Where to Eat: Amsterdam (Sweet Edition)

As the days get shorter and my to-do lists get longer (and longer), I find myself reminiscing on those perfect warm, sunny, "do-nothing" summer days. Well, maybe this past summer abroad was a little less "do-nothing" than usual, but I wish I could be back in Amsterdam, sitting by a canal eating a warm stroopwafel. Which brings me to the point of this post: I realize that I had forgotten to chronicle the sweeter half of my Amsterdam food adventure! But better late than never...

Dutch Pancakes-Pannenkoeken

These were at the top of my list of foods to try when in Amsterdam. I grew up eating dutch pancakes all the time at one of my favourite local spots but I had been dying to try the authentic version. These huge pancakes (big dinner plate sized beauties) are almost like crepes, but thicker and eggier. These are not to be confused with Dutch Baby pancakes (a.k.a. German pancakes) which are puffy and similar to popovers or Yorkshire pudding.

Speck and apple pannenkoen

Mine was a little sweet and a little savoury, courtesy of the speck (Dutch bacon) and apple. One of my travel companions ordered a "special" which was essentially a sugar overload. One of these can probably fill you up for the entire day, but save room for dessert because there are many more treats to be savoured...
(I bought a rather hefty box of pannenkoek mix as an edible souvenir. The results didn't taste as good, but at least it was a great way to share my travels with family back home.)

The "Special" (3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate on a huge pannenkoeken...hope you brought your appetite!)

Poffertjes

These are like the pannenkoeken from above, but in baby sizes. I bought these at the Albert Cuypmarkt as part of my "walking lunch." They were a little on the dense and doughy side, but when hot, fresh and covered in chocolate syrup, butter, and powdered sugar these little gems are the perfect bad-for-you-but-delicious street food. They're also quite effective at speeding up post-herring recovery.


Dutch Apple Pie

I had not known that the Dutch were famous for their apple pies, but now I know why. Just look at it! Winkel is probably the best spot in town to see what I mean. The huge slices are deep dish, packed full of juicy tender apples and cinnamon. The crust is the true star though; more of a cookie texture than the typical flaky pastry. It is thick and buttery rich, with a nice sandy texture that stands up to the apples. If you ever visit Amsterdam, go to Winkel!! It is really nice to sit at one of their tables outside and people watch while you enjoy the best pie in town.


Stroopwafels

Thanks to their availability in many well-stocked supermarkets and even Starbucks locations in North America, stroopwafels are no longer completely foreign to, well, foreigners. In their packaged form, they are two thin, waffle-striped cookies sandwiching a sticky caramel in between; completely delicious and addictive. In my continued quest to search for original and authentic Dutch eats, I tracked down a few locations that still produced fresh stroopwafels.
Unfortunately, my first choice, which was a vendor at Albert Cuypmarkt, was not open when I got there. But, ever prepared, my backup bakery Lanskroon was ready and beckoning with its trays of thin, bronzed biscuits oozing with caramel. Because they were fresh, the contrast in texture was more noticeable than in the packaged versions. The cookie remained crisp while the caramel was molten and soft in between. I think I prefer the blending of textures and flavours of the packaged version, which is nice since they're easily accessible even when an entire ocean away.


And on that sweet note, the Amsterdam Where to Eat duo is finally complete!! Not only is Amsterdam an absolutely beautiful city, it has an equally attractive food culture.
(Whatever you do, please just remember to go get yourself some pie!)

Eat Here:

The Pancake Bakery
Prinsengracht 191-A

Albert Cuypmarkt
Albert Cuypstraat 67 HS

Winkel43
Noordermarkt 43

Lanskroon
Singel 385

Images property of beetsandbites

Brown Swan: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

Oh my.


Just look at it.


A thing of beauty, isn't it? Granted, it probably would have been a little prettier if the meringue was still snowy white like a traditional pavlova, but I like the chocolate in it. It gives the pavlova some character. A dark little twist.

The jury's still out on whether the "pav" was originally created in New Zealand or Australia. Wherever its origin, the dessert was created in the 1920s to honor the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, after one of her tours. It was said that the she "does not dance; she soars as though on wings," thus inspiring this delicate, airy creation.

This meringue-based dessert has a light, crisp crust and a meltingly marshmallow-y inside. The balsamic vinegar helps to keep the center soft; you cannot taste it once it is baked. The chocolate pieces remain gooey and molten even after the base cools. The meringue is then crowned with softly whipped cream and scattered with fruit.

Pavlovas are traditionally topped with passion fruit, probably because they are indigenous to Australia and New Zealand. In this version, raspberries are used since their pleasant tartness balances nicely with the sugary meringue. These bright red gems are also a classic pairing with chocolate.

Balancing Act: Thai Steak and Glass Noodle Salad

Thai cooking is all about balance, which is true for many Asian cuisines (and cultures, I suppose. Something about that whole yin and yang concept...) Like good music, a dish works when all its elements blend harmoniously. On the other hand, contrast is also important to keep it from being too bland and one-note.

Take this salad for example. The sweet honey, sour lime, and salty fish sauce in the dressing mingles with the mellow warmth of the chili flakes. It coats and blends the flavours of the noodles and fresh vegetables. But the coolness of the noodles, heat of the steak, and crunch of the cashews ensure that your diners are anything but bored after a few bites.

