Amok in Amsterdam - Part One

I spent this weekend (7/8/9 Nov 14) in Amsterdam with some girly friends. It was my first trip away from the little man. I’ve had the odd night away from him but never in a different country. Actually I was okay thought I’d be a blubbering wreck. I did miss him but as I kept myself busy I only felt the pangs when I saw other family with their little ones around the town.

Left around 3pm Friday and met up with my friends  (AKA S & J) on the Gatwick expressed (actually we all became friends on our commute from London to Kent so it only was fitting we started our trip to meet another member of the “Train Gang” on a train). Treated ourselves to some Moet before departure, then we were off. Can’t believe how quick and easy the flight is we were up and down before we knew it.

The main reason for the trip was to visit a friend (aka H) who had just moved over. She picked us up and whisked us to her lovely new home in the Hilversum area of the Netherland about 30 mins outside Amsterdam.

We got there around 10pm and she’d put out a lovely spread of bread, meats and cheese. I really love this tapas-y finger food type stuff.  Goes great with good conversation and a nice bottle of fizz (or 3)

 

The next morning after waking up slightly dry mouthed. We had some lovely Danish Bacon sandwiches before starting to head out. So 2+ hours later after it took 4 women to get ready using 2 bathrooms (I know, I know, but in my defence I was the quickest and spent most of the morning watching Saturday Kitchen, my friend gets the satellite feed).  We headed out. Our first stop was Hilversum town centre I was very keen to get into Amsterdam itself but the rest of the group wanted a mooch.

I’m so glad we did J as they have a market in the town on Saturday and it’s amazing. I love fresh food markets. Unfortunately in England I can’t see to find ones as good, I love Borough Market but compared to its European counterpart it’s a bit too expensive and more trendy than functional (but you can get pink Fizz on Tap so I’ll forgive it). It was so full of colour and life, just normal people doing their weekly shop getting fresh ingredients to take home and make something fantastic and healthy. I have to say that apart from being shocked at the number of people smoking, I found it really hard to spot an obese person on my trip, (whereas the sad thing in the UK is it a bit too common) and with all the healthy cheap fresh food you can see why. All the colours and the smells along with the range availble was just amazing.

 

Right there and then I could have blown off the rest of the day done some serious shopping and then some serious cooking. Gave me so many ideas of what to make, which will probably disappear when I go to the supermarket and see the tired old stuff I always see. (If anyone knows of any hidden market Gems in Kent I would love to know).

But the day was a-wasting so we moved on. After one of the group bought Salted Liquorish, which hands down is the most awful thing ever, although I didn’t know that at the time that treat came later over a nice glass of beer.

We headed back to the station, waylaid by a Kamikaze wasp that attacked J only one in the group who was allergic. So a trip to the Hilversum Pharmacist, who was so lovely and helpful, we were back on track.

Got the train from Hilversum to Amsterdam there’s usually a direct train but we picked the weekend with engineering works (fitting for an English commuting Group) so we had to change at Utrecht where we picked up an Germany “ICE” train. OMG it was immaculate I was so impress.

For the trip, as it was nearly 2pm and we’d last eaten at 9am I got some Fries with Curry Sauce from a little outlet. It was nice and definitely filled a hole.

 

So at last we got off at Amsterdam Central and started heading down the narrow street crossing the canals of this fair city. Our first stop like all good tourists was the China town then into the Red light district area. 

Having been the only one that was fortified with the fries I had we started looking for a place to eat.  The friend we were visiting recommended “In De Waag” www.indewaag.nl the cities old gate house, built in 1428, which had lovingly been converted into a nice little if somewhat squashed (which is, as I found out, the norm) restaurant.  They had hanging chandeliers of candles which they lower twice a day to change and relight.

 

We started out at the bar, found this lovely beer called “Gulpener”, the rest of the gang on white wine, before being taken to our table. We all ordered the Hotdogs and some fries to share.  It was amazing. A German sausage with tiny onions and I wasn’t 100% what was in the sauce on top was but it tasted lovely; went especially well with the beer. 

 

S &H opted for some mulled wine after the meal, after spotting the people at the next table drinking it. I, myself, am not a big fan of hot drinks and especially hot alcohol. So after another beer when they finished supping on their warms grapes our thoughts turned to dessert. 

S has spent most of the day before and the morning talking about “Poffertjes” as H who lives there didn’t seem to know what she was talking about. I thought it must have been from a fevered dream of a mad person. But low and behold they did exist and they were selling them in a shop a stone’s throw from the Gate House Restaurant. It was a very popular shop serving Waffles and Crepes along with the Poff we were planning to feast on.

We waited patiently for the hordes of people to get served all manner of gooey goodness in front of us.  Deciding on what topping, of which there was a few, we would have on top. We all opted for Ferrero Roche yum. When it was my turn I strode purposefully to the counter and ordered 4 lots. The assistant said they were no longer serving them. I must have had a look like thunder as the person doing the cooking of the tasty treats said he would prepare us some.

He hot buttered the cooking apparatus and poured in 24 little bits of pancake mix and got to work. They took about 4 mins to cook and in the meantime crushed up 4 Ferreros for the topping once they were done he put them in little serving trays, put the chocolate on and dusted them with icing sugar. As for the taste they were lovely nice and small but sweet enough to hit the spot and leaving you full (well after a meal with wine). We ate them outside looking over one of the many canals.

Once we had all finished, which took about 60seconds, we decided to head out into the desending twilight and look for a bar and that's when the fun really began!!!!  – (Part 2 coming soon)