10 More Dutch Foods to Try, Part II
Have you tasted all of our top 10 Dutch foods which should be tried at least once (Part I)? Here are a few more foods you should be sure to sample! This is Part II in our Dutch Foods series. Next check out Part III for 10 more Dutch delicacies!
This soup typically contains split peas, pork, leeks, celery and smoked sausage. Some people add potatoes, onions and carrots, but those are not part of the original recipe.
Traditionally snert is served with rye bread and bacon. It's a typical winter dish that is ideal to prepare in large quantities for big groups of people or to freeze for later meals. Hearty and filling, snert is a delicious warming meal, and the name is rather funny to repeat over and over.
Here is a traditional recipe for snert (in Dutch).
Rookworst is a product made of ground meat mixed with spices and salt and is often served with dishes such as stamppot. Originally, the casing was made from natural gut membranes, but nowadays bovine collagen is often used.
Today, this sausage is rarely smoked, rather it is produced in factories where smoke flavor is used. But the real rookworst is made in a smoke house using fresh wood chips. Be sure to try it if you can find it!
Rookworst is widely available in many supermarkets and butchers. The quest for the best rookworst in Amsterdam has led to Slagerij Vet in De Wallen.
Have you heard the saying "as American as apple pie"? Well, it turns out that apple pie is actually about as Dutch as it gets.
Traditional Dutch appeltaart has a sweet cakey dough on the bottom and edges, with a lattice on the top. The apple slices in the filling are flavored with cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice. Common apple varieties called for in appeltaart recipes are Elstar, Gala and Goudreinet as they are crispy and not too sweet.
Many Amsterdammers say the tastiest appletaart is found at Winkel by the Noorderkerk. Served with a dollop of whipped cream, their pie surely is sweet and tasty. Winkel likely sells thousands of slices each Saturday when the bustling Noordermarkt farmers market takes place on their doorstep.
After catching the eel, the fish is rinsed, gutted, and laid in a brine for several hours. Then the eel is dried and smoked in a smoke house where it develops its typical taste.
Gerookte paling is not only very tasty, it's also healthy. It's full of protein, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Have you tried it yet?
Pancakes are common around the globe, but the Dutch give pancakes their own twist as pannenkoeken.
The Dutch version is a lot larger and flatter than the American
pancake, but slightly thicker than a French crêpe. Dutch pancakes are
made of flour, eggs and milk. Traditionally they are eaten for dinner
and are served often with sugar syrup (stroop), powdered sugar, jam,
bacon or cheese. A classic is the combination of bacon and sugar syrup.
In the Netherlands and Belgium there are specialized pancake restaurants and even pancake boats. These restaurants offer pancakes with a wide variety of both hearty and sweet toppings. The Dutch pancake is also famous abroad. In Chicago there is a Pannenkoeken Cafe and Vancouver has a Dutch pancake restaurant as well!
Stay away from the prepackaged pancakes in Dutch supermarkets though. They are thick, dry and have holes in them, causing your sugar syrup to ooze out. Imagine the mess!
Baker
Stam from Alkmaar started making big, flat shortbread cookies in 1883.
His bakery was then purchased by baker Albert Govers, who continued
making these cookies now known as Jodenkoeken and packaging them
in tin cans. Govers asked for a deposit for the cans so he could use
them again, while also ensuring repeat customers.
In 1924 the bakery was purchased by Davelaar, who continued producing the original Jodenkoeken. They are still sold in tin cans and are available in most supermarkets.
There are different stories about the origin of the word Jodenkoek. The most common story is that the recipe was an invention of a Jewish baker from Amsterdam. In the 1970s the name was seen as discriminatory, but eventually the name was kept. The name Jodenkoek is changed for export, however.
Be sure to taste these yummy shortbread cookies, they can be found in nearly every grocery store in Amsterdam and make an excellent gift to take abroad due to the protective tin can.
Metworst
is a firm, seasoned sausage made from pieces of pork meat and lard that
traditionally comes from the northern provinces of the Netherlands
(Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe). In the past, metworst was made from
cutting waste and was thus known as a poor man's food.
The Groninger metworst is the strongest version and contains a lot of cloves (which are widespread in Dutch cuisine due to Indonesian influences). Traditionally, it was often served with stamppot, but today it's popular as a cocktail snack.
If you like the flavor of cloves make sure you sample this tasty sausage, it combines quite well with a glass of rich red wine.
Drop
is the Dutch word for licorice, and the Netherlands truly loves this
dark colored candy snack. With the highest per capita consumption of
licorice in the world, each person in the Netherlands eats more than 4
pounds (2000 grams) per year on average!
You can find several varieties of drop in nearly every shop from Albert Heijn to Hema, as well as the ubiquitous Jamin candy shop. There is a flavor or type of drop for every taste from sweet to salty, hard to soft. Drop comes in many shapes and sizes from small Groente Erwten (green peas) to large Muntdrop chewy coins.
