Cruises are often a great way to indulge in a variety of cuisines from around the globe, and this year, Holland America Line has dedicated a day aboard each of its cruise ship sailings to honor the Dutch culinary scene: Dutch Day.
Holland America celebrated a landmark 150th birthday last year and recently created special menu items and collaborations with iconic brands, including Daelmans Stroopwafels and Lindt & Sprüngli USA.
With over 150 years of sailing history, Holland America Line’s kitchens are cooking up some classics, including Ertwensoep (Dutch pea soup), Bami Goreng (an Indonesian stir-fry with chicken sate and peanut sauce), and Hutspot met Klapstuk (a “hodge podge” stew).
While living in The Netherlands, I often enjoyed a slice of Tompouce (a pink, mille-feuille and custard pastry, decorated in orange for Koningsdag – aka King’s Day), Stroopwafel ‘op de markt’ (a warm, gooey fresh thin waffle sandwich with syrup in between, made on market days around Holland), and whenever in Den Bosch, a Bossche Bol (a beautiful, sharable chocolate cream puff).
My Dutch husband has fond memories of taking some of his weekly allowance as a young child to pay for a bag of stroopwafel crumbs at the stroopwafel stand as they were less costly than a whole stroopwafel. And perfect atop vanilla ice cream in summer!
Holland America Line has partnered with Dutch family-owned bakery Daelmans Stroopwafels to create a stroopwafel cheesecake for dessert in the Dining Room and Lido Market, plus a Stroopwafel Napoleon at tea time. European-based ships now serve a smooth Stroopwafel liqueur containing hints of caramel and cinnamon in their bars.
As well, Lindt chocolate has just partnered with the cruise line! Chocolate tulips will be offered in the Dining Room on Dutch Day, and a signature tulip-shaped chocolate mousse cake is now on the menu inside the MS Rotterdam’s Dining Room (and across the entire fleet beginning in August). Tulips are of course one of Holland’s most endearing symbols and we can’t think of a better way to enjoy their heritage than through chocolate!
In the Dutch Grand Cafe, indulge in a portion of yummy warm poffertjes (mini pancakes dusted with icing sugar).
For those who’ve been on a Holland America Line sailing, you’ll be happy to know that the Orange Party (a night of music, cocktails, and after-dinner canapés) has now been combined with Dutch Day, for a full agenda of food and entertainment.
Passengers and staff pack an abundance of orange (a nod to the royal family, made up of members of the House of Orange), however you can also buy last-minute party accessories onboard.
I was a guest aboard the MS Nieuw Statendam. Opinions, as always, remain my own.
Leave a Reply