What should I get from The Netherlands?

[clairea]

DH is going to The Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Middleburg) next week. Any suggestions on what I should ask him to bring back for me -- foodie or otherwise -- and for DS (age 9) ? All I can think of are wooden shoes (which he will get for DD) and tulips (which I imagine you can't bring into the country?). Well, I guess Amsterdam does open up a whole world of other possiblities . . .

He's leaving on our anniversary, so I told him I at least want a good gift out of it :D

[ErinM]

I was going to ask for a really hot blonde names Sven or something like that, but I guess that's out of the question.

Darn. Back to the drawing board! :D

[Kristal]

We were in Amsterdam a few years ago (and my mom was in Rotterdam last week), and at that point, you could bring tulips back to the States. Some were OK, and some weren't (we actually had a few bulbs that were confiscated by a customs agent and his tulip-sniffing beagle :D ); just make sure your DH reads the wording on the packaging.

[Angelina]

Cheese of course...but besides that, he should check out the bakeries. They have all sorts of special cookies and sweets they make for St. Nicholas, which is Dec. 6, and for Christmas as well. There is a Dutch store in CT where my mother takes me a couple of times a year and she gets all the stuff she's homesick for...so delicious!

Oh...get 'munten drop'! At least I think that's how it's spelled. It's salty licorice in the shape of coins and it's sooooo good, although you do have to love licorice for that. ;)

Angela

[charley]

Well, I guess Amsterdam does open up a whole world of other possiblities . . .




That it does. ;)

[LakeMartinGal]

Oh...get 'munten drop'! At least I think that's how it's spelled. It's salty licorice in the shape of coins and it's sooooo good, although you do have to love licorice for that. ;)

AngelaOMG! :eek: Someone actually likes Drop? We thought it was the foulest tasting item we'd ever had... of course, our hosts made us think it was candy..... :rolleyes:

[clairea]

Cheese - yum! What a romantic gift ;) but it sounds good to me.

Angela, I don't know much about St. Nicholas day, but somehow did realize that it was the 6th. So is it a regular workday, and then Christmas off for the religious holiday? DH and I were both surprised to see that it was on a day he has meetings, but maybe he get extra good food that day!

Erin, if he can fit Sven in his carryon, you want me to tell DH to bring him back?

[Canice]

I like Drop! And I especially loved those dark, old-timey candy stores with their 8 bazillion types (degrees of saltiness/shapes/sizes) of licorice.

I spent a summer in the Netherlands when I was in high school, and my big weekness was vla; I thought of it as liquid pudding. In looking for a better description, I found this website (http://www.thehollandring.com/food.shtml) which describes some popular Dutch foods. But Duch "cuisine" is all about the vla!

(I think you have to go to Scandanavia for your Sven. Better ask for a Stephen or Jan)

[Angelina]

I like Drop! And I especially loved those dark, old-timey candy stores with their 8 bazillion types (degrees of saltiness/shapes/sizes) of licorice.

I spent a summer in the Netherlands when I was in high school, and my big weekness was vla; I thought of it as liquid pudding. In looking for a better description, I found this website (http://www.thehollandring.com/food.shtml) which describes some popular Dutch foods. But Duch "cuisine" is all about the vla!

(I think you have to go to Scandanavia for your Sven. Better ask for a Stephen or Jan)

OMG...I LOVE vla!! That was one of my favorite things when we would go on our summer vacation to Holland! Oh, the memories...

And I guess drop is an acquired taste. I know I have let some people try it and they would just spit it out, but an ex coworker of mine from Germany loved the stuff. I couldn't stand her, but the drop would bring us together. :cool:

Angela

[Beth]

If you don't care for the traditional blue and white Delft china pieces, they also make multicolored pieces that can be very pretty. My mom bought one when we were there but I bought a blue & white bowl. I came home & wished I had gotten something in the multicolor.

Cheese would be my favorite -- Gouda and Edam, Gouda with caraway seeds. Dutch chocolate too, of course. The beers hou can get here pretty easily -- although not out of a vending machine as far as I have seen. :D

[zwieback]

Stroopwafels are really yummy. :)

[mikesmom]

OMG! :eek: Someone actually likes Drop? We thought it was the foulest tasting item we'd ever had... of course, our hosts made us think it was candy..... :rolleyes:


My husband is Dutch and we love Drop. I especially like the soft Drop. My husband likes the really salty Drop. That is a more acquired taste :)

[misskitty100]

When I was growing up we had Dutch neighbors and they would make toast and top it with chocolate "sprinkles". I don't know what it was really called but it looked like the chocolate sprinkles you buy in the baking section but tastes NOTHING like those things. That was the best toast ever!!!

[ErinM]

Erin, if he can fit Sven in his carryon, you want me to tell DH to bring him back?


Yes, please! And like Canice suggested, maybe it had better be a Stephen or a Jan. DH's pick. :D

[jmarie]

Do they sell Kindereggs in the Netherlands. DD has been to Europe a couple of times and brought these back for her nieces and nephews, but I can't remember in which country she purchased them. ALL of the kids thought they were so neat... really liked them.
Joyce

[LakeMartinGal]

Stroopwafels are really yummy. :)They sure are! I've seen them at Trader Joe's in a blue tin, and also the mini ones in a bag...

