Coffee and Breakfast in the Netherlands
It's been so long since I've posted I don't even know where to begin.
It's actually only been about six days, but it feels longer because the last two posts were written three days before they were published and then scheduled to be released at a later date...shhh don't tell anyone.
I've been away for a week and have been struggling to get back into the swing of things. I figured a coffee post would be a good way to break the ice and ease myself back into the Hive before my next hiatus.
I started taking photos of some of our breakfasts and morning coffee adventures during our trip to the Netherlands. The breakfasts were simple but delicious and the coffees were just so pretty and well done that I couldn't help but snap a few photos. The first ones were taken in the city of Zaandam where we had lunch before touring the city. I got a cappuccino (above) and my wife got a flat white (below).
Cappuccino's are served a little differently in each country but its the subtleties that make all the difference. A lot of cappuccino's are made with frothed milk with expresso poured over it, with a dusting of chocolate powder over top of that. Not to sound too pretentious here but that style often isn't very good in my opinion. Sometimes they are served as an espresso with a large dollop of whipped cream and chocolate powder on top, which makes them very dessert like. That can be okay at the end of the evening after but is generally less satisfying in the morning or around noon.
The Cappuccino's in the Netherlands were excellent in my opinion. They were served with microfoam along with the frothed milk and skipped the chocolate powder and whipped cream altogether. The microfoam creates a creamy and smooth texture to the beverage and allows the barista to create the signature rosetta heart design when they pour it. You can see what I'm referring to in the photos. To me the rosetta is the mark of a really good cappuccino. The last thing that you want to see is a thick layer of milk foam with two dark coffee circles poured through it. Those ones lack the smooth texture of a good coffee and of course also lack the presentation.
Okay, I know I sound super pretentious here but play along and embrace my snobbery.
The photo above is a flat white that I got at another Cafe. Apparently a flat white is very similar to a cappuccino but is served with only microfoam (no frothed milk) and has more coffee to milk in its ratio.
My wife really loves the breakfasts in the Netherlands. She always gets the smoothie or yogurt bowls, which seem to be fairly unique to the country. I'm sure that they serve in other places as well (we've seen them in Belgium on occasion) but they appear to be super common in the Netherlands because we typically see them all over the place.
I got pancakes with banana, blueberries and bacon that day and it was quite good as well. Savory and sweet - a winning combination.
Toasties or avocado toast is another common breakfast/lunch that we often get in the country.
My wife gets a latte (or several per day) whenever we travel. We had these ones at a nice Cafe next to the water during our bike trip through the tulip fields.
I already talked about that though so I won't bother getting into it again. I just liked how these beverages were served with two small stroop waffles.
Coffee and mini stroop waffles are another winning combination.
Heres me after eating breakfast in Leidan. It wasn't that long ago but I can't actually remember what I ate that day - not a good sign.
Anyway, that's all I got for today. What's your favorite type of coffee or favorite Cafe that you've been to? Feel free to let me know in the comments.
Aloha!! I thought you were absent from my feed!
I much prefer a flat white. Nothing wrong with a bit of coffee snobbery, Iam terrible for it! And I do love a stroopwaffle to go with it!
Yeah this month and next I'm quite busy so we will see how much posting and interaction I'll ba able to do lol. Being away from Hive though gives me major fomo though haha 😂
I've just started trying flat whites. They're super good. I might have to make that my go to morning beverage while on vacation. I just drink normal coffee at home. Nothing fancy.
It is hard to keep it up when you are busy. I have struggled majorly as I have a new role in my job which involves quite a lot of actual work. Whcih is a pisser as I don't get to post so much!
I drink coffee from a mokka pot thing at home. Makes a super tasty cup once you get the hang of it. So much so that a coffee outside has to be really good!
I remember one of your posts mentioning a new role. So you decided to take it. I'm sure it was the right decision.
I had to look up a moka pot. I've seen those many times but never tried one before. I've always been intrigued by them. Is it easy to use?
I took it, half regret it but every time I get paid I chuckle and think I did the right thing.
They are really really good. Quite easy to use too. You just fill it with coffee and put it on the hob. When I first got mine I want sure when it was ready but it's after it stops hissing and bubbling. A no brainer, I was just being daft! It really does make amazing espresso like coffee. Better than anything else I have tried and I've tried them all!
Excellent! Sounds like the right move to me.
I'll have to look into one of those contraptions. Sounds pretty good.
Hello @leaky20,
What a lovely post to read, and photos too, of course:))))
I do love a good smooth cappuccino, and that's a winning yogurt bowl!
Dining by the water is always a special treat.
I zoomed in on your photo (first time seeing a photo of you 😊,...is that your happy/satisfied face? 😊🙃)... I was also trying the see if I could identify any of the buildings in the background.
I love pancakes; I'm surprised you didn't go for a traditional savoury Dutch Pancake. I got addicted to them while living there. I made the strangest combinations.
I miss the smell of Apple Stroop Waffles along Haarlemmerstraat in Leiden.
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Yes, I missed seeing your posts over the last few days, and I'm happy that you choose my community to share this loveliness with:)))))
Have a nice day, and I hope you'll get back to posting more, but don't stress, it happens every now and then!
I'm not sure what type of face that is to be honest haha. I can't even remember if I knew that my wife was taking g the photo or not. Though I was looking directly in that direction so I probably was aware lol.
We were on the stree in Leiden that Dille and Kamille is located if that helps at all?