This delicious salad is perfect for a refreshing dinner during the last fleeting moments of summer. Satisfaction (although not Enlightenment) guaranteed.

Pig Tales: Pulled Pork and Cornbread Waffles

While there are plenty of fanatics out there that treat barbecue like a religion, I am no expert. I do know, however, that I like pulled pork and the cornbread that it is often served with. I have also found a tasty way to serve the two together with a twist.

Pulled pork is great for using up tough and relatively inexpensive cuts of pork shoulder (or Boston butt). Long, slow cooking breaks down the meat so that it becomes meltingly tender. After, it is shredded ("pulled") and sometime served mixed with barbecue sauce.

Oftentimes, "real" pulled pork is slowly smoked for several hours. Since I did not have a personal smoker at my disposal, I used a non-traditional method instead, which used a slow cooker and root beer! I think the root beer added just the right spiciness to the meat when it finished cooking and somehow tenderized it as well. It adds some sweetness to the pork so make sure the barbecue sauce you use is not too sweet as well, or you may end up with a porky dessert.

Actually, the concept of a porky dessert may not be too far off, because the pulled pork will be served on top of waffles. And trust me, there is an excellent reason for this.

Personally, I think the crust of cornbread is the best part. Whenever I make a pan of it, I could very easily just cut off the golden brown top and eat it all. But that wouldn't be fair, would it, since most people I know want that same part.

Luckily, I discovered that baking the cornbread batter into a waffle iron solves this problem. The result? Practically all crunchy brown crust (more than on a cornmeal pancake), and everybody may indulge selfishly. No sharing required.

Tiramisu Redux

Tiramisu is one of my go-to desserts. It is definitely a crowd pleaser with its luscious layers of chocolate, espresso, and mascarpone cheese. In fact, it was the very first food post on this blog.

This time, I made it as a charlotte. The cake mold was lined with ladyfinger biscuits and then filled with the custard. This recipe made a filling that was firm enough to be free-standing when unmolded. This version of tiramisu makes a delicious and unexpected birthday cake.

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole: Spaghetti al Tonno

For me, canned tuna is one of those love-hate foods. All too often it brings back memories of smelly lunch box sandwiches and congealed noodle casseroles. While it is convenient and nutritious (in moderation, due to reportedly high mercury levels), it can also be very dry and rubbery.

At least, this was the case until I discovered oil packed tuna. High quality canned tuna is unlike the fishy, tough cat food that you find in many water packed cans. The meat comes in large, moist flakes and are completely pleasant straight from the can. A few recommended brands are Genova and Progresso, but I find oil packed tuna will taste better than their watery counterparts of any brand.

This is one of the most delicious and simple pastas you can make with pantry ingredients. The lemon and capers cut any residual fishiness from the tuna, as well as adding a salty, zesty freshness to the pasta. The flavours actually come from a classic Sicilian combination as fresh fish, citrus, and capers are native to the region.

The pangrattato on top is a crunchy play on the crisp top of a baked tuna noodle casserole.

If you are still haunted by fishy sandwiches of your childhood, give canned tuna another chance in this delicious pasta. You won't be disappointed.

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer: Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake (or Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte) is a South German dessert, usually prepared with sour cherries and kirsch (cherry brandy). Not all Black Forest Cakes are created equal, although they all contain some combination of cherries, chocolate and cream. The cake base in this version is an ethereally light chocolate chiffon sponge. Since it is prepared with oil rather than butter, it stays beautifully spongy and soft, even after a thorough chilling in the fridge. The cake is filled with canned dark cherries. (Yes, canned. I find them sweeter, juicier, and... cherry-er than fresh cherries. You also don't need to pit them!) I think it's the juicy tartness that cuts the mellow, rich flavour of cocoa, which can get boring in a plain chocolate cake. If time allows, let the assembled cake sit in the fridge for a few hours before you serve it; the flavours mingle and improve over time.

Unfortunately, I decided to make this at the height of a summer heat wave. Whipped cream gets unstable in the heat, and attempting to cover a cake with a mixture of milk and air gets tricky when the kitchen is over 25C. Things got a little precarious as the cream started sliding around, but here are a few quick tips for frosting with whipped cream:

-Keep things COLD. Whip the cream in a bowl and beaters that have been chilled in the freezer. Keep the bowl in a sink of ice water while you're working with it. Chill the cake as well before you ice it. Pop everything in the freezer for a few minutes if things start melting. I also cooled my hands in the ice water before handling the piping bag.

-Stabilize the cream. Many recipes call for whipping melted gelatin into the cream (1 teaspoon, bloomed and melted, to 1 cup of whipping cream), but this can be tricky. If the gelatin is too cold, it will form lumpy globs before it becomes uniformly mixed into the cream. If it's too hot, it will melt the cream, making it difficult to get peaks. Use the gelatin when it's on the warm side of room temperature.

-An alternative to gelatin is a starch stabilizer. The cream won't be as firm as if you used gelatin but the starch is much easier to use. Dr. Oetker's "Whip It" is a stabilizer that can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores. It doesn't change the flavour of the cream at all, but stops it from separating over time.

-Use a whipping cream with a high milk fat (% M.F.) content. Cream with a fat content higher than 30% qualifies as whipping cream. It can get as high as 40%, although this tends to be difficult to find. I used a 36% cream.

-Last but not least, avoid working with whipped cream on the hottest day of the year, if you can help it...