Where to Eat: Amsterdam (Sweet Edition)

As the days get shorter and my to-do lists get longer (and longer), I find myself reminiscing on those perfect warm, sunny, "do-nothing" summer days. Well, maybe this past summer abroad was a little less "do-nothing" than usual, but I wish I could be back in Amsterdam, sitting by a canal eating a warm stroopwafel. Which brings me to the point of this post: I realize that I had forgotten to chronicle the sweeter half of my Amsterdam food adventure! But better late than never...

Dutch Pancakes-Pannenkoeken

These were at the top of my list of foods to try when in Amsterdam. I grew up eating dutch pancakes all the time at one of my favourite local spots but I had been dying to try the authentic version. These huge pancakes (big dinner plate sized beauties) are almost like crepes, but thicker and eggier. These are not to be confused with Dutch Baby pancakes (a.k.a. German pancakes) which are puffy and similar to popovers or Yorkshire pudding.

Speck and apple pannenkoen

Mine was a little sweet and a little savoury, courtesy of the speck (Dutch bacon) and apple. One of my travel companions ordered a "special" which was essentially a sugar overload. One of these can probably fill you up for the entire day, but save room for dessert because there are many more treats to be savoured...
(I bought a rather hefty box of pannenkoek mix as an edible souvenir. The results didn't taste as good, but at least it was a great way to share my travels with family back home.)

The "Special" (3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate on a huge pannenkoeken...hope you brought your appetite!)

Poffertjes

These are like the pannenkoeken from above, but in baby sizes. I bought these at the Albert Cuypmarkt as part of my "walking lunch." They were a little on the dense and doughy side, but when hot, fresh and covered in chocolate syrup, butter, and powdered sugar these little gems are the perfect bad-for-you-but-delicious street food. They're also quite effective at speeding up post-herring recovery.


Dutch Apple Pie

I had not known that the Dutch were famous for their apple pies, but now I know why. Just look at it! Winkel is probably the best spot in town to see what I mean. The huge slices are deep dish, packed full of juicy tender apples and cinnamon. The crust is the true star though; more of a cookie texture than the typical flaky pastry. It is thick and buttery rich, with a nice sandy texture that stands up to the apples. If you ever visit Amsterdam, go to Winkel!! It is really nice to sit at one of their tables outside and people watch while you enjoy the best pie in town.


Stroopwafels

Thanks to their availability in many well-stocked supermarkets and even Starbucks locations in North America, stroopwafels are no longer completely foreign to, well, foreigners. In their packaged form, they are two thin, waffle-striped cookies sandwiching a sticky caramel in between; completely delicious and addictive. In my continued quest to search for original and authentic Dutch eats, I tracked down a few locations that still produced fresh stroopwafels.
Unfortunately, my first choice, which was a vendor at Albert Cuypmarkt, was not open when I got there. But, ever prepared, my backup bakery Lanskroon was ready and beckoning with its trays of thin, bronzed biscuits oozing with caramel. Because they were fresh, the contrast in texture was more noticeable than in the packaged versions. The cookie remained crisp while the caramel was molten and soft in between. I think I prefer the blending of textures and flavours of the packaged version, which is nice since they're easily accessible even when an entire ocean away.


And on that sweet note, the Amsterdam Where to Eat duo is finally complete!! Not only is Amsterdam an absolutely beautiful city, it has an equally attractive food culture.
(Whatever you do, please just remember to go get yourself some pie!)

Eat Here:

The Pancake Bakery
Prinsengracht 191-A

Albert Cuypmarkt
Albert Cuypstraat 67 HS

Winkel43
Noordermarkt 43

Lanskroon
Singel 385

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Brown Swan: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

Oh my.


Just look at it.


A thing of beauty, isn't it? Granted, it probably would have been a little prettier if the meringue was still snowy white like a traditional pavlova, but I like the chocolate in it. It gives the pavlova some character. A dark little twist.

The jury's still out on whether the "pav" was originally created in New Zealand or Australia. Wherever its origin, the dessert was created in the 1920s to honor the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, after one of her tours. It was said that the she "does not dance; she soars as though on wings," thus inspiring this delicate, airy creation.

This meringue-based dessert has a light, crisp crust and a meltingly marshmallow-y inside. The balsamic vinegar helps to keep the center soft; you cannot taste it once it is baked. The chocolate pieces remain gooey and molten even after the base cools. The meringue is then crowned with softly whipped cream and scattered with fruit.

Pavlovas are traditionally topped with passion fruit, probably because they are indigenous to Australia and New Zealand. In this version, raspberries are used since their pleasant tartness balances nicely with the sugary meringue. These bright red gems are also a classic pairing with chocolate.