Adrienne - fellow Fulbrighter! - and I tried herring. I think one can tell from her face that this was definitely an experience. My gastronomical courage, however, empowered me to persist!
I was tentative at first, and surprised that the fish was slimy - even though I am aware that fish are slimy. I just didn't expect THIS fish to be slimy, and cold and hard to hold.
To follow up my herring experience, I went to the next booth and got an appelbollen, an apple filled donut-ish treat, covered in sugar. A sweet reward!
During Carneval, we hosted our good friend Adam. To welcome him to our temporary home, I made traditional stammpot with rookworst. Mashed potatoes with bacon, onions, kale and a kielbasa on top - savory, warm, hearty, delicious! This is now a regular in my culinary bag o' tricks!
Stammpot is kind of what it sounds like - Stamped Pot! I even went so far as to pick up a masher at a local second-hand store. It is the original one-pot meal! Peel and cut your potatoes - because you're making mashed potatoes - and then put enough water in the pot to just cover the potatoes. Fill the rest of the pot with pre-cut (or you cut) kale, and then rest the smoked sausage on top. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer for roughly 20 minutes - or until the potatoes are cooked.
While that's doing its "thang", I saute onions and bacon pieces and minced garlic in a tablespoon (ish) of butter, and then put it aside for the next steps. Now you can open up your original pot, take out the sausage and put it aside, drain your kale and potatoes, return the veggies to the pot and mash away! After I do the first smashes with the smasher, I add the onion-bacon-deliciousness, and then continue combining. I save the cooking liquid and add back a little for moisture, plus I add ample amounts of butter. If you're a cream/milk in the potatoes fan, then go for it!
You can make a gravy if you want, or serve the sausage with mustard. The left overs the next day are bangin' when heated up in a frying pan and then served with a runny fried egg on top.... sooooo good. And hey, kinda paleo!
And of course the toumpoucen. Custard, pastry planks, and sugary frosting. No need for explanation.
Yummy!