Variety of foods

The Netherlands often gets a bad rap for it's traditional foods (though if you look further back in history we're really not that bad in the kitchen) but because of the lacking qualities of our own recent culinary history we've become a true melting pot.
Most Dutch kids I know grow up on a diet consisting of pasta, rice dishes, pizza, burgers and all kinds of international foods while rarely eating 'traditional' Dutch food.
Almost all kinds of different cuisines can be found here when it comes to restaurants, and even people who aren't good at cooking here will eat premixed curry or have a Chinese.
Supermarkets are somewhat limited in their range of food diversity, but we make up for it with lots of 'toko's' (small international stores) where you can buy foods from all over the world. The most popular toko's due to immigration are the Indonesian ones and the Turkish/Morrocan ones. But we've also got them from all over Africa, Asia and the Carribean.
Currently spareribs are a popular take-away food, as is sushi and of course pizza. No such options exist for Traditional Dutch foods, though one might consider the 'snackbar' (the Dutch version of the chippy) definitely cultural heritage.
 
medtran49 said:
Yep.
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When we went on our first cruise together…12 years ago, MrsT was committed to trying things she normally wouldn’t eat, and I agreed I’d try one thing. She figured it was a good time to do so, because the dining room meals were of a fairly high standard, and there was no penalty in ordering something and not liking it - just order something else.

MrsT tried the dish above. She said that yes, it was garlicky and buttery and tasted very good…but she ate only three out of the nine or so she was given and hasn’t ordered any since. :laugh:

My one sampling, showing that yes, in extreme circumstances, I will try something I have no interest in whatsoever, was a goose liver pate, which tasted fine, like a really, really good meat spread…and I’ve also not had any since, and don’t plan on it. :laugh:
 
Morning Glory said:
We are probably the world leaders in ready meal cuisine and some of them are really rather good. Very few these days contain additives.
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It's true what you say about diversity with ready meals. However, a stroll through a US supermarket would leave you stunned. The local Kroger in Cincinnati (where I just was) has about 4 aisles packed with ready meals/TV dinners. Variety, however, is not a strong point; the only Indian stuff I remember seeing was Butter Chicken and naan, and the Chinese was limited to the classic favourites.
 
TastyReuben said:
When we went on our first cruise together…12 years ago, MrsT was committed to trying things she normally wouldn’t eat, and I agreed I’d try one thing. She figured it was a good time to do so, because the dining room meals were of a fairly high standard, and there was no penalty in ordering something and not liking it - just order something else.

MrsT tried the dish above. She said that yes, it was garlicky and buttery and tasted very good…but she ate only three out of the nine or so she was given and hasn’t ordered any since. :laugh:

My one sampling, showing that yes, in extreme circumstances, I will try something I have no interest in whatsoever, was a goose liver pate, which tasted fine, like a really, really good meat spread…and I’ve also not had any since, and don’t plan on it. :laugh:
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Well, to be fair, escargot can be done very well, or not... it's a crap shoot when you order it out. I usually buy it frozen at the yacht supply place because I like the French made brand they sell with the butter mixture already in them, then bake it at home.

I particularly remember trying borscht on a cruise when i was a teenager. One of our table mates let me try hers when I asked what it was. I loved it, but I've never had it again. For one, I've never seen it on a menu, guess we need to go someplace Russian. Two, didn't really start cooking exotically until I met Craig in my late 20s . Three, while Craig will eat beets, he's not super fond of them, especially reds, likes yellows better. So, if I made borscht, I'll be the only one eating it except for 1 bowl.
 
Morning Glory said:
We are probably the world leaders in ready meal cuisine and some of them are really rather good. Very few these days contain additives.
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karadekoolaid said:
However, a stroll through a US supermarket would leave you stunned. The local Kroger in Cincinnati (where I just was) has about 4 aisles packed with ready meals/TV dinners. Variety, however, is not a strong point; the only Indian stuff I remember seeing was Butter Chicken and naan, and the Chinese was limited to the classic favourites.
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I'm guessing it's because of the area we live, but we have multiple brands of Chinese, Indian, several Caribbean, Mexican, Central/South American, Jewish, Korean, Thai, Japanese cuisines in the frozen aisles, plus ingredients to make popular dishes from those cuisines in the frozen and pantry aisles. Of course, we have specialized markets for all those cuisines as well, plus more. I'm pretty sure there's a Russian market a bit north of us. I've seen it driving by on the way to our favorite Mexican restaurant, seafood market, and deli meat sandwich place. We'll have to check it out next time we're up that way.
 
medtran49 said:
Of course, we have specialized markets for all those cuisines as well, plus more. I'm pretty sure there's a Russian market a bit north of us.
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Yeah, it’s like that here. I live in Wilmington, and there’s a smallish Mexican population, so we have, out in po-dunk rural small-town Ohio, a little Mexican grocery in town.

Middletown (on the map nationally from time to time as the hometown of NFL great Cris Carter, and current GOP VP candidate JD Vance, and also where, for whatever reason, McCain announced Sarah Palin as his VP choice in what seems a lifetime ago - something about dying Rust Belt cities, I suppose) has always had a large Greek population, so there are lots of Greek restaurants and mom-and-pop Greek grocery stores, and even the “regular” restaurants will have Greek dishes on them.

Both Blue Ash (Cincy) and Miamisburg (Dayton) have Indian enclaves, so restaurants, groceries, and clothing that appeal to that segment, all in a cluster, and one of my favorite little places to go…between Landen and Montgomery, there are two “European” cafe/grocery stores that specialize in Eastern European items.

All that said, even in my rinky-dink local Kroger, I can get fresh olives, fresh (I assume) sushi, and a selection of Kroger’s meal kits line, HomeChef or whatever it’s called. It’s not the same expansive layout or choice that a big Kroger will have, but they’ll have a small selection out.

Who’d’ve thought 10 years ago that I could get fresh Castelvetrano olives at a tiny Kroger in rural Ohio?
 
I
Windigo said:
The Netherlands often gets a bad rap for it's traditional foods (though if you look further back in history we're really not that bad in the kitchen) but because of the lacking qualities of our own recent culinary history we've become a true melting pot.
Most Dutch kids I know grow up on a diet consisting of pasta, rice dishes, pizza, burgers and all kinds of international foods while rarely eating 'traditional' Dutch food.
Almost all kinds of different cuisines can be found here when it comes to restaurants, and even people who aren't good at cooking here will eat premixed curry or have a Chinese.
Supermarkets are somewhat limited in their range of food diversity, but we make up for it with lots of 'toko's' (small international stores) where you can buy foods from all over the world. The most popular toko's due to immigration are the Indonesian ones and the Turkish/Morrocan ones. But we've also got them from all over Africa, Asia and the Carribean.
Currently spareribs are a popular take-away food, as is sushi and of course pizza. No such options exist for Traditional Dutch foods, though one might consider the 'snackbar' (the Dutch version of the chippy) definitely cultural heritage.
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Indeed:
Kroket, bitterbal, nasi bal, bami schijf and more recently Vlammetjes (small flames).

But stamppot should surely still be eaten in winter?
Raw endive/bacon/potato mash, sauerkraut, kale, hutspot (carrot potato mash)
And erwtensoep (split pea soup)
 
Timenspace said:
That is a good tip, I'll mentally note that.
I also snapped a screenshot of your post to google the different dishes you list and learn more about them.
Love learning, thank you.
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There are recipes from either myself or my DH, CraigC, for most of them, plus pictures. You have to type in his user name in the search function since it doesn't pop up automatically, as it's been so long since he posted.
 
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