In this blog, I explore some of the symbols of the novel which I enjoyed on my trip to the Netherlands. When an author sets a novel in a foreign country as I did, it requires a good deal of research, not only in the setting and the language arts but also in the cultural aspects of the country. Visiting the country and bringing back gifts of the culture to introduce in “Escape from Amsterdam” brings the Netherlands to the reader within the pages of the story.
First are the delightful tulips and wooden clogs carved out of wood and then painted. Wooden shoes and tulips were prominent in the small fishing village of Volendam, north of Amsterdam, as is finding native Dutch dress.
People at times still wear wooden clogs, and the clogs are featured in the Sinterklaas festival every December where children leave food in the clogs for Sinterklaas’s horse and receive gifts in return. Tulips themselves are iconic symbols of Holland with vast fields of color that bloom every May.
Delftware is another pretty symbol of Dutch craftsmanship. The pottery with its classic blue and white pictures symbolizes not only Dutch culture and life but the creativity and skill of the people.
Then of course there are the sweets of Dutch life including stroopwafels which this unique tin contained.
I incorporated many of these symbols of Dutch life into the book, as well as native foods, of which I share a recipe for a classic Dutch comfort food of a beef and onion stew that appears in “Escape from Amsterdam”.
Enjoy!
Hachee
(recipe copied from The Daring Gourmet)
- 2 pounds stewing beef (e.g. chuck), cubed in 1/2 in. pieces, blotted dry with paper towel and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds yellow onions (about 4 large), finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups good quality beef broth or stock
- 3 large bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 4 juniper berries
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, working in batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Leave the brown bits in the pan for flavor. Add the onions and some more butter if needed and cook until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the flour and stir until combined. Add the beef to the onions, stir to combine, and cover with the beef stock just until covered. Add the seasonings and red wine vinegar, and stir to combine.
Increase the heat and bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover and simmer for another 30 minutes to further thicken the stew. Add salt, pepper and red wine vinegar to taste. Discard the juniper berries, cloves, and bay leaves. Leave in or discard the peppercorns.
Serve with mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage.