30.1.03

Great Quotes

The division of one day from the next must be one of the most profound peculiarities of life on this planet. It is, on the whole, a merciful arrangement. We are not condemned to sustained flights of being, but are constantly refreshed by little holidays from ourselves. --Iris Murdoch

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
-- Mark Twain
Care to check out the Dutch Mennonite Church?

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The Second Snow

Today it's snowing in Almere. (Almere is the Dutch city where I live.) This is only the second time it's snowed here this winter. It's absolutely beautiful. Never mind that most of the flakes are melting upon impact with the ground -- it is their big fluffy descent from the sky that makes me happy as I sit at my computer this afternoon.

One of the things I miss about living in Ohio/Indiana is the winter. Although the Netherlands is known for its ice skating, the climate here is actually quite mild. How I long for days upon days of crisp weather, for the cold air that calls forth the red in everybody's cheeks, for breathing out fog. Those of you shivering in cold Ohio winters right now -- know that I envy you!

22.1.03

Exotic Foods of the Netherlands

One of the most intriguing parts of living in another culture is experiencing that culture’s culinary habits! What follows is a look at bread and chocolate ... in the Dutch paradigm.

Boterhammen

The word “boterham,” when translated literally, means “butter-ham.” Perhaps a more accurate translation is “sandwich” – however, a boterham is quite distinctive from the classic American sandwich (two pieces of bread with numerous layers of foodstuffs in between, eaten with one’s hands, no plate required). Rather, a boterham is a single piece of bread with something on top, often (but not always) eaten on a plate with a knife and fork. Boterhammen (the plural of boterham) can be topped with cheese, or meat, or peanut butter, or jam, or chocolate spread, or vegetables, or any other manner of topping. (See hagelslaag, below.)

It is the habit of many Dutch people whom I have met to eat boterhammen for both breakfast and lunch, and then to eat something “warm” for the evening meal. (I have begun to adopt this custom as well, though I still like to have a box of cereal around for days when I wake up feeling hungry for something a little more American!) In earlier years, when more Dutch people were farmers, it is my understanding that the noon meal was traditionally the “warm meal,” often featuring potatoes as one of the main courses. But as the number of people working on farms lessened, and the number of people who had to travel longer distances to work increased, it became gradually more common for the evening meal to be the larger one.

In my opinion, what makes boterhammen so delicious is the high quality of European breads and cheeses. Delicious!

Hagelslaag

One of most unusual toppings for boterhammen is something called hagelslaag. Hagelslaag looks similar to the chocolate sprinkles we are accustomed to putting on cakes in America, but their flavor is distinctive and not to be found in America. From the first moment I tasted hagelslaag, I was a fan. Indeed, bread sprinkled with little bits of chocolate makes for quite a tasty dessert! (For those less fond of chocolate than I am, fruit-flavored Hagelslaag is also popular here.)

14.1.03

Welcome to PolderpaloozaOnline!

Perhaps this rather bizarre title requires an explanation?! First of all, I live in the Netherlands on a polder -- a piece of land reclaimed from the sea. Second, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, a palooza is “a fanciful formation; something outstandingly good of its kind.” Though I have no such expectations for this website (!), I certainly hope that my experience in the Netherlands will possess at least some of the qualities of the palooza. Tune in for periodic musings on one American woman's European adventure...