With dueling pocket change today, Jeff and I tried out two standbys of the Dutch street food scene: a raw herring sandwich and a waffle sandwich. Guess which one won.
Evidently raw herring is the Netherlands' national food. That's not necessarily a ringing endorsement: see, e.g., Iceland's rotten shark. Here's where I went wrong: walking up to a cart full of fish snacks and asking for what most people get, in a country where even the locals joke about the bad local cuisine. Raw herring has a much stronger - by which I mean, fishier - taste than any other raw fish I have ever tried.
Better plan: go where the lines are, in particular the lines with children. The carts that sell stroopwafels (at least the ones that make them on the spot) can fill an entire city street with the smell of dessert. "Syrup waffles" are thin, crisp, waffle-like cookies with a layer of caramel sauce sandwiched in between. Jeff was kind enough to spare me a few bites, so I could try to cover up my herring breath.
[We're working on some illustrative photos, even if it means I have to try another raw fish sandwich: stay tuned.]
Maggie, thanks for sharing your blog! I love the "see, e.g." -- and you are so right about the rotted shark.
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