Erwtensoep

Most people have a notion of Dutch icons: windmills, wooden shoes, Hans Brinker, etc. (Most Dutch people have never heard of Hans Brinker! Talk about your basic stereotype.) The one thing that should be on that list probably isn’t: erwtensoep.

erwtensoep with brown bread and raw bacon

I have yet to see a real windmill. The only wooden shoes are those sold to tourists, and like I said, Hans Brinker is a foreign invention. What I do see, and, in fact, look for whenever I can is erwtensoep, a thick stew made from green split peas. A typical serving will include katenspek (pork), selderj (celery), uien (onions), prei (leeks), wortelen (carrots), and aardappelen (potatoes). Slices of rookworst (Dutch smoked sausage) are added prior to serving. With the soup will be roggebrood (rye bread) with spek (bacon), kaas (cheese), or boter (butter).

Erwtensoep is a winter speciality available in every restaurant and at small food and beverage stalls (called “keok en zopic”) which can be seen (in winter months) usually near canals, lakes, or rivers where ice skaters are found. It can also be found in a "heat 'n serve" form in grocery stores.

Heat and Serve soup in a plastic bag

Windmills, clogs and other symbols of Dutch cultural might be a little difficult to come by, but if you want to experience an authentic Dutch speciality go to http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7187/erwtensoep-dutch-pea-soup. Add a few bottles of Duvel, an absolutely delicious Belgian beer, and you’ll begin to appreciate delicious Dutch cuisine can be.