‘The Passionate Foodie’
A weekly column
Intro as 1st column
List of ethnic groups on St. Maarten: Arawaks, Caribs, Spanish and then the
Dutch: For more than a century, the Spanish didn´t show too much interest in settling on St. Maarten. The Dutch, however, did; they first began to ply the island's ponds for salt in the 1620's when they were also seeking an outpost halfway between their colonies in Brazil and Nieuwe Amsterdam, which is now known as New York. The Caribs called St. Maarten Soualiga, which means "Land of Salt”, because of the island's salt-pans and brackish water.
The Dutch occupied St. Martin in 1631, assigned a governor, and erected the first fort, Fort Amsterdam on the hill above Divi Little Resort. The Spanish became aware of the incursion and recapturing the island in 1633, they expelled all the Dutch.
One year later, the Spanish built a fort at Pointe Blanche to assert their claim. Over the next 15 years, the Dutch made numerous attempts to regain their lost possession. But they had to wait until 1647, when the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Netherlands ended, the Spanish no longer needed a Caribbean base and the King of Spain conceded the right to Peter Stuyvesant, the Spanish Commander, to abandon the island upon his request. Laborers were brought in from Puerto Rico to dismantle the fortress; in 1648 the Spanish abandoned the island.
A Dutch navy captain was appointed governor of Philipsburg in 1763. He was John Philips, after which Philipsburg was named.
1600 Dutch sea merchants discover that when they distill wine, it’s preserved longer. They also find it gets better when aged in wooden barrels. Cognac was born.
There are many recipes that are truly Dutch such as pancakes with syrup (pannenkoek met stroop.) Pannenkoeken are usually larger and thinner than American or Scottish pancakes. They often have bacon, apples and raisins in them. Plain ones are often eaten with stroop, which is made from beet sugar, and powdered sugar. The ingredients are flour, and eggs with either milk or beer as the liquid which makes it rise.
Other Old Dutch recipes of which every Dutch family has a favorite of include Stampot. This is a vegetable mash usually of a variety of winter veg. such as Boerenkool –curly kale and potato mashed together and served with rookwors , zuurkool – sauerkraut, a sliced white cabbage also mashed with potato and served with sausage. Islands to this day have a favourite 'Stampot' going.
I was wondering just what recipe to offer here when my colleague returned from Holland with bags of a very special delight for us all. These delicious gift bags were filled with a mini Ontbijtkoek, a Dutch breakfast cake. These morsels are gingery and terribly ‘more-ish’.
Ginger has been used in traditional Dutch cooking for centuries so I have included two recipes here for Ginger Bread. One recipe is from the Renaissance period and the other a modernized version. Enjoy
Ginger Bread
During the Renaissance period gingerbread cakes where flat rather hard cakes that were given as gifts. It was made with bread crumbs and there was no leavening, leaving it flat.
The following is a recipe from the early 1600’s that has been adapted for use in modern kitchens. It uses bread crumbs and is not what you would be used to getting if you asked for gingerbread, but it is interesting to see how it was once made.
During the Renaissance ginger bread was a great treat and it can be even today. The spicy flavor will make anyone feel warm and give them a taste of home.
Old Fashion Gingerbread using Bread Crumbs
Ingredients:
1 - ½ cup honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup ale
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons anise seeds
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 quart dry bread crumbs, grated
Directions:
Over low heat in a large saucepan heat the honey until it is warm.
Add the vinegar and ale. Add ginger, anise, cinnamon.
When everything is warm add the bread crumbs and mix well.
Keep cooking until the mixture is thick yet moist.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and turn the dough out onto it.
As soon as it is cool enough to handle roll it into a log.
Once it is cool cut thin slices and serve.
Gingerbread Cake is a lovely dessert to serve after a dinner or as a snack on a cold afternoon or evening.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup dark molasses
2-1/2 cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiled water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl beat the egg until frothy then add the molasses.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
Sift together and add gradually to the egg mixture beating well.
Boil the water.
In a 4 cup measuring cup put the baking soda.
Add the boiling water and stir well.
Add to rest of ingredients and beat well.
Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 9 baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Enjoy the taste of the past.