I'm going to send this thread to my friends who lived in Amsterdam for 3 years... we were just talking about Drop over Thanksgiving! :D

[Angelina]

When I was growing up we had Dutch neighbors and they would make toast and top it with chocolate "sprinkles". I don't know what it was really called but it looked like the chocolate sprinkles you buy in the baking section but tastes NOTHING like those things. That was the best toast ever!!!

That is called Hagelslag (sp?). I adore those sprinkles. They are made of real chocolate, not colored sugar, and they all also sell them as flakes...vlukken (sp? again!). We always buy them at our Dutch store in CT. BTW...this is the link A Taste of Holland (http://kaasnco.com/) and they deliver. :)

Angela

[little_bopeep]

OK, hands raised---Who else here can't resist going to websites that other people post links to and spending money?? I ordered choclate frogs and mice for my DS's Christmas stocking and some other goodies.

That place has 51 (count 'em) varieties of licorice! I never knew that it came salty, double-salty, or anything else...I find it all the height of ickitude. :eek:

[little_bopeep]

Do they sell Kindereggs in the Netherlands. DD has been to Europe a couple of times and brought these back for her nieces and nephews, but I can't remember in which country she purchased them. ALL of the kids thought they were so neat... really liked them.
Joyce

Are they like the Kindersurprise eggs? Those are nifty.

[GingerPow]

One of the best cheeses on the planet: Norwegian Gjetost. Has a caramel color and flavor - so good.

[little_bopeep]

I tried Gjetost at Central Market and loved it, so I brought some home. It was great the first few bites, and then it overwhelmed me and tasted like funky caramel wax. I haven't figured that out since it started out so good.

[GingerPow]

I tried Gjetost at Central Market and loved it, so I brought some home. It was great the first few bites, and then it overwhelmed me and tasted like funky caramel wax. I haven't figured that out since it started out so good.
Yes, that does happen! I like it with fruit and crackers, but it is best in small amounts.

[Canice]

That is called Hagelslag (sp?). I adore those sprinkles. They are made of real chocolate, not colored sugar, and they all also sell them as flakes...vlukken (sp? again!). We always buy them at our Dutch store in CT. BTW...this is the link A Taste of Holland (http://kaasnco.com/) and they deliver. :)

Angela

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p0216af0ec03695b6082cf57675b6ed37/ebcd94ce.gif


Ja, Hagelslag! That's right - they look like those waxy, flavorless sprinkles one can buy in the supermarket, but they taste nothing the same...sweet, rich, robust Dutch chocolate! The rest of the meals were pretty dreadful, but chocolate and cheese and jam and bread for breakfast were the BEST!

I was glad to see Stroopwafels show up in mainstream stores in the US as well, but I gotta say.... they will never be the same as getting them warm and soft and fresh from the iron on the street, when the centers are still soft and warm. Likewise, those mellow and creamy ice cream cones with the dollop of sweet whipped cream on top!

I give a big TiVo "thumbs down" to Gjetost -ick. Just not good cheese IMO.
I think you can buy it in any mainstream supermarket, but it's Norwegian, not Dutch. No connection.

[GingerPow]

I think you can buy it in any mainstream supermarket, but it's Norwegian, not Dutch. No connection.Ach! - you're right, Norway is not Netherlands. I must be geographically challenged these days. :rolleyes:

[DebGo]

tell dh to be careful of the "coffee" they serve in "coffee shops" -- it could get you arrested at the airport ;) :eek:

[HejazSunKat]

If you don't care for the traditional blue and white Delft china pieces, they also make multicolored pieces that can be very pretty. My mom bought one when we were there but I bought a blue & white bowl. I came home & wished I had gotten something in the multicolor.


We took the commuter train from Amsterdam to Delft and when we got there asked the ticket agent at the station for directions to a particular china factory - poor guy, he probably should have just gotten them tatooed on his forehead he must have been asked so many times. :D We brought back a beautiful Royal Delft plate that now sits on the ledge of my range hood. When I travel I love bringing back some decorative item for the house so that we can look at every day or whenever we use it and remember that place.

[clairea]

Well, I just sent DH off to the airport (it takes a whole extra chunk out of your day when you have to take a commuter flight to get to a "real" airport). I told him to bring back some cheese, and he gave me that "you are so weird" look, so we will see. (I think he worries about what the guys at work will say -- "what did you bring you wife?" "cheese") I also asked for some of the multi-colored delft china, which would look really nice in our new house (and that is one of the good parts of moving to a small town -- more than 2x as much square footage, but of course now I have to fill it up!).

[misskitty100]

That is called Hagelslag (sp?). I adore those sprinkles. They are made of real chocolate, not colored sugar, and they all also sell them as flakes...vlukken (sp? again!). We always buy them at our Dutch store in CT. BTW...this is the link A Taste of Holland (http://kaasnco.com/) and they deliver. :)

Angela

Thanks for the website and the name of the goodies too!!