Bitterballen. Photo: Pixabay
Ten of the Tastiest Dutch Snack Foods TEXT: PAOLA WESTBEEK
The Netherlands boasts a wide variety of exceptional gourmet delicacies such as oysters from Zeeland, Texel lamb and asparagus from Limburg, to name a few. While they are certainly earning the country its long-deserved culinary esteem, there’s no denying that the love for snacks foods is intrinsically woven into Dutch culture just as much as tulips, clogs and cheese. Just ask the tourists ordering plate-sized stroopwafels at the markets or attempting to bite into dangerously hot bitterballen at the pubs. Here are the top ten snack foods you won’t want to miss the next time you visit the country.
1. Bitterballen
2. Poffertjes
The most popular of pub snacks, and one that always hits the spot, is the irresistible bitterbal, which should come with a word of warning. The deep-fried, ragout-filled meatballs are wickedly hot on the inside. Dip each crisp little ball in the side of tangy mustard provided and proceed with care! Bitterballen were invented by the Spanish during the Eighty Years’ War. Far from home and craving their tapas, they came up with a recipe consisting of leftover meat mixed with eggs and flour. There’s nothing ‘bitter’ about bitterballen. They were usually enjoyed with a tipple (bittertje), hence their name.
Ask any Dutch child what their favourite snack is and they may just mention poffertjes. Shaped like fluffy miniature pancakes, poffertjes are usually purchased at a special stand known as a ‘poffertjeskraam’, but are also available in many restaurants as part of the children’s menu. They are prepared in a special cast-iron pan with small indentations and served hot with generous amounts of butter and icing sugar. Ready-made poffertjes, which can be warmed in the microwave, are available at supermarkets, but they are never as good as when freshly baked.
94 | Issue 75 | March 2020
Poffertjes. Photo: NBTC Holland Media Bank