One of the most enjoyable aspects of my Dutch holiday was catching up with Emma's news and experiencing the Dutch way of life first hand. After a fairly lengthy walk we ended up - via a - let's check out the puppies - pet shop - at Keurslagerij - Ed Nozeman's butchers shop ( a rather upper class affair) on Hoffstraat number 9. I rustled up my minimal Dutch language and cautiously asked for two entrecote (sirloin) steaks.
"Ik wil graag drie entrecote steaks alstublieft." said I. It seemed to work and the butcher spoke back to me in Dutch. I could only assume that he was asking how thick I wanted them so I indicated a certain thickness with my fingers. This got a thumbs up sign. They cost 21.90 Euros. According to the receipt I was served by Lisane. 'U bent geholfen door Lisane.' It was interesting for me to notice that the butcher wasn't wearing whites but a smart blue-grey tunic.
I posed proudly for a photo outside the shop and we returned back to her place where we cooked the steaks along with some new potatoes and asparagus purchased at the Albert Heijn supermarket.
I also paid for the steaks and kept the receipt for reference as well as picking up one of their free magazines at the doorway. It might be in Dutch but it is a good way of learning a language. There is a three page spread promoting asperges (asparagus) with ham ideas which would take me months to fully interpret but inspiring all the same.
We also made a blue cheese sauce to go with it. As I forgot to take a photo of the meal on the day (shameful) I have made a replica meal today from a sirloin steak from my local butcher and I have made a blue cheese sauce (Stilton and crème fraiche melted on butter) to knapp over the new potatoes, the steak and the Norfolk asparagus. Yummy.
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