Rustic roots

Dutch food is simple and rustic. As a nation of farmers and fishermen, the Dutch have traditionally eaten easy-to-prepare, hearty dishes made from locally-grown ingredients. The country's climate is similar to Britain's, and so its food customs are not radically different. Until recent years the evening meal always consisted of the familiar 'meat and two veg', and in many households this remains the norm.

But, like Britain, the Netherlands has a history of shipping and overseas trade, of urbanization and wealth, colonialism and migration. In the 17th century, Amsterdam was a hub of international trade in commodities and exotic spices, as well as a haven for communities of migrants fleeing religious persecution. This had a lasting effect on Dutch cooking, by introducing new ingredients and flavours to the existing cuisine.

Later, in the 19th century, French cuisine became more predominant in bourgeois households, while Dutch colonies in Indonesia and the West Indies brought new culinary influences that have embedded themselves firmly in Dutch culture. However, the increasing popularity of organic and locally grown produce, as in Britain, may also be leading to a change in attitude, and a revival of some of the country's almost-forgotten regional delicacies may be in the pipeline.

Classics

One of the most common of the Dutch hearty classics is stamppot, which has endless variations dictated by regional custom and availability of seasonal produce. It's basically a potato and vegetable mash, garnished with either pan-fried meat such as chops or sausages, or slow-cooked stews, and served with gravy. The mash can be made with cabbage, saurkraut, spinach, or with more old-fashioned leaves such as purslane.

Essentially a cousin of the English pease pudding, snert, or erwtensoep is soup made from a thick puree of dried split peas. It is flavoured with ham hock or streaky bacon, garnished with rookworst (smoked sausage) and served with roggebrood (dark rye bread).

Another traditional dish is balkenbrij (brawn) made from pork meat and pork liver, bound together with buckwheat and raisins, and spiced with cinnamon, allspice and ginger. Another classic is gestoofde runderlappen (braised steak), a casserole using chuck steak, with onions and carrots and often flavoured with beer.