Other than the Dutch, Germans and Scandinavians, many people do not enjoy the taste of black licorice, especially the salty varieties called salmiak. If you're on the fence about drop, try the cute Apekoppen (monkey heads) which combine chewy sweet licorice and soft banana candy - they're my favorite!
To learn more about the Netherlands' love for drop, check out our article What's the Deal with Drop?
You
might not like licorice or smoked eel, but creamy, nutty cheese sounds
delicious, right? Most people are familiar with what is called "Gouda
cheese", in fact cheese.com says it is the most commonly eaten
cheese in the world! By the way, Gouda is not pronounced "gooo-dah", but
rather with the Dutch hard G as something like "how-dah" or "howd-suh
kahs" (Goudse kaas - cheese from Gouda).
Did you know that Gouda cheese or Goudse kaas is named after the city of Gouda but is not actually made there? It got the moniker because farmers brought their cheeses to the Gouda markets to sell and trade. The name Gouda cheese is not legally protected and therefore this style of cheese can be made worldwide.
In the Netherlands, this style of cow's milk cheese is extremely common. The cheeses are classified by how long they are aged. Jonge kaas is the youngest with about a month of aging, while older Oude kaas or Overjarige kaas is aged for a year or more and develops a tangy caramel flavor.
Slices of young cheese are commonly used as sandwich toppings, while the aged versions are often eaten as a snack with drinks. The cheeses are really delicious with beer or wine, and most bars around Amsterdam serve them. Try it!
A popular brand of aged Gouda is Old Amsterdam and can be found throughout the Netherlands as well as in grocers like Trader Joes in the USA. When you are in Amsterdam look for cheese shops like De Kaaskamer van Amsterdam to sample these delicious dairy delights.
A typical Dutch (and also Belgian) treat is speculaas, a type of shortbread biscuit, especially popular around Sinterklaas. They are crispy and crunchy and have a nice spicy taste. Today, speculaas is available all year round.
There are many products based on the speculaas flavor: kruidnoten (small cookies that are sold during Sinterklaas), speculaaskoekjes (biscuits with an image or figure stamped on the front side), speculaasbrokken (large chunks), gevuld speculaas (filled with almond paste), and many more.
Speculaas products do not rise very much and have a fairly solid texture. The common speculaaskruiden ingredients are a mix of 8 parts cinnamon, 2 parts nutmeg, 2 parts cloves, 1 part ginger, 1 part cardamom and 1 part white pepper. You can purchase ready made speculaaskruiden mix in grocery stores or make your own. Maybe try using fresh ginger instead of dried for an extra kick?
In the US, New Zealand and Australia, speculaaskoekjes are often sold as Dutch Windmill cookies. Have you tried speculaas yet? If not, be sure to sample this typical Dutch sweet treat.
Have you tasted all of our top 10 Dutch foods which should be tried at least once (Part I)? Check out the next installment of our Dutch Food series: Part III, 10 more Dutch delicacies! Wow!
What's your favorite Dutch food? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter and Facebook as well as Instagram and Pinterest!
(PS: you can find us on Twitter and Facebook, as well as Instagram, Pinterest and Google+!)
10 MORE Dutch Foods You Should Try At Least Once, Part II
Snert
The delicious Dutch version of split pea soup is called snert. Other cuisines like the British and the German also have pea soup, but the traditional Dutch dish is a particularly thick soup.
This soup typically contains split peas, pork, leeks, celery and smoked sausage. Some people add potatoes, onions and carrots, but those are not part of the original recipe.
Traditionally snert is served with rye bread and bacon. It's a typical winter dish that is ideal to prepare in large quantities for big groups of people or to freeze for later meals. Hearty and filling, snert is a delicious warming meal, and the name is rather funny to repeat over and over.
Here is a traditional recipe for snert (in Dutch).
Rookworst
Today, this sausage is rarely smoked, rather it is produced in factories where smoke flavor is used. But the real rookworst is made in a smoke house using fresh wood chips. Be sure to try it if you can find it!
Rookworst is widely available in many supermarkets and butchers. The quest for the best rookworst in Amsterdam has led to Slagerij Vet in De Wallen.
Appeltaart
Traditional Dutch appeltaart has a sweet cakey dough on the bottom and edges, with a lattice on the top. The apple slices in the filling are flavored with cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice. Common apple varieties called for in appeltaart recipes are Elstar, Gala and Goudreinet as they are crispy and not too sweet.
Many Amsterdammers say the tastiest appletaart is found at Winkel by the Noorderkerk. Served with a dollop of whipped cream, their pie surely is sweet and tasty. Winkel likely sells thousands of slices each Saturday when the bustling Noordermarkt farmers market takes place on their doorstep.
