Trying the local cuisine is a great way to learn about the culture of a new country. The daily foods consumed by a population reveal much about their history, customs, and tastes. And if you’re fortunate, it may be rather tasty as well. When I first went to the Netherlands, I had no clue what to expect from the food. Cheese and beer were the extent of my knowledge of Dutch cuisine; I had no idea of the wide variety of delicious foods that could be found in the Netherlands. I’ve been back numerous times since then and always find something new and delicious to try. Therefore, make your KLM flight booking and go to this culinary heaven and enjoy these delectable meals.
Take a Look at Some Delectable Traditional Dutch Foods You Should Try:
Poffertjes
What’s very lovely about these tiny things is that they’re really just miniature pancakes. In addition to being available in most supermarkets, little pancakes are a popular delicacy in several large cities including Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Although icing sugar and melted butter are the typical toppings, you can actually add pretty much anything, such as warm cherries, bananas, apples with cinnamon, Nutella, strawberries, and so on.
Bitterballen
These are categorised as snacks, and locals often eat them with a beverage while mingling. You might have previously seen them on the bar menu. A genuine original Dutch delight, these crispy, fried balls with tender meat within are great to enjoy with a drink or with company. For an authentic experience, try them dipped in a little mustard!
Stamppot
This meal consists of mashed fresh potatoes combined with bacon, spinach, or endive, and served with sausage. Traditionally cooked during the winter months, stamppot is a staple of Dutch cuisine. But there are now a ton of other options available as well, like beets and sweet potatoes, among other combinations with various spices.
Stroopwafel
These waffled cookies with caramel and cinnamon are very scrumptious. Even though they are available in stores in little packs, fresh biscuits that are more than double the size are the best to try. You can even warm them up by placing them on top of your cup of tea. Stroopwafels are often prepared fresh in city markets.
Patat
The traditional takeout snack of an upside-down cone filled with chips and a topping is popular in major Dutch towns like Amsterdam. Common toppings include curry sauce, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise paired with raw onions, a dash of salt, or pretty much anything. As opposed to ‘patat’, Belgians name their chips ‘frietjes’.
Herring
Those who like fish will find this to be a popular delicacy. It is best consumed raw, often paired with chopped onions and sometimes pickles as well. To eat it like a true Dutch person, hold one end above you and chew into the other. It’s a classic beach food that everyone loves. The beaches at Hoek Van Holland, Scheveningen, and Katwijk are good places to sample herring! Otherwise, weekly farmers’ markets in major cities are good places to get herring.
Tompouce
Try this if you’re in the mood for something baked. Tompouce is a favourite snack in the Hema and Lidl supermarkets. They feature layers of pastry on top and bottom, cream in the centre, and are frosted in pink. They’re a staple on special occasions like Kings Day in April when they honour the monarchy’s birthday.
Oliebol
The texture of these doughy balls is much the same as that of the ornamented round doughnuts. Though they may not seem as elegant, they are much more tasty. Oliebollen is only available from unique stalls that appear all around the nation around November on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. A great delicacy for the holiday festivities that tastes best when eaten warm!
Hagelslag
The Dutch like to garnish their breads and sandwiches with these chocolate sprinkles. The most common kind is the plain milk chocolate sprinkles, however, shops have a wide variety. Colourful sprinkles, white chocolate, pure chocolate, mixed packs, and limited-edition varieties for holidays and special occasions, such as orange sprinkles for Kings Day, are all readily available nowadays.
Drop
Drop is also referred to as Liquorish, so chances are you’ve seen or tasted it previously since it’s available everywhere. But the Dutch also do it in a more unique way and with a lot more options. You can get them in a variety of flavours and textures, including mint, honey, salt, firm, soft, sugar-free, coconut, and more.
