In the Netherlands, Christmas is very much a family get-together, that isn’t traditionally centred around food. It’s a time of meeting relatives, playing board-games and of course, on Boxing day, a trip to the nearest furniture mall.
In the old days, if you were posh enough, you would eat goose or game for Christmas. If you didn’t have the money, it would usually be chicken. Nowadays, British and American traditions have settled here too, so a lot of turkey is served.
People do try to make something of the meal, either by serving a three course dinner, or by ‘gourmetting’. For gourmetting we have a special apparatus, that is a little non-stick top, and tiny little saucepans below. In between a coil heats all of it. The fun is, the whole family can cook and will spend more time around the table than usual. Typical gourmet-food is pancake, egg, tiny sausages, chicken and other meat. It’s quite meat based. All of this is served with numerous sauces, so you don’t actually taste if the meat isn’t done entirely to your liking.
The culinary expertise of the Dutch is much more prominent for New Years Eve. Every part of the Netherlands has their own typical New Years Eve wafer or waffle. In the North they are shine-through thin, in the South more like a fat little biscuit. Some of them are rolled up, so you can put cream in them.
Another very typical New Years Eve treat is oil-balls. A yeast-based, sweet batter is scooped into hot fat. The batter will form balls, that are dusted with icing sugar and eaten warm. Though hard to imagine, these really are a treat-if eaten once a year. You can either make them plain, or add sultana’s to the batter. Another variation is peeling and coring an apple, slicing it and put a slice in the batter (which then becomes a bit lighter), and deep-frying that.
Both images courtesy of Google Images
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That sounds fun – your second pic isn’t displaying on my machine though but not sure if that’s just me!
.-= Sarah, Maison Cupcake´s last blog ..Using Up Seasonal Ingredients, Part 2: Immediate Butternut Squash and Chestnut Soup =-.
Sarah, I can see the pic but lots of people have said they can’t – very strange indeed. I’m going to look and see if I can find another one to swap it with.
Oh wow, I loved reading about this holiday tradition. What a fun post.
I’m pleased you enjoyed it Bridgett. I thought it would be good to gain different perspectives on traditions from around the world.
happy new year, george. liked your post, but sadly, i cannot see the two photos. hope you had a wonderful holiday. x
.-= shayma´s last blog ..A Muslim’s Christmas: Roasted Figs & Cardamom =-.
Happy New Year Shayma! I hope you had a great time with your family, I had a lovely holiday – thank you
Good stuff – thanks.
Glad you enjoyed.
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