Broodje kroket
Inscrutable
Sure, I am Always Talkin’ Food, but I teach NT2 (Dutch as a second language) on the side. Mainly to young foreigners who came to Amsterdam for or with love. For privacy reasons the names in these columns are fictitious.
‘I have lived in the Netherlands for two years. And I had a Dutch boyfriend for seven years. But it was only last weekend that I ate a kroket (croquette) for the first time in my life.‘
With slight embarrassment the American Brad makes his confession during our Dutch class.
As expected, the reactions are numerous. ‘No way!’, shrieks Milos from Slovakia.
The other students, too, can hardly believe him.
Together with the bitterbal, the kroket is seen by everyone outside of Holland as the epitome of Dutch cuisine.
The snack in the shape of a sausage or a ball (in the case of a bitterbal) consists of a thick meat, shrimp or vegetarian ragout that is coated with beaten egg and breadcrumbs. According to the best kroket maker in Amsterdam, Cees Holtkamp, the coating has to be applied twice for the crispiest result.
After this, the kroket descends into the deep-frying fat, to emerge as an über-crunchy snack with a smooth interior.
‘How did you like it?’, Angelina, Brad’s compatriot and a big kroket fan herself, wants to know expectantly.
’That soft content in a hard crust: de-li-cious.’ He underlines his statement with the hand gesture for perfection.
The others all look at Brad with blissful eyes. He is finally initiated into perhaps the most important Dutch ritual. Everyone - including me - now longs for only one thing: a kroket.
‘But...’
Brad cruelly pulls us out of our daydream. Is there a “but” in the case of the kroket?
Could there be?
‘But?’ asks Jennifer hesitantly.
‘But what I find weird, is that the Dutch put their kroket on a sandwich. Not only because I have no idea how on earth to do that-’
’They mash it to a pulp with their fork,’ Angelina interrupts in abhorrence.
‘I saw that’, Brad acknowledges with a disapproving face. ‘But why ever put it on bread, when there’s already bread involved? That’s twice the bread. Double the amount of carbohydrates.’
I have to reflect for a moment before I understand what Brad is aiming at. That’s because the Dutch don’t speak of breadcrumbs, but paneermeel. Our word is focused on the action of paneren (breading), without a direct reference to the ingredient with which to do so.
The others, however, understand Brad instantly.
Indeed, bread on bread. The Dutch are such inscrutable creatures.
Food lingo
(beef/veal/shrimp) croquette - de (runder/kalfs/garnalen)kroket
Breadcrumbs - het paneermeel
Patisserie - de banketbakkerij
Biblical kroketten
The queues in front of patisserie Holtkamp are at times biblical. Although everything you can buy here is exquisite, the kroketten of this famous pastry shop since 1969 are legendary. You can buy ‘de Holtkampjes’ frozen for at home, or deep-fried on the spot. The shrimp kroketten in particular are a must. No buts.
Banketbakkerij Holtkamp, Vijzelgracht 15-hs Amsterdam. Open Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM; Saturday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM. Deep-fried orders until 4:00 PM.
