The Netherlands is not known for its cuisine,
but you should try at least some of the traditional Dutch food items in the
list below when you are visiting Amsterdam & The Netherlands.
Dutch
food - Hollandse nieuweHaring or ‘Hollandse Nieuwe’ (Dutch new herring) is
probably the most famous Dutch food. If you like fish you should at least try
it once. The raw herring is served together with chopped raw onions and
gherkins. Also the way of eating is a real Dutch tradition. In the Netherlands
new herring is eaten by lifting up the herring by its tail into the air and
then take a bite upwards. Of course you can also enjoy this Dutch delight by
eating it in little pieces or on a sandwich called ‘broodje haring’.
Herring
can only be called ‘Hollandse Nieuwe’ if the fish is caught between May and
July. Also the preparation is quite special and must be done according to the
Dutch tradition. The herring is cleaned, the head is removed and it is conserved
in a special way (with salt). You can buy herring all around Amsterdam in shops
and at street stands.
Stroopwafel
Dutch
food - StroopwafelPopular throughout the world, the ‘stroopwafel’ is
undoubtedly the most famous and popular pastry from The Netherlands. A
‘stroopwafel’ is a unique kind of cookie. It is a waffle made from baked batter
and sliced horizontally. The two thin layers of the waffle are filled with
special sweet and sticky syrup (the ‘stroop’) in between. The stiff batter for
the waffles is made from butter, flour, yeast, milk, brown sugar and eggs.
The
‘stroopwafel’ originates from Gouda, a place south of Amsterdam. It was first
made during the late 18th or early 19th century by a baker using leftovers from
the bakery, such as breadcrumbs and sweetened it with syrup.
You
can buy ‘stroopwafels’ in every supermarket. But for the best ‘stroopwafels’ in
Amsterdam you should definitely go to ‘Landskroon’ Bakery (Address: Singel 385)
or to the Albert Cuyp Market.
Kroket
Dutch
food - kroketThe Netherlands is not known for its fabulous cuisine. But
regarding to snacks, nobody can beat the Dutch! The ‘kroket’ is a deep fried
roll with meat ragout inside, covered in breadcrumbs. The common English
translation of’ kroket’ is croquette. The original Dutch ‘kroket’ is made from
beef or veal, but there are many different flavors like chicken satay, shrimps,
goulash or even a vegetarian ‘kroket’. You can eat a ‘kroket’ as a snack, but
most of the time they are served on sliced white bread or hamburger buns with
mustard on the side. Be aware; the ‘kroket’ can be quite hot inside.
You
can buy your ‘kroket’ almost everywhere in Amsterdam; regular snack bars,
cafés, restaurants or ‘McDonald’s’ (McKroket). You can even get on the streets
from one of the typical Dutch vending machines filled with hamburgers and
snacks. The ‘Febo’ is such a walk-in snack bar located on different spots all
over the city and famous for its ‘kroketten’. Three premium brands are ‘Van
Dobben’, ‘Holtkamp’ and ‘Kwekkeboom’.
Patat
Dutch
food - PatatThe Dutch version of French Fries has many different words:
‘Friet’, ‘Frites’, ‘Patat’ or ‘Vlaamse frieten’. They are thicker than the
normal French Fries and invented in the northern part of Belgium. The Dutch
really like them especially with a lot of toppings such as mayonnaise, tomato
ketchup, curry or peanut sauce. A famous combination of toppings is mayonnaise,
raw chopped onions and peanut sauce and is called a ‘patatje oorlog’ (‘fries at
war’). It is tasty, but it does not look that way.
‘Patat’
is typically served in a paper cone or box. Here you can find the best fries in
Amsterdam:
Vlaams
Friteshuis Vlemminckx, Voetboogstraat 33 (near Spui and Kalverstraat)
Manneken
Pis, Damrak 41 (between Dam Square and central station)
Poffertjes
Dutch
food - poffertjesA traditional Dutch batter treat is ‘poffertjes’. They look
like baby pancakes but much fluffier. They are made with yeast and buckwheat
flour and typically served with a lump of butter and powdered sugar. Fresh
‘poffertjes’ are often made at an outdoor stand during winter. They are served
on a small cardboard plate and come with a small fork. While butter and
powdered sugar are the most common toppings; whipped cream, syrup and
strawberries are also pretty common.
Bitterballen
Dutch
food - bitterballen‘Bitterballen’ are the Dutch favorite snack and can be
ordered in almost every café and bar, because of its real tasty combination
with beer. These savory meat-based balls are deeply fried and traditionally
served with mustard. The ‘bitterbal’ has a crunchy breadcrumb coating with soft
filling on the inside. Be careful when trying one, because the filling can be
very hot. Inside the ‘bitterbal’ you will find a mixture of beef, beef broth,
butter, flour for thickening and spices (resulting in a thick ragout).
‘Bitterballen’ are very alike ‘kroketten’ in their ingredients, preparation as
well as flavor.
Drop
Dutch
food - dropThe Dutch love licorice or as we called it ‘drop’. With more than 2
kilograms per year per person the Dutch consumption of licorice is the highest
in the world. You will come across it everywhere; the supermarket, the
pharmacy, at the market and gas stations. ‘Drop’ comes in different flavors and
sizes, but basically there are two major differences: salty licorice and sweet
licorice.
