| Destination: NETHERLANDS | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Things To Know Dutch Icons Land from the Sea Exploring Inland The Dutch Pancakes and Beer Porcelain and Jewelry Tulips |
Pancakes and Beer
Contemporary Dutch cuisine, especially fish dishes, is fast reversing the view that Dutch food is dull. In larger cities -
especially in Amsterdam - Holland's colonial past has left a fine tradition of Indonesian cooking. Most hotels have plentiful
buffet breakfasts, including smoked meats, pickled herring and a variety of cheeses. For a traditional lunch try erwtensoep,
a satisfying soup of peas and pork; or uitsmijter, an open sandwich of meat or ham with cheese, topped with a fried egg. For
dinner have a hutspot stew of vegetables, smoked bacon and meat; or stampott, mashed potatoes and vegetables with smoked
sausage or bacon. For more exotic experiences, eat Indonesian specialties, especially rijsttafel (“rice table”), or any of
several dozen other spiced, sauced, tangy, exquisite dishes. For sweets try pannekoek, pancakes with stroop (molasses) or
poedersuiker (powdered sugar). If you're on the move, street stalls also serve a smaller type of pancake, poffertjes.
As in Belgium, beer is the most popular drink. Dutch beers tend to be lighter, although you will know that you are drinking
something substantial when you sample lager in a Dutch “brown café” - a traditional bar. An excellent light beer is Grölsch,
often drunk with meals instead of wine. Heavier Belgian beers also are available, as is jenever, a grain spirit. Oude jenever
is the sweetest; jonge is for the stronger palate. These and vintage gins and liqueurs can be enjoyed in a proeflokaal, or
“tasting house.”
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