Duch Delights – Tastes of The Netherland
Most people go to the Netherlands to see the Keukenhof tulip festival in May or to take photos with the thousands of windmills and rightfully so. Those are all great things that I would like to see, maybe next time. I can never go anywhere without trying the food and learning a thing or two about their history. That is the basis for any trip we plan. Before going to the Netherlands, I had a long list of places I wanted to see and things I wanted to try.
Skippig A Head…
For the food items, I really wanted to taste Bitterballen and Oliebollen, but it was rather inconvenient to find for some reason. Anyway, that did not stop me from trying other items. One of the popular recommendations of traditional Dutch food was Raw Herring. As much as I would like to say I was brave enough to try it, I couldn’t even entertain the idea. So, I went for the next best thing… desserts and salty finger foods.
First Stop: The Stroopwafel
If you are anything like me then you have a never-ending love for sweet things. My first Stroopwafel was a suggestion from a friend, and I strongly recommend it if you have a sweet tooth. It is best when served fresh, but the packaged ones are still amazing, especially when you heat it up.
A stroopwafel consists of two vanilla-cinnamon wafers filled with caramel goodness. When I first ate it, it reminded me of fresh chocolate chip cookies, but 10x sweeter. If you decide to try this, ensure you have water with you to wash it down. If you decide to try this, please do not eat it in a gown or any outfit that is important to you.
Stroopwafels are also available in individual prepackages and preserve well. So, it’s a great non-clutter souvenir to bring home to friends and family. The fresh ones offer a very different taste, but if they want to try it, they will go to the Netherlands. If you’re miles away from the Netherlands and want a tasty Dutch dessert order yours online or try making your own! with this stroopwafel recipe.
Fries with Mayo
When I arrived in the Netherlands, I was rather surprised about the amount of fries shops around as I was under the impression that French fries were an American specialty… oh boy was I wrong. In North America, the fries are normally thin, tossed in salt or something with other seasoning and served with Ketchup. It’s good, greasy and gets the job done.
However, Dutch fries follow the Belgium idea of thick-cut fries served in a paper cone served with mayonnaise. The fries are nothing special, but they are extremely popular in tourist destinations.
Personally, the mayonnaise is a 100% pass for me unless it is in some form of sandwich. I do not regret trying it, but I would pass on this if you offered it to me today.
Poffertjes
What are Poffertjes anyway?!
If you like pancakes, you’ll love Poffertjes. They are small, fluffy, cute, and tasty. Poffertjes are just mini Dutch pancakes. They can be eaten with butter, jam, Nutella, and many other lovely toppings to satisfy a sweet tooth.
They can also be eaten with gouda cheese for a savoury choice. If you want to try this yourself, the only downside is that you will need a special pan. If you are up for it, I recommend you give it a try.
Shakshuka
This is the only healthy food item on my list, but it is one worth trying. Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern/ North African dish made with tomatoes, poached eggs, spices, and seasonings.
It is largely known as a breakfast dish (at least in my head) but it can be eaten any time of the day because it is very hearty. It is best served warm and eaten with naan. It is a lovely food to eat together with family. If you try anything on this list, I recommend you try this one. And it can be made from items you probably already have in your kitchen. Here is a great Shakshuka recipe.
The Attractions
Now that we have the important part out of the way here are some great attractions to visit.
Heineken Experience
I am a museum professional by trade, but this was an experience I would do over and over and over again. They call it an experience for a reason. You get to explore their old but refurbished brewery. It is filled with videos, interactive games, and tour guides, and it ends with a beer tasting! It is worth the wait.
Rijksmuseum
Calling all the art girlies!!! A lot of my European trips were back-to-back so by this point I got tired of seeing the THOUSANDS of crucifixion reproductions. In case you did not know, most art in Europe was and still is inspired by Christianity or Catholicism. It is beautiful but the art world is so much more than that. That is the thing about Europe that disappointed me the most.
A’DAM Lookout
A’DAM Lookout is a great full-service experience for the whole family. The whole setup reminds me of the CN Tower. They both have spinning restaurants, family fun activities, and most importantly, great views.
The experiences at A’DAM are all packaged with a view of a UNESCO World Heritage site and the opportunity to LITERALLY swing off the building for two whole minutes. Their “Over the Edge” swing is over 20 stories high making it the highest swing in Europe. It is great for the reserved thrill seeker.
*This post was originally published on March 6. 2019.