Advocaat is an off-white coloured, egg-based liqueur made in the Netherlands with a flavour reminiscent of egg nog. It is made from brandy, unpasteurised egg yolk, egg white, herbs, sugar and vanilla. Though versions made for export are thinner, versions made for the Dutch market can be so thick you can eat them with a…
Dutch Food
Ananas Reinette Apples
Ananas Reinette are medium-sized, aromatic apples. They have yellow skin with russet dots. Inside, they have crispy, juicy, yellowish-white flesh. The flavour is sweet, with hints of pineapple. Some also detect pineapple in the aroma when stored for a month or so before eating. The tree needs to cross-pollinate with a different tree. Cooking Tips…
Boskoop Apples
Boskoop Apples are large-sized apples with pale, dull yellowish-gold or green skin, with bright orangey-red flushes, and some russetting. Inside, the flesh is yellowish, firm and coarsely-textured. It is also crisp, juicy, tender and quite tart. After aging, the tartness mellows enough for it to be used as a fresh-eating apple. The tree is very…
Coleslaw
There are thousands of different recipes for coleslaw that can be categorized in many different ways. There are Coleslaws made with coarsely shredded raw cabbage, and coleslaws made with finely minced raw cabbage. There are coleslaws made with creamy sauces such as boiled dressings, and coleslaws that are more “pickled” with vinegar. Coleslaws can be…
Genever Gin
Genever Gin is made in the Netherlands. The alcohol is made from malted barley and either rye or corn. The ratio is usually 50/50. The mash is distilled, then the alcohol reduced to 50 or 55%, then distilled again with juniper berries and flavourings. The list of possible flavourings is a shorter one than for…
Gouda Cheese
Gouda Cheese is a hard cheese made from whole cow’s milk. The milk has starter bacteria added to it, and is then heated to help the curds separate from the whey. The curds are pressed into circular moulds for a few hours, then soaked in brine. The cheeses are then removed from the moulds, dried…
Leerdammer Cheese
Leerdammer is a new cheese. Development of it started in 1976 by the Baars company; the product was launched in 1984. The cheese was designed to be an Emmenthal-type cheese that could challenge Emmenthal’s market share in Europe, particularly France. The cheese was named for the city the factory was in, Leerdam near Utrecht in…
Maasdam Cheese
Maasdam Cheese is a Swiss-style cheese produced in the Netherlands. Made from cow’s milk, it is aged for at least 4 weeks. It has a smooth yellow rind, which is sometimes waxed like Gouda. It is made in 13 and 26 pound (6 and 12 kg) wheels. Inside, the cheese is pale yellow and semi-firm…
Matjes Herring
Matjes herring are pickled herring made from young, female herring with silvery skin who haven’t laid eggs yet. They are caught in the North Sea at the end of May and beginning of June, while they still have some of their winter fat in them. In the Netherlands, before processing, they must by law first…
Oliebollen
Oliebollen are a Dutch dessert. They are bite-size doughballs that usually have fruit in them such as pieces of fresh apple and / or raisins. The balls are deep-fried in oil or lard, and sprinkled with sugar. They are particularly popular at New Year. History Notes Oliebollen first were probably made on whatever day bread…
Poffertjes
Poffertjes are very small Dutch puffy pancakes about 5 cm (2 inches) wide that are mostly flat, but puff up a little bit. They are made from white wheat flour, butter, milk, eggs, yeast and salt. Traditionally, buckwheat flour was used, but now a mixture of wheat and buckwheat flour is more common, or simply…
Rusks: Toasted Dutch bread
Rusks are small flat, circles of dry, toasted bread made in the Netherlands. They are more like a biscuit than a bread, as they are twice-baked. They are very crispy and fragile, with a texture like extra-dry toast. Rusks are made from flour, baking powder, butter, egg, salt and either milk or water. The ingredients…
Zeeland Oysters
Zeeland Oysters are not a particular type of species of oysters, but rather oysters that are raised in the province of Zeeland in the south west part of the Netherlands. Over time, since the early 1800s, oysters from here have had a reputation for quality. The oyster farming takes place on the Eastern Scheldt Estuary…