Boone Appétit’s correspondent W.H. Boone has crossed the ocean to bring you a few foods you might like to try when visiting the lower lands or The Netherlands as we call it. The Dutch are known for many things, tolerance, inventive ideas, art and windmills to name a few. Since this is a food blog we’ll focus on another thing they are known for, street food.
On any given day among the narrow streets, you may come across a market. Here you will find regional goods and foods from all over the world. However when in The Netherlands, you have to try the ever popular Stroopwafel, two thin layers of a light baked dough joined by hot caramel in the center. These delectable treats were first invented in the Dutch city of Gouda (like the cheese) but quickly spread in popularity. They come in many sizes but the majority of store bought ones just happen to be the right size to fit over a hot steaming cup of coffee or tea. It is recommended that you do this to allow the steam to soften the caramel in the center. When you buy them on the street they are usually already nice and warm.
Next is another Dutch favorite that isn’t actually Dutch at all but from the neighboring county of Belgium. If you guessed Belgium fries you’re correct! However, I do believe the Dutch have perfected them. Double fried and served with a variety of sauces there’s sure to be a combination for everyone. The traditional Dutch sauce is a blend of Satay(spicy peanut sauce) and mayonnaise with or without chopped onion. If you have time to kill you may want to get your fries at Vleminckx de Sausmeester or Sauce Masters. They have been making fries since 1956 and have over twenty five sauces. You’ll probably be on a very long line but many believe it’s worth the wait.
Depending on how old you are and where you lived, you may remember the automat , Horn and Hardart was the famous one in New York City. Now if you’re running around Amsterdam and maybe had a few beers or sampled some goods at a local coffee shop, you just might be in the mood for some food that you grab right out of a wall! FEBO is the most famous of these types of quick food restaurants. By placing your money in the vending machine you’ll be able to choose from the many selections available. Dutch favorites include, beef croquettes (rundveleeskroket), chicken stick (kipcorn), sausage (frikadel), burgers and fries as well as Bami an Indonesian fried square of spiced noodles and vegetables. Belly bombs? You betcha but sometimes you just have to go for it. Tip: the vending machines don’t give change so make sure to use the change machine before making your selection. Most food is under 2 Euros.
Indonesian food is also a favorite of the Dutch as they occupied that country for years. One of their favorites is rijsttafel , translated it means rice table, it is basically a rice dish with a few varieties of rice and served with many accompaniments of meats and spiced vegetables. The Hague is known for having the best Indonesian restaurants but there are some that argue Amsterdam is the place to eat it. According to our correspondent , both cities serve excellent Indonesian cuisine!
Being on the ocean it’s only fair to say the Dutch love their fish. You wont be disappointed if you try the herring or the fried cod. Herring can be found at vendors throughout Amsterdam and it is served raw , slightly salt cured with onions. If that’s a little too adventurous for you, then give the fried salt cod a try, sold at many booths in town and served with tartar sauce, accompany it with a nice Dutch beer, and you have a perfect light lunch while on your way to a museum!
Pancakes anyone? How about poffertjes? These are tiny little pancakes made with buckwheat and yeast and can be found all over Amsterdam at pancake houses and street vendors. Traditionally served hot with butter and powdered sugar, these fluffy morsels are sure to warm you on a cool Amsterdam morning.
There are many more street foods that one should try but our correspondent became (fooded out!). One could try Bitterballen, which is a crispy fried meatball served with mustard it’s a typical Dutch Pub food. The Oliebollen or Oil Balls are deep fried sweet dough served with powdered sugar and luckily only come out around the New Year just in time for those diet resolutions! Snert is a split pea soup with pork and leeks and probably got its name from someone with a sense of humor. It’s traditionally served from street vendors to those ice skating in the winter months. Let us not forget cheese! The Dutch are famous for their cheese and have many varieties beyond Gouda. If you love cheese (and who doesn’t?) you may want to start with a trip to the cheese museum for an introduction to all the cheeses of The Netherlands.
It’s safe to say you won’t go hungry on a trip to Amsterdam. I’ve even heard there is a McDonald’s which is a great place to go to the bathroom, it’ll cost you $.50 but it beats using one of Amsterdam’s outside urinals. Exploring the street food of Amsterdam can be an adventure all by itself, but there is so much more to The Netherlands. If you’ve been to Amsterdam and would like to share your experience please leave a comment in the box below. If you have any questions please do the same. Until next time Boone Appétit!
