Dutch Quirk #89: Eat warm stroopwafels from the market

HomeUltimate List of Dutch QuirksDutch Quirk #89: Eat warm stroopwafels from the market

Out there, on planet Nederland, there is your usual stroopwafel on top of a coffee cup on one side of the coin, and then there are freshly made (and warm) market stroopwafels eyeing you from the flip side.

As a reminder and a disclaimer, we at DutchReview pride ourselves on being a hand-selected foodie community.

Therefore, we decided it’s only appropriate for us to address this food phenomenon: Dutchies eating warm market stroopwafels. 🤤

What is it?

Going to an open-air market has its own hype in the Netherlands. Mainly for all the exclusive treats you get to experience from market stands and food carts — such as freshly made stroopwafels that tickle your nostrils from miles (or kilometres) away. 🪶👃

READ MORE | The Hague Market: The colourful and vibrant open market of The Netherlands.

Unlike its storebought counterpart, market stroopwafels are tinkered and made to warm you up on these cold grey days and guarantee a smile on your face — just like a toasty hug for your soul.

Why do they do it?

The Netherlands presents a perfect environment for such an invention. It’s cold, wet, and grey for the majority of the year, so a pick-me-up in the form of feel-good food is never a bad idea, to be honest.

Also, think of it this way: Why not take a Dutch food staple, magnify it to three times its size and serve it warm to pedestrians, rain or shine?

It’s a business model for the history books if you ask me! Even McDonald’s tried to get involved. 💰

Photo-of-DutchReview-crew-smiling-with-a-stroopwafel-in-hand
Check out the size of that! Image: DutchReview

Why is it quirky?

There’s a lot to cover here. ✍️ For starters, the gigantic size of market stroopwafels, which (not to be a party-pooper) poses some health questions about normal sugar intake.

Additionally, the setting in itself is quirky. Picture yourself standing in a narrow market line, eyeing the stroopwafel being made for the person in front of you while a colony of opportunistic seagulls looms around overhead. 👀

In case you didn’t know, making those warm market stroopwafels requires an insanely impressive amount of technicality — we’re talking razor-sharp slicing and timing. Here’s a video to demonstrate. 👇

An additional perk to this quirk is the possibility of stroopwafel add-ons, which are offered on a vendor basis, such as a market stroopwafel dipped in chocolate. 🍫

Should you join in? 

Oh absolutely. Waistline concerns aside, we say go for this wholesome treat: it’s warm and delicious!

What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below! 👇

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in November 2021 and was fully updated in October 2023 for your reading pleasure.

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Farah Al Mazouni 🇸🇾 🇺🇸
Farah Al Mazouni 🇸🇾 🇺🇸
Farah believes she's been on many adventures during her millennial life, each for a different (sometimes invisible) purpose. The latest adventure whisked her away to Amsterdam for love, and what a magical surprise she found in this city. Armed with imaginary confetti in her pocket, and ready to celebrate all wins, big and small, Farah says "ahla w sahla" or “welcome” to her latest adventure in this wonderland.

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