One of the biggest complaints I hear from fellow expats is that food in The Netherlands leaves a lot to be desired. First of all, the Dutch have "no food culture". Their diet is often classified as "monotonous"- two colds meal a day consisting of cheese sandwiches and a glass of milk, and one warm meal, which doesn't get much more creative than meat, potatoes and vegetables.
There are also complaints about the quality of Dutch food with "watery" produce being at the top of the list. Last but not least, Dutch food is frequently labelled as "bland". Vegetables and potatoes are usually boiled while meat is fried in margarine with nothing more than a little salt and pepper.
Food Culture
Whenever I hear these comments, I can't help but wonder how much people actually know about the country's food culture, culinary history, product availability, and about food in general. First of all, let's begin by defining what a food culture really is. A food culture should be seen as the traditions, practices and attitudes towards food in any given country. It has nothing to do with how varied the traditional kitchen of a country is or how well- known its products are worldwide.
So in effect, even the tiniest of nations with the most limited kitchen can say they have a food culture.
Back to Basics
It is true that today's typical Dutch kitchen is rather basic, but this wasn't always the case. In the beginning of the 20th century, Dutch girls were sent en masse to housekeeping school where they were taught to cook as economically and fuss-free as possible. Because of this, quite a number of traditional foods were lost. The proof is evident if we look through 'old' Dutch cookbooks such as De Verstandige Kok. Books such as this one show us a culinary world very different to the one we know now.
Not only does the book mention how the Dutch relished taking time out for a meal, but it also presents us with an array of interesting and exciting dishes as well as a clever and varied use of exotic spices which were introduced to the Netherlands through the Dutch trade with Asia. The Dutch were known to enjoy growing their own fruits and vegetables and wealthier families often had summer homes out in the country complete with self-sufficient gardens.
Markets and Good Products
Although the Dutch kitchen lost some of its variety and appeal after 1900, the Dutch can boast a food culture which includes wonderful open air markets and yes, an excellent choice of products. As far as complaints about "watery" produce and "tasteless" meat are concerned, personally, I think this has more to do with consumer awareness and food knowledge than with a lack of availability of good products. It doesn't make much sense to complain about watery strawberries or tomatoes in the winter because these things shouldn't be eaten at that time of year to begin with!
Keep it Seasonal
Our judgment of Dutch produce shouldn't be based on imported, out of season products, but rather on locally grown, seasonal products. As much as I support buying organic, when it comes to produce, even a supermarket pear will taste better in September than it will in June. The same goes for meat. Should you really expect a lot if you are paying three euros for a whole chicken and isn't it better to buy less meat and indulge in organic meat instead? Eating well basically boils down to making good food choices and knowing what's available- in The Netherlands, and anywhere else for that matter.
Blandness
As far as the "blandness" of the Dutch diet is concerned, if you start with a good piece of meat and add some seasonal vegetables, I don't think you can go wrong. I love to make exotic dishes which call for a thousand and one interesting spices, yet there's definitely something uncomplicatedly delicious about an honest piece of Dutch sausage served with some creamy mashed potatoes and the first sprouts, fresh from the market in late October.
Fortunately, today's younger generations are developing more of an interest in cooking and at the same time wholeheartedly embracing culinary differences from other countries. This has lead to new and exciting twists to Dutch classics such as "hutspot", a boiled dish of potatoes and vegetables which often takes the heat for being "tasteless" and "unimaginative". Yolande van der Jagt's roasted hutspot with white bean and garlic mash for example, is a fantastic variation which includes sweet roasted carrots, lightly caramelized onions and not potatoes, but the original ingredient, parsnips.
What's On Offer?
Before you make up your mind about Dutch food, I encourage you to really become acquainted with what the country has to offer and with food in general. Learn about what's in season, look through Dutch recipes and try making them with the best products you can get your hands on, walk through the many food markets and specialty stores, take time out to really taste things the way they should be, which basically means fresh, seasonal and not from a pack.
If you can afford it, please treat yourself to a good, organic cut of meat sometime. While it is true that the prices are higher, keep in mind that you are paying for a high-quality, hormone and antibiotic-free product. The taste is also so much better! Perhaps once you experience the difference for yourself, you'll never look back again. Even if that means eating less meat so that you can afford to treat yourself to top- quality meat.
Foodie Tips
- You can find every type of meat imaginable at organic butchers but most supermarkets also carry things like ground meat, stewing beef, chops, sausages, chicken and even cold cuts for a little less money than at a butcher.
- Become a well informed consumer. When entering a butcher's shop, pay attention to how the store looks, take notice of the way the meat is laid out and don't be afraid to ask questions about the products. Closely inspect the meat. It shouldn't be wet and bright red, but rather matte with a deep burgundy colour and creamy white bits of fat. Chicken should be creamy yellow in colour and should not be bruised or blemished.
- Shop at open air markets, preferably organic ones. If you make an effort to visit farmers' markets where the food basically comes straight from the land, you'll never complain about a tasteless strawberry or tomato again! These markets only sell seasonal products, so even just walking through them will make you a better informed consumer- something which is considerably hard if we're only shopping at supermarkets.
- Eating seasonally is eating the way nature intended. It makes perfect sense to have fruits with high water content such as peaches, strawberries and watermelons in the summer. They keep us cool and hydrated. It also makes sense that citrus fruits which are high in vitamin C are at their best during the colder months.
Paola Westbeek - After graduating from Leiden University in 2007, Paola Westbeek decided to follow her heart and begin an exciting career in the world of ...
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