Out with the old (food) and in with the new...

The last meal of 2011

This past year has been one of a varied, if not a tremendous, culinary voyage for me. I’ve experienced delicious fare at pubs and restaurants throughout England, and, most notably, at the home of my friend Karen in Rawdon where sweet and savory baked chicken was on the menu. My dining proclivities led me to Dallas where, despite the sumptuous and pricey meal at a toney restaurant, the evening was not without interlopers which crawled about in the form of ants parading across our crisp white linen tablecloth. I have even had the occasion to pamper myself with delicate handmade crab and shrimp ravioli adorned with flying fish roe alongside a generously sized rock lobster tail—not once but twice—on the lovely island of Barbados.


So it would seem fitting that, instead of ending the year on a culinary note that my palate is duly accustomed to—dare I say the same old same old—I close out 2011 and ring in 2012 with a tradition that, while not culturally inherent to me, is such for those who are near and dear to me.

Just minutes before midnight, on December 31, 2011, as I sit at the carefully adorned table of my in-laws home in the tiny village of Voorhout in the South Holland province of The Netherlands, my eyes sweep over the evening’s modest feast that, to most Americans, would be an appetizer to an otherwise more expansive spread. The food that makes up the snackfest are mostly what is desired at the time. For us, my Dutch family, there is no real rhyme or reason to the varied dishes spread around the table.

From crab claw fingers marinated in olive oil and garlic to smoked salmon to delicious cheeses straight from the kaasboer (cheese farmer) one village over, and even spinach and salmon filled pastries alongside stuffed tomatoes that sit across the table from tiny cubes of curry chicken, the occasion is not so much about the pickings themselves but the ones with whom you share the pickings. That is, however, with the exception of a true Dutch New Year's favorite.

Oliebollen and Appelflappen with powdered sugar

Two traditional pastries favored by the Dutch for their annual New Year’s celebration are once again on hand for our consumption. Oliebollen, deep fried balls of dough, are essentially the cousin to donuts, and Appelflappen, battered and deep fried apple treats, are both deliciously difficult to resist. I'm almost certain that at this very minute, hundreds upon thousands of Dutch men, women and children are indulging in one or the other—or both—of these time-honored goodies and lovin' every bite.

Oliebollen with raisins

Make no mistake about it: oliebollen is a greasy concoction that, if eaten in heavy doses, could coat your stomach worse than gobbling down a bucket of The Colonel’s own fried chicken. But who gives a damn about decorum when you have something that is so decadent? True oliebollen comes in two varieties: plain or with raisins. While you may fare a bit better in the grease department by choosing a golden brown appelflappen fritter over oliebollen, what you save in oil you’ll surely make up for in calories because, just like Lay’s potato chips, you can’t eat just one. And to make oliebollen and appelflappen even more tempting, shake a generous amount of powdered sugar over the top and you're living in style just like a true Dutch person.

New Year’s Eve is a festive occasion for the people of The Netherlands. The celebratory nature of the holiday brings about the boom of fireworks long before the clock strikes midnight. But once that magical hour hits, you’ll want to step outside to gaze up at the night sky which is filled with colorful light shows that rival Independence Day celebrations in the United States.

The Dutch New Year’s Eve meal is a simple one. But for the people of The Netherlands, it is shared with family and friends—those we hold dear to our hearts.

As people the world over say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one with open arms, in Holland too we share in this passage of time as we toast with a bottle of champagne, watch the magnificent and colorful fireworks displays and say Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar.

And from me to you, whatever the year 2011 held for you—whether filled with joy, pain, trials and tribulations, success, surprises, disappointment, dreams fulfilled and more—may 2012 be far greater  than you could ever imagine. Think big…dream big…live big…and eat well.

Happy  New Year!