THE FLAVOURS OF AMSTERDAM City of cheese, herring and sweet delights Amsterdam is often noted for its canals, bicycles and great art, but those who’ve “tried” it know that this is also a city that it is best to get acquainted with through its aromas and flavours F ood in Amsterdam is simple, comforting and honest – just like the people who make it. For starters, this is a city of cheese. The Netherlands is a country where cheese isn’t only eat- en, but celebrated. Amsterdam is packed with shops where you can sample Gouda in all its variants – from young and mild to old and picante, or with added cara- mel or chili. Street stalls and markets, in- cluding the popular Albert Cuyp-mar- ket, offer cheeses with truffles, pesto and even lavender. Buy a block, wrap it in pa- per and continue your walk – it’s the best souvenir you can take home with you. Next is the herring. This fishy speciality, which prompts mixed reactions among foreigners, is a true source of pride for the Dutch. The fresh raw fish, served
Biterbalens su omiljena grickalica holandske kuhinje, obično se služe u barovima i kafićima i mada nisu gorki, zovu se tako jer se uglavnom služe uz pivo Bitterballens are a favorite snack of Dutch cuisine, usually served in bars and cafes, and although they are not bitter, they are called that because they are usually served with beer
with onions and pickled gherkins, is eat- en with the fingers – just grab it by the tail and bite. The best places to try it are the stalls located beside the canal, where fishermen entice tourists and seagulls impatiently await their own snack. During colder days, the streets of Am- sterdam are filled with the aroma of pof- fertjes – small, puffy pancakes that are cooked on cast iron plates and dusted with icing sugar. Another enticing aro- ma is that of stroopwafels – thin, crispy waffles that are held together with warm caramel and are best eaten fresh, straight from a stall. Placing them over a cup of steaming coffee is enough to cause the syrup in the middle to start to melt. For those who like more substantial meals, it’s mandatory to try the bitterbal- len – crispy balls made of meat and bé- chamel sauce that are generally served
with mustard and beer. At the warming and vibrant cafés located alongside the canal and offering dulcet tones of jazz music – it’s tough to resist this snack’s combination of simplicity and comfort. Amsterdam also has a rich street food of- fer – from fries covered in mayonnaise (instead of ketchup, as the locals like it) to Asian and Indonesian dishes, as a leg- acy of bygone colonialism. In the evening hours, the scents of exotic spices circu- late in the De Pijp neighbourhood, where small family-run taverns are always packed and where leisurely conversations unfold. Even though it might seem as though Amsterdam is modern, bustling and filled with glass and light, its cui- sine still carries the spirit of the old city – filled with the warmth of home, sim- plicity and the feeling that everything is precisely as it should be.
Cuisine » Kuhinja | 87
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