Dec 5

Dec 5 Going Dutch

It’s beginning to look a lot like … Sinterklaas.

Yay - it’s the Dutch Christmas. Or at least the start of it.

December 5th is Sinterklaas Eve, when traditionally children put out empty boots by the fire or stove to be filled by Sinterklaas - St. Nicholas - a precursor to Santa Clause.

Saint Nicholas was canonised in 342, after performing miracles like saving sailors from storms though he’s designated the patron saint of children.

On this day all over The Netherlands Sinterklaas arrives by boat from Spain, where he lives. This probably relates to the legend that St. Nicholas’s bones were transported to the Spanish Kingdom of Naples in 1087. It also explains why Mandarin oranges are associated with the feast day.

Sinterklaas then rides into town on a white horse. accompanied by a non-PC helper, who’s fallen foul of modern day tastes, as part of a big parade.

Family and friends get together, exchange gifts and recite poems about each other, and then eat..

Eat what?

Chocolate letters, Kruidnoten or Pepernoten (spicy biscuits), Speculaas biscuits, sweeties called Strooigoed, and Taai Taai (Doughy biscuits).. I sense a theme.

Anyhow, by way of personal celebration I thought I’d make some pancakes, usual mix, and flavour them with ginger and cinnamon. About a teaspoon of each. Plus an egg, a drizzle of golden syrup and a crumbled up speculaas biscuit.

Served sprinkled with brown sugar and a little lemon juice.

And yes - St. Nicholas Day is actually tomorrow. They stretch out celebrations a tad, and then all meet again on Christmas Eve for their family meal.

Three if not four bites of the Christmas cherry. I approve.