A weekly column
Intro as 1st column
List of ethnic groups on St. Maarten: Arawaks, Caribs, Spanish and then the
Dutch: For more than a century, the Spanish didn´t show too much interest in settling on St. Maarten. The Dutch, however, did; they first began to ply the island's ponds for salt in the 1620's when they were also seeking an outpost halfway between their colonies in Brazil and Nieuwe Amsterdam, which is now known as New York. The Caribs called St. Maarten Soualiga, which means "Land of Salt”, because of the island's salt-pans and brackish water.
The Dutch occupied St. Martin in 1631, assigned a governor, and erected the first fort, Fort Amsterdam on the hill above Divi Little Resort. The Spanish became aware of the incursion and recapturing the island in 1633, they expelled all the Dutch.
One year later, the Spanish built a fort at Pointe Blanche to assert their claim. Over the next 15 years, the Dutch made numerous attempts to regain their lost possession. But they had to wait until 1647, when the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Netherlands ended, the Spanish no longer needed a Caribbean base and the King of Spain conceded the right to Peter Stuyvesant, the Spanish Commander, to abandon the island upon his request. Laborers were brought in from Puerto Rico to dismantle the fortress; in 1648 the Spanish abandoned the island.
A Dutch navy captain was appointed governor of Philipsburg in 1763. He was John Philips, after which Philipsburg was named.
1600 Dutch sea merchants discover that when they distill wine, it’s preserved longer. They also find it gets better when aged in wooden barrels. Cognac was born.
There are many recipes that are truly Dutch such as pancakes with syrup (pannenkoek met stroop.) Pannenkoeken are usually larger and thinner than American or Scottish pancakes. They often have bacon, apples and raisins in them. Plain ones are often eaten with stroop, which is made from beet sugar, and powdered sugar. The ingredients are flour, and eggs with either milk or beer as the liquid which makes it rise.
Other Old Dutch recipes of which every Dutch family has a favorite of include Stampot. This is a vegetable mash usually of a variety of winter veg. such as Boerenkool –curly kale and potato mashed together and served with rookwors , zuurkool – sauerkraut, a sliced white cabbage also mashed with potato and served with sausage. Islands to this day have a favourite 'Stampot' going.
I was wondering just what recipe to offer here when my colleague returned from Holland with bags of a very special delight for us all. These delicious gift bags were filled with a mini Ontbijtkoek, a Dutch breakfast cake. These morsels are gingery and terribly ‘more-ish’.
Ginger has been used in traditional Dutch cooking for centuries so I have included two recipes here for Ginger Bread. One recipe is from the Renaissance period and the other a modernized version. Enjoy
Ginger Bread
During the Renaissance period gingerbread cakes where flat rather hard cakes that were given as gifts. It was made with bread crumbs and there was no leavening, leaving it flat.
The following is a recipe from the early 1600’s that has been adapted for use in modern kitchens. It uses bread crumbs and is not what you would be used to getting if you asked for gingerbread, but it is interesting to see how it was once made.
During the Renaissance ginger bread was a great treat and it can be even today. The spicy flavor will make anyone feel warm and give them a taste of home.
Old Fashion Gingerbread using Bread Crumbs
Ingredients:
1 - ½ cup honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup ale
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons anise seeds
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 quart dry bread crumbs, grated
Directions:
Over low heat in a large saucepan heat the honey until it is warm.
Add the vinegar and ale. Add ginger, anise, cinnamon.
When everything is warm add the bread crumbs and mix well.
Keep cooking until the mixture is thick yet moist.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and turn the dough out onto it.
As soon as it is cool enough to handle roll it into a log.
Once it is cool cut thin slices and serve.
Gingerbread Cake is a lovely dessert to serve after a dinner or as a snack on a cold afternoon or evening.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup dark molasses
2-1/2 cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiled water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl beat the egg until frothy then add the molasses.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
Sift together and add gradually to the egg mixture beating well.
Boil the water.
In a 4 cup measuring cup put the baking soda.
Add the boiling water and stir well.
Add to rest of ingredients and beat well.
Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 9 baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Enjoy the taste of the past.
