The Netherlands– Cuisine, Holidays, and Culture

In the Netherlands, they have very similar holidays as we have here in the Czech Republic. Christmas is celebrated here on the 24th and 25th of December, the equivalent of St. Nicholas is published here on the 5th of December, when children receive gifts in clogs for a poem. Furthermore, the liberation of the city of Leiden (1574) or the day of princes (September 3) is celebrated here. The date of September 2, when the open day of museums and historical monuments takes place, is very popular for tourists, and admission is usually free. During the summer, the Grachten classical music festival in Amsterdam, the jazz festival and the pop music festival take place in Haag. Many tourists come to the Netherlands to visit the Keukenhof flower festival, which is the largest collection of bulbous plants in the world.

Dutch cuisine is rather simpler and nothing is so special. However, the dishes are very popular with tourists, they are tasty and full. Many spices are very often used for flavoring. Fish, game and steaks are the most consumed. Vegetables, rice or potatoes are used for the annex. What typical dishes to taste when visiting?

• Hutspot – stewed beef, carrots, potatoes and onions,it is a national dish.
• Mosselen – clams eaten with bread or french fries.
• Kroketten – potato croquettes, mostly eaten with fried fish.
• Rijstafel – spicy and spicy dish, served with rice and soup, this dish originates from India.
• Bitterballen – fried potato balls, usually consumed with beer..
• Poffertjes – similar to our muffins, only smaller in size, they are eaten with butter and sugar.
• Stamppot – mashed potatoes with cabbage and sausage or pork roast.

The price of the soup and the 2nd course are around 20 euros (in Amsterdam about 25 euros). The so-called eetcafé is cheaper, which is a café where food is sold as an offer of the day and prices are around 8-17 euros. If you want to save even more, you can go to local supermarkets.

After meals, the locals like fresh coffee. In restaurants or homes, you usually get black coffee and a jug of condensed unsweetened milk. Beer (light lager) is also very popular with locals. The most famous beers are Amstel, Heineken or Grolsch. A typical hard alcohol is Jenever, which is quite similar to English gin, only slightly weaker. It is drunk either alone or with lemon or black currant.

The Netherlands is also typical for its cheeses. I think it's a very nice idea to buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Cheeses have been made in the Netherlands for over 1000 years.

GPS: Haag  52°04'50.7"N 4°18'45.7"E

Text: Martina Koşar

Photos: Martina Koşar, Pixabay