Author: Stephanie Fermor

Strictly Dutch

When you think about typical Dutch foods, stamppot, cheese and frikandel probably spring to mind. But there are also a few foods that are strictly Dutch, falling under the European Union PDO, PGI and TSG schemes that protect the reputation of regional foods.

The European Union quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs first came into force in 1992. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of regional foods, help ensure producers receive a fair price for their authentic products, and stop the misleading of consumers by non-genuine products being sold under the same name. These laws protect the names of wines, cheeses, hams, sausages, seafood, olives, olive oils, beers, balsamic vinegar, regional breads, fruits, raw meats and vegetables.

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Kruidnoten Recipe

You know it is nearly Sinterklaas when the supermarkets and shops begin to fill up with chocolate letters, marzipan pigs and kruidnoten!

If you love kruidnoten, then you can buy them by the bag full, in a variety of flavours. This year I even saw mega 5kg sacks at Albert Heijn!

But the recipe for making kruidnoten is super easy! Just 5 ingredients and 30 mintues later and you will have a house smelling of freshly baked kruidnoten, and a bag full to eat.

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Changing energy suppliers

There are a lot of companies in the Netherlands offering energy services, all in their own way, so how do you go about finding one and switching to them?

We recently changed energy suppliers after being with our old one for some years, and I wish I had done it sooner! We should save €350 during our 1 year contract, and when that ends I will most likely switch again, unless our new supplier offers another nice deal.

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Warning Sirens in the Netherlands

Every first Monday of the month at noon, you will hear warning sirens sounding across the whole Netherlands. Their practice alarm lasts just over a minute, but it is part of the Netherlands national warning system in place since WWII.

Although worrisome for many expats, the monthly practice alarm (called waarschuwingsstelsel in Dutch) is no cause for concern.

The siren alarm system was set up in response to the threat of attack from Germany during WWII. The system was kept in running order after WWII because of the Cold War, and is still kept to alert the public in case of a large fire or environmental disaster, for example.

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What’s inside: Kroket

A kroket (or kroketten if you are eating 2 or more) is a popular and typical Dutch fast-food dish.

A traditional kroket is made from a meat ragout covered in breadcrumbs and then deep fried. The kroket became popular after World War II, when several suppliers started mass-producing the fast food snack. It was a cheap dish with its contents of dubious quality meat filling.

Research carried out by Motivaction in 2008 showed that 350 million kroketten are eaten every year in the Netherlands.

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Useful Apps for Expats in the Netherlands

Google Maps

For any newcomer no app is more useful than Google Maps (or other similar apps). Took a wrong turn and are completely lost? Need to do the grocery shopping, or get into town with the bus?

With the app you can navigate in real time, let it know if you are travelling by car, bus, bike or on foot and it will give you the best routes. Need to take the bus or train? It will even tell you when the next bus or train leaves.

Google Maps is available for Android and IOS devices, and via your web browser on your computer or laptop. Save mobile data by downloading your local area map at home through Wi-Fi before you head out.

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What’s inside: Frikandel

A frikandel (or frikandellen if you are eating 2 or more) is one of the most popular and typical Dutch fast-food dishes, closely followed by the kroket (what’s that? Check back next month).

It is a sort of minced-meat hot dog, first eaten in 1959 in either the Netherlands or Belgium; no one is really sure. It is typically deep fried and eaten on its own, on a bread roll (called a ‘broodje frikandel’) or with mayonnaise, curry ketchup and diced onions (called a ‘frikandel speciaal’).

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Dutch Golden Age

The Dutch Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, art and military were amongst the most acclaimed in the world.

The first half of the 17th century was taken up by the Eighty Years’ War (the Dutch war of independence from Spain). After winning their independence, the united Dutch Republic ran the country in peace for the last half of the 17th century.

It was during this time that Dutch explorers travelled the seas, trade by the Dutch East India Company flourished and the Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world by creating realistic portraits.

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Dutch Snackbar: Whats on the menu?

When life gets super busy and I just don’t have the time to cook something, or it’s a time to spoil ourselves because of a birthday or celebration, we turn to the trusty Dutch snackbar.

Coming from the UK, I found the  Dutch snackbar sort of like your typical UK fish and chips stand, but also completely different. The types of chips served, and all the accompanying dishes are not something I had ever seen before, and it has been an adventure trying some of the different items.

So, if you have ever walked into a Dutch snackbar and thought ‘what on earth should I order?’, or if you normally play it safe but are curious about some of the other items on the menu, here is a breakdown of some of the most popular ‘delicacies’ and what they are.

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