Netherlands

Stroopwafel

Thin waffles bonded with gooey caramel syrup, best warmed over a hot coffee cup.

Bitterballen

Crispy fried breaded balls oozing with savory ragout, perfect with mustard.

Haring

Silky raw salted herring eaten by the tail with chopped onions.

Poffertjes

Fluffy mini pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and melted butter.

Erwtensoep

Thick hearty split pea soup studded with smoky sausage, a winter classic.

Kroket

Crunchy breaded croquette filled with molten meat ragout, great in a bun.

Gouda

Rich, creamy aged cheese with nutty caramel notes, a national treasure.

Stamppot

Potato mashed with kale or sauerkraut, with smoked sausage laid across the top.

Hutspot

Carrot, onion and potato mashed together, eaten on the anniversary of Leiden's relief.

Kibbeling

Battered cod chunks fried at market stalls and dipped in garlic sauce.

Patat oorlog

Fries under mayonnaise, satay sauce and raw onion — literally ordered as war.

Pannenkoeken

Plate-sized pancakes served with bacon and syrup, sweet and savoury at once.

Ontbijtkoek

Dense rye spice cake sliced and buttered for breakfast.

Hagelslag

Chocolate sprinkles shaken onto buttered bread, eaten by adults without irony.

Appeltaart

Tall cinnamon apple pie with a lattice lid, served with unsweetened whipped cream.

Oliebollen

Yeast dough balls with raisins, deep-fried and sugared for New Year's Eve.

Rijsttafel

A table of small Indonesian dishes, assembled in the colonial era and kept Dutch.

Drop

Salt liquorice loaded with ammonium chloride, an acquired taste defended fiercely.

Jenever

Juniper spirit poured to the brim and sipped from the glass without lifting it.

Advocaat

Thick egg liqueur eaten with a small spoon under whipped cream.