I had some sort of savery pancake at another location. I think it was bacon onion and cheese. Actually that reminds me, I did take a photo of it and I forgot to add it to the post. I'll have to add it to the post of the town that we went to that day. I haven't gotten to it yet.
Dille and Kamille, looks familiar...I'm sure I've seen the place before, but I never noticed the name I guess, because I would never forget Kamille, even with a "K". The address is the same postcode of my university at Boommarkt 1 :)
I'll look out for that other post too, and I'll check to see if Lidl here in the UK still sell the crepe pancakes. Now that they are fresh in my mind, I really fancy having some. I always made mine with ham, cheese and spring onions, sprinkled with cinnamon. It's absolutely delicious!
That does sound delicious.
I hope you find those pancakes!
😊
Those pancaked, jesus I'm slobbering!!!!!
Those Amsterdam Coffee Shops got to love them
Lmao yep yep that is true. Haha
👍
Welcome back @leaky20 although it wasn’t that long ago 😎
I love cappuccinos and yes, everywhere they make it differently. Here in Spain they tend to add cinnamon on it instead of chocolate. Just horrible hahaha give me chocolate any time.
Breakfast and lunch are important in the Netherlands, they do, at homes, eat just sandwiches for both. With a diversity of toppings. Very favourite are the hagelslag and pindakaas.
The food and drinks look really nice you had. Thanks for sharing. 😁
Have a wonderful day further 👋🏻
Anytime away from Hive feels like a long time haha.
I've heard of cinnamon and have tried it on coffee before but I haven't seen it served at a Cafe like that yet. But I haven't been to Spain either so...
I'm not sure what those are. I'll have to look them up :)
Have a good day as well!
I can imagine… as so much happens everyday on Hive 😁
Maybe another trip 😉
It’s very common here to get cinnamon on coffee or cappuccino. If you don’t like it, you have to mention it with ordering. But that doesn’t mean always you won’t get it on top hahaha 🤣
Dutchies love it… especially the hagelslag in all it’s varieties. As there are many…
Thank you kindly @leaky20 👋🏻
Okay that's good to know. I'm going to Spain soon actually. Barcelona on Thursday with friends and then a week with my wife's family in August to a bunch of the main cities. So good tip to know. Thanks!
You are welcome @leaky20 😁
Barcelona is stunning and truly large. Enjoy your time there!
We loved it there.
I like the way they serve the pancakes, with morass and honey.
It really looks like another level haha. By the way, the pictures are amazing.
Yeah I agree. The bacon was a nice touch as well.
Thanks! I appreciate it :)
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I've always wanted to tell you your profile pic looks like a giraffe until you zoom in on it and figured since everyone else is all about the pancakes now is a good time. =}
Wassup man? 6 days eh.. That's crazy!!!
I didn't realize that haha. Thanks for informing me.
Long time no talk. Good to hear from you.
👊
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Ow, all your morning coffee cups look cool, and your wife's latte is perfect!!
My favourite coffee type was simple café con leche :)
But also I liked cappuccino, Arabic coffee and well, everything that is coffee :D
I would still like all of them, but stopped altogether with caffeine intake at the beginning of January.
I sometimes take decaf now, but I don't really crave it...
Real coffee was a different story 😇
Coffee is very addictive. It has been a very long time since I went a day without a cup. Did you get a headache the first day or first few days after stopping?
At home I typically have a simple black coffee or coffee with milk as well. I only have fancy coffees when I travel.
Coffee is addictive, indeed.
I was sick for a week in January, actually it started with my migraine attack the first of Jan. and that day I took my last cup of coffee. The week was terrible, but I am not sure if it was also because of no coffee or just the bad and long migraine episode.
Five months now... I have less of the simple headaches. Migraines are still present when have to come, no remedy for that, but I think at least in less quantity and I was able to fight them with other tactics, not just pills.
Though last week and these days are not very successful in terms of fighting it 🤦🏻♀️
I see. That sounds like a rough one. But it's good that you have less of the regular headaches and that you can generally fight them off easier. It wouldn't surprise me at all if caffeine contributed to headaches for some people since it increases stress and increases dehydration.
I am just having a cup of decaf while commenting.
I feel the huge difference in taste and effect, how better would be to have the real coffee! But, let's continue with this experiment, I should still not give up :))
Yeah, decaf just isn't the same
Being from near Melbourne, I'm totally pretentious about coffee. It's a big thing here. The food looks great too. One of the national breakfasts of Australia is a 'smashed avo' which is usually mashed avocado on toast and topped with egg, fetta or other things like dukkah etc.
I feel like being a "coffee snob" is fairly acceptable Haha and actually I think more and more people are getting into better coffee these days.
That open sandwich sounds delicious. I think avocado toasts are fairly common around the world these days but every place does them a little differently. The feta would be a nice touch.
Best way to enjoying coffee, place and food so awesome! Thanks for sharing :)
Yes, I agree. its a great way to enjoy a place. :)
I totally get you about being quite lost after days of not posting. Am on the same boat. Wow, your post made me crave a cup of coffee now and it's dinner time. The cappuccino looks so delicate, not sure if that's the right adjective to describe it but it appears to be carefully and mindfully made. The plating of each dish is so beautiful as well. If only I could reach for the avocado on toast on the screen 😊
I think that "delicate" works as a good descriptor.
Yeah avocado toast is so refreshing. Especially in the summer and warmer months.
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