light spread of butter to hold it on.
Yum! Am I ever hungry now. I’m pretty sure H has some Chokotoffs still packed in his suitcase – I know he’ll share.
Chocolate and butter on bread--why didn't I ever think of that?
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