Beer, cheese, fish, Indonesian food and... large portions are indicative of Dutch cuisine. Based on a small variety of meats, sausages, potatoes and not many spices, Dutch food has been described as being more practical than exciting.
However, the Netherlands does boast delicious types of bread and cheeses. The country’s desserts also play a major role in its cuisine, with pancakes, waffles, puddings and yoghurts. And breweries have also held a prominent position in the history of the country, as its pubs attest to.
The history of Dutch cuisine has included a wide variety of meat, fish, cheeses, fruit and herbs. Indonesian food has stamped the country’s traditional recipes with a variety of spices and exotic cooking techniques. Some of the most typical specialties in the Netherlands include soups and stews, which do not differ much from region to region, with exception to names. Popular Dutch dishes include pea soup, served with smoked sausage or bacon and Dutch bread; Groetensoep, consisting of vegetables, pasta and meatballs; and Hutspot, a stew of mashed or boiled potatoes, carrots and onions, occasionally with added sausage.
The Netherlands has always been a country for sailors, pirates and fishermen, a land deeply connected with seafood, with traditional recipes consisting of mussels, sol, shrimp and oyster. However, the herring rule as the Dutchman’s fish of choice, served smoked and salted. Street markets are replete with the first herring of the season in May. Another Dutch specialty includes freshwater eel, smoked, filleted and served on toast.
The country also boasts more than 25 kinds of pancakes, traditionally served at teatime. Waffles and an endless variety of cakes are the pride of local culinary masters and homemakers. Holland is also famous for its Goudse Kasse and Edammer cheeses, as well as for its yoghurt, consumed either in desserts, recipes or drink.
Breweries are the essence of Dutch spirit and today serve as tourist venues, for having made some of the best beers in the world, from Heineken and Grolsch to Amstel. However the popularity of Dutch beers is enthusiastically equaled by Holland’s juniper-flavored gin, jenever. The legal age for drinking beer and wine in the Netherlands is 16 years, while spirits can be consumed after the age of 18.
Large cities throughout the Netherlands feature traditional restaurants and international cuisine, and in recent years, fast food chains have also become immensely popular. Most restaurants and hotels include a 15 percent service charge with the bill, but tipping is also acceptable at around 10 percent of the total.