Gerookte Paling
Long ago, gerookte paling (smoked eel) was a staple food in the Netherlands, but due to both scarcity and price it's become a sought-after delicacy. It's often served on a cracker or a bun as a cocktail snack, but there are many recipes for both starters and main courses.
After catching the eel, the fish is rinsed, gutted, and laid in a brine for several hours. Then the eel is dried and smoked in a smoke house where it develops its typical taste.
Gerookte paling is not only very tasty, it's also healthy. It's full of protein, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Have you tried it yet?
Pannenkoeken
In the Netherlands and Belgium there are specialized pancake restaurants and even pancake boats. These restaurants offer pancakes with a wide variety of both hearty and sweet toppings. The Dutch pancake is also famous abroad. In Chicago there is a Pannenkoeken Cafe and Vancouver has a Dutch pancake restaurant as well!
Stay away from the prepackaged pancakes in Dutch supermarkets though. They are thick, dry and have holes in them, causing your sugar syrup to ooze out. Imagine the mess!
Jodenkoeken
In 1924 the bakery was purchased by Davelaar, who continued producing the original Jodenkoeken. They are still sold in tin cans and are available in most supermarkets.
There are different stories about the origin of the word Jodenkoek. The most common story is that the recipe was an invention of a Jewish baker from Amsterdam. In the 1970s the name was seen as discriminatory, but eventually the name was kept. The name Jodenkoek is changed for export, however.
Be sure to taste these yummy shortbread cookies, they can be found in nearly every grocery store in Amsterdam and make an excellent gift to take abroad due to the protective tin can.
Groninger Metworst
The Groninger metworst is the strongest version and contains a lot of cloves (which are widespread in Dutch cuisine due to Indonesian influences). Traditionally, it was often served with stamppot, but today it's popular as a cocktail snack.
If you like the flavor of cloves make sure you sample this tasty sausage, it combines quite well with a glass of rich red wine.
Drop
You can find several varieties of drop in nearly every shop from Albert Heijn to Hema, as well as the ubiquitous Jamin candy shop. There is a flavor or type of drop for every taste from sweet to salty, hard to soft. Drop comes in many shapes and sizes from small Groente Erwten (green peas) to large Muntdrop chewy coins.
Other than the Dutch, Germans and Scandinavians, many people do not enjoy the taste of black licorice, especially the salty varieties called salmiak. If you're on the fence about drop, try the cute Apekoppen (monkey heads) which combine chewy sweet licorice and soft banana candy - they're my favorite!
To learn more about the Netherlands' love for drop, check out our article What's the Deal with Drop?
Goudse Kaas
Did you know that Gouda cheese or Goudse kaas is named after the city of Gouda but is not actually made there? It got the moniker because farmers brought their cheeses to the Gouda markets to sell and trade. The name Gouda cheese is not legally protected and therefore this style of cheese can be made worldwide.
In the Netherlands, this style of cow's milk cheese is extremely common. The cheeses are classified by how long they are aged. Jonge kaas is the youngest with about a month of aging, while older Oude kaas or Overjarige kaas is aged for a year or more and develops a tangy caramel flavor.
Slices of young cheese are commonly used as sandwich toppings, while the aged versions are often eaten as a snack with drinks. The cheeses are really delicious with beer or wine, and most bars around Amsterdam serve them. Try it!
A popular brand of aged Gouda is Old Amsterdam and can be found throughout the Netherlands as well as in grocers like Trader Joes in the USA. When you are in Amsterdam look for cheese shops like De Kaaskamer van Amsterdam to sample these delicious dairy delights.
Speculaas
There are many products based on the speculaas flavor: kruidnoten (small cookies that are sold during Sinterklaas), speculaaskoekjes (biscuits with an image or figure stamped on the front side), speculaasbrokken (large chunks), gevuld speculaas (filled with almond paste), and many more.
Speculaas products do not rise very much and have a fairly solid texture. The common speculaaskruiden ingredients are a mix of 8 parts cinnamon, 2 parts nutmeg, 2 parts cloves, 1 part ginger, 1 part cardamom and 1 part white pepper. You can purchase ready made speculaaskruiden mix in grocery stores or make your own. Maybe try using fresh ginger instead of dried for an extra kick?
In the US, New Zealand and Australia, speculaaskoekjes are often sold as Dutch Windmill cookies. Have you tried speculaas yet? If not, be sure to sample this typical Dutch sweet treat.
Have you tasted all of our top 10 Dutch foods which should be tried at least once (Part I)? Check out the next installment of our Dutch Food series: Part III, 10 more Dutch delicacies! Wow!
What's your favorite Dutch food? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter and Facebook as well as Instagram and Pinterest!
(PS: you can find us on Twitter and Facebook, as well as Instagram, Pinterest and Google+!)
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