Kaas
Dutch
food - KaasIn our list of famous Dutch food we have to mention cheese. The
Dutch have been making cheese since 800 B.C. Furthermore the Netherlands is the
largest cheese exporter in the world. With an average of 21 kilograms per year
per person, we can say the Dutch love their own cheese. The Dutch eat cheese
for breakfast, on sandwiches for lunch or as a snack (cut in cubes) served with
mustard at the end of the day. It tastes lovely with a glass of wine or beer.
The
majority of Dutch cheeses are semi-hard or hard cheeses. ‘Gouda’ and ‘Edam’ are
the most popular cheeses from the Netherlands. But there are many other types
of Dutch cheese. When you visit Amsterdam you should try ‘Old Amsterdam’ cheese
or go to the Reypenaer’s Tasting Room.
There
are still five traditional cheese markets in the Netherlands: Alkmaar, Edam,
Hoorn, Gouda and Woerden. In these cities one can see how merchants do business
at a cheese market as they have done for more than 600 years. Best known
markets are in Gouda, Edam and Alkmaar.
Hagelslag
Dutch
food - hagelslag‘Hagelslag’ is a (sandwich) filling of sprinkles, although you
can sprinkle it on many other types of food as well (desserts mainly). The
Dutch love them, young and old, on their sandwiches for breakfast or lunch.
‘Chocolade hagelslag’ (chocolat sprinkles) are the most popular ones. Other
varieties are anise (licorice) seed ‘hagelslag’ or fruit flavored ‘hagelslag’.
Oliebollen
Dutch
food - oliebollen‘Oliebollen’ are traditional Dutch food. These treats are
served at New Year’s Eve and quite similar in taste to the donut. People make
them at home during winter (holidays), but you can also buy them at the mobile
stands on the streets in this season. ‘Oliebollen’ are usually served with
powdered sugar.
‘Oliebollen’
(literally oil balls) are deep friend balls of dough. The dough is made from
eggs, yeast, some salt, flour, milk and baking powder. Two varieties are baked
normally; natural ones or with raisins/ currents inside.
Erwtensoep / snert
Dutch
food - SnertErwtensoep or snert is made of split peas, celery, leeks, carrots
and pork. This pea soup is a very thick soup. The thick ‘erwtensoep’ is
traditionally eaten during the winter with slices of ‘rookworst’ (smoked sausage)
and rye bread with ‘katenspek’ (a type of Dutch bacon, first cooked and then
smoked).
The
Dutch consider that well-made ‘erwtensoep’ should be so thick that your spoon
should stay vertically in it. That is why ‘erwtensoep’ is often eaten the next
day when the flavors are better mixed and the soup got even thicker.
Stamppot
Dutch
food - stamppotStamppot is an old-style Dutch dish. It is made of mashed
potatoes mixed with one or more vegetables like kale, carrots, endive or
sauerkraut. ‘Stamppot’ is traditionally served during the winter and enjoyed
best with ‘rookworst’. Several restaurants have it on their menu and there even
is a small company in Amsterdam called “Stamppotje”, serving these specific
dishes only. This small restaurant chain serves fresh made ‘stamppot’ during
the winter and turns into an ice cream shop in summer.
Rookworst
Dutch
food - Rookworst‘Rookworst’ is a Dutch smoked sausage. It is most often eaten
with ‘stamppot’ and mostly comes with ‘erwtensoep’. The taste is comparable to
a hotdog, but ‘rookworst’ is bigger and the skin is a bit crispier. ‘Rookworst’
can be bought in every supermarket. Warehouse ‘HEMA’ is also known for its
‘rookworst’. Try one on a bun with a little bit of mustard.
Lekkerbekje / Kibbeling
Dutch
food - kibbelingThis is the Dutch variaty of fish and chips, but without the
chips. ‘Lekkerbekje’ and ‘Kibbeling’ refer to battered and deep-fried white
fish, commonly codfish or whiting from the North Sea. The only difference
between these two is that ‘kibbeling’ is cut into chunks, while ‘lekkerbekje’
is not. ‘Kibbeling’ is served with dipping sauces like a mayonnaise-based
remoulade sauce (similar to tartar sauce) or garlic sauce. You can taste this
delicious seafood at the same stands on the streets or market where ‘haring’
(herring) is sold.
Pannenkoeken
Dutch
food - Pannenkoeken‘Pannenkoeken’ are common around the world, but the Dutch
version of the pancake is larger and thinner than the American pancakes, but
thicker than a French crêpe. The Dutch like to eat their pancakes throughout
the day (preferably for dinner), unlike in the United States where pancakes are
served for breakfast. Another difference is that a Dutch pancake has the
concept of a pizza. The pancakes are topped with one or more different items
like slices of bacon, cheese, apple or raisins. A plain pancake is often eaten
with sugar syrup or powdered sugar. Dutch pancakes are made of milk, flour and
eggs.
The
‘pannenkoek’ is a delight for children, but anyone can enjoy a ‘pannenkoek’. A
lovely way of eating a pancake in Amsterdam is by taking the special
‘pannenkoekenboot’ (pancake boat).
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