Posted on 11/17/2012 7:18:11 AM PST by Pharmboy
"Mommy, what's that???"
For anyone reading this, it shouldnt come as a big surprise that Dutch food has yet to sweep the globe. Although pockets of the Dutch can be found scattering the world, delectable Dutch cuisine never seemed to have caught on. Fancy I pick up some Dutch food on the way home from work? or Wow, you have got to try this new Dutch restaurant in SoHo! are phrases you will never hear uttered.
Isnt it odd that a nation of traveling, colonizing, patriotic, emigrating folk never managed to sow their own culinary seeds? Cmon, who are we kidding?? Even those emigrated Dutch settlers were thrilled to have found tastier grub! Sure, New York was more than happy to take the Dutch names of Brooklyn (Breukelen), Harlem (Haarlem), Coney Island (from Konijneneiland) and Staten Island but when it came to Dutch cuisine, they left it at the door (apart from the cheese)!
Dutch people have 3 very specific ways of preparing food/vegetables. Dutch people like to either:
a) mash the hell out of something,
b) boil the shit out of something, or
c) deep-fry the life out of something
(Excerpt) Read more at stuffdutchpeoplelike.com ...
(I think he was concerned that it might be time to send the old man to the State Home for the Bewildered)...
You said the magic word, "bacon". I'd go for it.
No. 1: Bicycles
No. 2: Gezellig(heid)
No. 3: Hagelslag
No. 4: Directness
No. 6: Three kisses
No. 7: Orange
No. 8: Not owning curtains
No. 10: Birthday congratulations
No. 11: Discussing the weather
No. 12: Lekker
No.13: Scheduling agenda appointments
No. 14: Red & yellow pants
No.16: Zwarte Piet
No. 17: Patriotic songs
No. 18: Bring your own cake
No. 19: Mashing their food (stamppot)
No. 20: Skating (on natural ice)
No. 21: Herring
No. 22: Hair gel
No. 23: Jokes about Germans
No. 24: Dairy
No.25: Going camping
No. 26: Windmills
No. 27: Picking their noses
No. 28: Friet & mayo (french fries)
No. 29: Licorice
No. 31 Keeping it real
No. 32: Names that sound ridiculous in English
No. 33: The Queen
No. 34: Dat kan niet
No. 35: Impossibly steep stairs
No. 36. Sinterklaas
No. 37: The Birthday Calendar
No. 38: Not working
No.39 : Cows that say boo
No. 40: Sinks with only cold water
No. 41: Being Tall
No. 42: Swearing with diseases
No. 43: Speaking in expressions
No 45: Ikea
No. 47: Normalcy: doe normaal
No. 50: Delaying marriage
“I don’t actually know how to make mashed potatoes”.
Are you serious or joking?! If you are serious, I would be glad to instruct you... believe me, it is super easy.
Some things to add:
To 10: Sitting in a circle with kitchen chairs in the living room eating birthday cake.
To 34: Dat mag niet.
To 35: No basements.
Missing: cigars, cheese, coffee, beer, and singing
Years ago as an undergrad, I did the typical student tour of Europe with only a Eurailpass and a bit of money. At the end of it all, I found myself in Amsterdam with almost no money, trying to make my way to England and the States.
I’m in the rail station restaurant and order the only thing I could afford, a bowl of split pea soup. I didn’t even like split pea soup, but when you’re hungry and broke...
Anyway, they brought in this big plate/bowl thing with soup, potatoes, and sausage with bread on the side. I ate like a queen. It was wonderful.
Dutch community Pella, IA., has several restaurants that serve “smashed beef.”
We don't have many Dutch descended people down here. Well, Pennsylvania Dutch came down way back, but that's a corruption of Deutsch.
That said, I discovered that mashed turnips with a little horseradish, treated like mashed potatoes otherwise (butter) are quite good, to my astonishment. We've always eaten the greens but throw the turnips themselves to the hogs, lol.
If I remember correctly, this restaurant occupied a corner on King St. a few blocks up from restaurant row nearer to the Masonic Temple spire.
We used to celebrate Robert Burns’s birthday there every year back in the 80’s. Really nice place. Lots of atmosphere, but loud as hell on a weekend night. Wasn’t it called “Scotland Yard?” Memory fails me after all these years. Never got up the nerve (or was drunk enough) to try haggis. Bought a real nice white, hand-woven, wool fisherman’s sweater there once. IIRC, it had a “really” nice price tag on it as well.
You’re right! Scotland Yard was great. So many things have changed. Can we rewind the tape?
Everything on your list is great except #4. The Dutch idea of “directness” consists of coming into your house as a guest and telling you frankly that your wife is ugly, your taste in decorating is awful, and the food you offer is terrible. But it’s okay and we aren’t allowed to be offended.
Favorite Dutch directness story: going to the house of a Dutch couple and knocking at the front door at the appointed time. Husband opens the second story window and calls down into the street, “Hi, we’re having sex now, can you come back in a little while?” Oh, okay.
I love the Dutch people and their beautiful nation. I love everything there! Except Anky van Grunsven. Anky I despise. But all else is wonderful.
Conservatism has sure changed recently.
Stamppot?
Great page...and a good translation is only a click away...thanks!
The perfect situation to have Stamppot for the first time.
Typically, I'd have the steamed asparagus, spiral wrapped in smoked salmon and drizzled with hollondaise. For the entree, I'd go for the Royal Stuart Quail with the blackberry bramble mist for dessert :-)
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