Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
balls in pita bread);
shoarmas
(lamb tucked in pita bread); and
döner kebabs
(Turkish version of a
shoarma
). Delis have deep-
fried croquettes
(kroketten).
Dinner:
It's the biggest meal of the day, consisting of meat or
seafood with boiled potatoes, cooked vegetables, and a salad.
Hearty stews are served in winter. These days, many people
eat more vegetarian fare.
Sweets:
Tr y
poffertjes
(small, sugared doughnuts without holes),
pannenkoeken
(pancakes with fruit and cream),
stroopwafels
(syrup waffles), and
appelgebak
(apple pie).
Local Specialties
Cheeses:
Edam (covered with red wax) or Gouda (HHHOW-
dah). Gouda can be young or old—
jong
is mellow, and
oude
is salty, crumbly, and strong, sometimes seasoned with cumin
or cloves.
French Fries:
Commonly served with mayonnaise (ketchup and
curry sauce are often
available) on a paper tray
or in a newspaper cone.
Flemish
(Vlaamse) frites
a re made from whole
potatoes, not pulp.
Haring
(herring):
Pick led
her r ing, of ten ser ved
with onions or pickles,
sometimes with sour
cream, on a thick, soft, white bun.
Hutspot:
Hearty meat stew with mashed potatoes, onions, and
carrots, especially popular on winter days.
Kroketten
(croquettes):
Log-shaped rolls of meats and vegetables
(kind of like corn dogs) breaded and deep-fried, such as
bitter-
ballen
(meatballs),
frikandelen
(sausage), or
vlammetjes
(spring
rolls).
Pannenkoeken:
Either sweet dessert pancakes or crêpe-like, savory
dinner pancakes.
Ethnic Foods
If you're not in the mood for meat and potatoes, sample some of
Amsterdam's abundant ethnic offerings.
Indonesian
(Indisch):
The tastiest “Dutch” food is Indonesian,
from the former colony. Find any Indisch restaurant and
experience a
rijsttafel
(literally, “rice table”). With as many
as 30 spicy dishes (ranging from small sides to entrée-sized
plates) and a big bowl of rice (or noodles), a
rijsttafel
can be
split and still fill two hungry tourists. Vegetarian versions are
