Page 406 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

404  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

The Flavours of the Netherlands

The typical Dutch menu offers good, solid fare. Pork, hams
and all kinds of sausages are popular, while the North Sea
provides plenty of fresh fish, especially cod, herring and
mackerel, as well as its own variety of tiny brown shrimps.
Leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage, endive (chicory)
and curly kale make regular appearances, frequently mashed
with the ubiquitous potato. Sauerkraut arrived from Germany
long ago and is now considered a native dish. The world-
famous Gouda and Edam cheeses are sold at various stages of Edam cheese
maturity, and with flavourings such as cloves, cumin or herbs.

people from former colonies to offering a sometimes
settle. Dutch chefs branched bewildering variety of choice
out and tried new flavours, and good value for money.
and as such, “fusion” food has
long been a feature of
Amsterdam’s menus. From its The Melting Pot
street-corner fish-stalls to its Amsterdam has long had a
cafés and top-flight gourmet reputation for religious and
restaurants, eating out in political tolerance. Refugees who
Amsterdam can be full of found a safe haven there brought
surprises. Over 50 national along their own styles of cooking.
cuisines are represented, In the 16th century, Jews fleeing
Bami goreng (fried
Sampling pickled herring at one of Fried tofu with noodles with chicken Steamed rice Prawn
Amsterdam’s many fish-stalls sambal oelek and pork) crackers
Amsterdam’s Culinary (chilli sauce)
Influences
Traditional Dutch cuisine may
be simple, wholesome and
hearty, but the variety of food
on offer in Amsterdam is huge
and influenced by culinary
styles from across the globe.
The Netherlands was once a
major colonial power and its Gado gado
trading ships brought back Satay ayam (vegetable salad
exotic ingredients, ideas and Selection of typical rijsttafel dishes (chicken satay) with peanut sauce)
Local Dishes and Specialities
Dining out in the Netherlands is almost
guaranteed to come up with some curious
quirks. Cheese, ham and bread are
standards at breakfast, but you may
also find ontbijtkoek (gingerbread) and
hagelslag (grains of chocolate) to sprinkle
over bread. Ham and cheese are also
lunchtime staples, often served in a
Brown shrimp bread roll with a glass of milk, though
more adventurous sandwiches and salads
are also common nowadays. In Amsterdam, pancake houses provide
both sweet and savoury snacks throughout the day. The evening
is the time when Amsterdam’s eateries have the most to offer. The Erwtensoep is a thick pea and
soups and mashed vegetables of Dutch farmhouse cooking sit smoked sausage soup, which is
alongside spicy Indonesian delights, as well as innovative cuisine often served with rye bread and
from some of Amsterdam’s fine chefs. slices of bacon.

404-405_EW_Netherlands.indd 404 16/01/17 12:08 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Feature template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.3)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm