--------------------------------------------------------Welcome my friends! Today i inaugurate a new section on the blog to talk about culinary "oddities" of the place where i live since more than one year, Holland. Let's start immediately with a little clarification: the state would be actually to call Netherlands, while one of the regions is in fact called Holland and i live in the south of it. Ok, geography lesson finished! Obviously i am not criticizing anyone, but i believe it's funny to find the differences and discover things about another country. So, in every post i will put some points with things which in my opinion are bizarre (remember that i compare everything to Italy, so if you are from other countries i would like to know your opinions).. ready?
1. Qui la minestra viene consumata nelle tazze di ceramica, quelle che di solito usiamo per il caffelatte. Ci sono molte varietà, spesso con l'aggiunta di wurstel a fette o palline di macinato (balletjes), e non viene propriamente considerata un primo piatto. Infatti al ristorante si ordina come antipasto e spesso viene servita anche durante le feste di compleanno!
--------------------------------------------------------1. Here soup is eaten in ceramic cups, the ones we usually use for latte. There are a lot of kinds, often with the addition of frankfurters slices or tiny meatballs (balletjes), and is not really considered a first course. In fact at the restaurant you order it as appetizer and often it is served also for birthday parties!2. Molto spesso, se al ristorante ordinate del tè freddo, potreste avere la sorpresa di berlo.. frizzante (anche se sul menù non è indicato)! Ebbene sì, oltre ad avere quello classico che conosciamo tutti, qui si trova anche con bollicine, di solito al limone. Capita anche al supermercato, per cui se notate le scritte "bruisend" o "koolzuurhoudend" significa che è gassato. Il gusto è abbastanza strano per me che sono abituata a quello liscio, infatti si accentua l'acidulo e.. insomma, dovreste provarlo!-------------------------------------------------------
2. Very often, if you order at the restaurant ice tea, you can have the surprise to drink it.. fizzy (also if is not indicated on the menu)! Well yes, as well as having the classic one we all know, here you can find it also with bubbles, usually the lemon one. It happens also at the supermarket, so if you happen to check for tea and you notice the writings "bruisend" or "koolzuurhoudend" it means it is sparkling. The taste is pretty weird for me since i am used with the classic one, in fact the acid is a little bit more and.. well, you should just try it!
3. Come terzo punto volevo parlare della pizza, ma c'è troppo da dire per cui la tengo per il prossimo post.. intanto un'altra particolarità è la liquirizia salata. Sì, avete capito bene! Si chiama salmiak e contiene cloruro d'ammonio che in bocca risulta molto simile al sale da cucina (ovviamente misto al gusto di liquirizia). Io l'ho provata, ma essendo abituata a quella dolce non riesco proprio a farmela piacere.. ma questi sono gusti!
--------------------------------------------------------3. As third point i wanted to talk about pizza, but there is too much to say so i keep it for next post.. meanwhile another particularity is the salted liquorice. Yes, you got it right! It's called salmiak and it contains ammonium chloride which in the mouth is similar to salt (obviously mixed with the taste of liquorice). I tried it, but being used to the sweet one i can't manage to like it.. but these are tastes!
E con questo per oggi chiudo, attendo come sempre i vostri commenti :) buona notte!
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And with this i close for today, i wait as always for your comments :) goodnight!