Noord Holland is the province with the most touristy attractions people come to see: Amsterdam, Volendam, Zaanse Schans, and windmills. It’s got all the stereotypes people think of when they visit Holland. It’s got the cheese, the herring in Volendam, the windmills in Kinderdijk, the coffeeshops and Redlight district in Amsterdam. I have very fond memories of Amsterdam, my aunt lives there and she took us all around the city when we stayed for a weekend as kids. She took us on little boat trips around the city and musea or the amazing Albert Cuyp market. A few years ago I lived in Amsterdam, which was a different experience to say the least… it all felt very touristy. So I moved to The Hague (Zuid-Holland), but still when I go back to Amsterdam now to visit the city it’s beauty still blows me of my socks everytime. North Holland isn’t just Amsterdam though… It’s got lots of other places to visit! The fishing village of Volendam for instance! Almost every dutch person has family picture taken there in traditional historical clothing. Haarlem which is a small historical city about 20 min by train from Amsterdam.

Things you didn’t know about North Holland:

• Bleekneusjes was the term used between 1883 and 1970 for a child who, due to the consequences of poverty, malnutrition, tuberculosis, or other health problems, was housed in a so-called holiday or health colony to strengthen physically and also psychologically. The first of these camps was for city kids and was located in Egmond aan Zee. In the beginning private individuals, often teachers and doctors were committed to the well-being of sickly children, later the camps were also subsidized by the government. For a period of six weeks or three months, children from four to twelve years old could go to one of these colonies for free to recuperate. Upon arrival, the children were first freshened up with green soap and checked for lice. Gaining weight is the most important goal in the holiday colony. Breakfast consisted of pills and a large portion of oatmeal, which they were obligated to finish. Working out was also very important The stories of the children who went to these summer camps vary… Some had to the time of their lives, others were traumatized by the strict lregime,
• The Palingsound is a music genre in The Netherlands to specify music from Volendam. Usually dutch pop music with a folk twist.
• Heineken was founded in Amsterdam in 1864, it brews almost 200 million hectoliters of beer every year. At the Heineken Experience, you can learn about the company’s history and the brewing process while sipping their beer.
• The Red Light District has plenty of red lights, showing that an establishment offers paid sex services, but there are also blue lights. Red lights are used by cis-gendered sex workers, and blue lights are used by transgender sex workers. The varied colors were introduced to help clients find the kind of service they are looking for when they go out to enjoy Amsterdam Nightlife

So rundvleeskroketten is something everyone eats! You can eat it for lunch on a sandwich, small snacksize ones are called bitterballen. On your way home after a night at the pub. We also have a lot different fillings: veal, cheese, little shrimp on my first day of culinary school we even made a variation with peking duck. These beef ones are however the most traditional ones, usualy served with mustard.

Ingredients:

• 400 gr chuck roast
• 1 liter of cold water
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 350 gr veggies to make a stock: celery, carrots , leeks, onions
• 4 gelatine leafs
• Fresh parsley
• 5 eggs
• 80 gr butter
• 200 gr flour
• 50 gr cream
• 1 teaspoon maggi
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• Nutmeg
• Sunflower oil for frying
• Panko

Recipe:

1. Add the chuck roast to the pan and add the cold water, crush your black peppercorns and add to the pan with salt.
2. Bring to a boil and spoon off the foam that appears at the top. Add you stock veggies. And simmer for 3 hours.
3. Turn off the heat and let your beefstock cool for 4 hours.
4. Take out your chuckroast and cut in to tiny pieces (3mm)  pour your stock through a strainer. And measure about 500 ml
5. Let the gelatineleafs soften in a little water for about 5 minutes. Chopper your parsley and divide your eggs into egg yolk and egg white.
6. Now we are starting to make a salpicon the filling of your kroketten. Melt the butter, once its melted add 100gr of flour and stir. Add the beefstockand stir until you have smooth shiny texture.
7. Stir in the gelatine leafs, 2 eggyolks, mustard, parsley, nutmeg, cream, salt and pepper. Make it a little to salty.
8. Mix in your tiny beef bits
9. Put in the fridge to set for 24 hours
10. Now its time to start rolling. Make fat little sausages of your filling 75 gr each. Next you need 3 bowls: 1 with flour, 1 with egg whites and 1 with panko. First roll your kroket in the flour, then in the egg white and lastly in the panko. Repeat the process 2 or 3 times. To make sure your kroketten don’t split in the hot oil.
11. Heat your oil to 185C. Fry your kroketten for about 4 minutes.
12. Enjoy them on a sandwich with some mustard or just as a snack.