The holidays are all about family and visiting the folks you don’t get to see in your day-to-day life. This year, I did something kind of crazy — I jumped on an airplane to meet up with my friend Erin and visit my Dutch in-laws in the Netherlands. The crazy part? I did it alone — my husband and son stayed home and celebrated Thanksgiving with my family.
Part of what I wanted to show Erin (what she specifically requested) was a typical Dutch meal. I’m very lucky — my whole in-law family agreed to help me out. We spent an entire day visiting family across the Netherlands. First, we visited my sister-in-law, Judith, and her partner, Jan (John for us English speakers). They were so welcoming, and laid out quite a spread for us!
Judith and Jan made a really pretty table
Judith made a terrific soup from scratch: ZUCCHINI soup! I’ve never had anything like it, and it was ahhh-mazing. The recipe is simple: creme fraiche, bacon, bouillon, and of course, zucchini.
Seriously, I would never have thought that zucchini soup would be tasty, but it was REALLY GOOD
Of course, no Dutch lunch would be complete without bread, butter, and various toppings like cheese, meat, pate, and…hagelslag! Never heard of it? Hagelslag is basically candy sprinkles. They come in different styles and flavors. The most common types are dark or milk chocolate; licorice is also a popular flavor.
This one is a mix of white and dark chocolate. I like just the dark or “puur” chocolate
Erin was “forced” to try it, since she’d never had it before, and lo and behold…she loved it! I mean, what’s not to love? Chocolate sprinkles on buttered bread — it’s like a kid’s dream food.
Although she was skeptical at first, Erin was won over by this typical Dutch treat
After the lovely visit with Judith, we traveled further north to visit my brother-in-law Maurice, his wife Nicole, and their two girls, Lily-Nova and Grace. After a lovely (and cold) walk in a nature preserve that was full of heather, we went to Nicole and Maurice’s home for dinner. On the menu, there was hutspot (a Dutch comfort food that is mashed potatoes, carrots, onion, and spices), some of the thickest bacon I’ve ever seen, and the best rookworst (a type of smoked sausage) in the Netherlands. That’s not hyperbole — Nicole’s butcher won the award recently for his rookworst!
Seriously, have you ever seen bacon that thick?
Best rookworst in the Netherlands. Yum
My brother-in-law was entrusted with the mashing of the hutspot…he did a pretty good job, I think
Dutch comfort food, something I can totally get behind
My in-laws did a fantastic job showing Erin how welcoming the Dutch can be. (Thanks, guys!) We had so much fun sharing some really delicious food — simple, and full of flavor and love. The best part (for me, anyway) is that it’s easy to replicate those recipes here in the U.S. Dutch food all the time!
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