The Art of Dutch Cooking

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Reading - Problematic Recipes
Review: C. Countess van Limburg Stirum has written an interesting cookbook discussing the food of the Netherlands. I'm part Dutch but know nothing about their food other than those cute windmill cookies you can buy at grocery stores. With relatively few Dutch cookbooks available, I was eager to purchase this book. Overall, the cookbook is interesting, and the author admirably describes the food and food-related customs of the country. However, her writing is choppy and difficult to understand at times. Admittedly, the writer's first language is probably not English, but the American publisher should have done more editing. Although no photos are included of the recipes, a number of the author's hand-drawn pictures are included throughout the cookbook. The pictures are fairly odd, portraying a rather old-fashioned Holland. The cover, for instance, depicts people eating raw herring in a scene that could be straight out of a Rembrandt painting.

The recipes are intriguing but often incomplete, expecting the reader to understand Dutch ingredients and techniques without much explanation. For example, a number of recipes call for boiled ham or beef, without any details. A large portion of the recipes also call for eggs or seafood, so non-fans of those foods may not enjoy this book. In sum, you'll probably really enjoy this cookbook if you're interested in learning more about Dutch food and culture. On the other hand, actually making the recipes may be problematic, as the recipes are written somewhat poorly.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Reading - Problematic Recipes
Review: C. Countess van Limburg Stirum has written an interesting cookbook discussing the food of the Netherlands. I'm part Dutch but know nothing about their food other than those cute windmill cookies you can buy at grocery stores. With relatively few Dutch cookbooks available, I was eager to purchase this book. Overall, the cookbook is interesting, and the author admirably describes the food and food-related customs of the country. However, her writing is choppy and difficult to understand at times. Admittedly, the writer's first language is probably not English, but the American publisher should have done more editing. Although no photos are included of the recipes, a number of the author's hand-drawn pictures are included throughout the cookbook. The pictures are fairly odd, portraying a rather old-fashioned Holland. The cover, for instance, depicts people eating raw herring in a scene that could be straight out of a Rembrandt painting.

The recipes are intriguing but often incomplete, expecting the reader to understand Dutch ingredients and techniques without much explanation. For example, a number of recipes call for boiled ham or beef, without any details. A large portion of the recipes also call for eggs or seafood, so non-fans of those foods may not enjoy this book. In sum, you'll probably really enjoy this cookbook if you're interested in learning more about Dutch food and culture. On the other hand, actually making the recipes may be problematic, as the recipes are written somewhat poorly.

Rating:
Summary: 200 recipes....
Review: Countess van Limburg Stirum offers a cross section of Dutch cooking in 200 recipes. She also includes Christmas specialties. This book is 192 pages.

I grew up in South Africa and the cooking was influenced by many Dutch recipes. Tulips, waffles, doughnuts, cookies and pancakes are Dutch contributions to our lives. Here is an insight into some of your favorite Dutch foods.