Advocaat

Dutch Delight: Advocaat with whipped cream

EM periodically tests typical Dutch foods with help of international students under the name of ‘Dutch Delight’. This edition, Research Master student in Sociology of Culture, Media and the Arts Triinu Lukas (24) from Estonia tries advocaat. The product

Advocaat is a liquor made of eggs, brandy and sugar. It’s a thick yellow, custard-like liquid, traditionally eaten with whipped cream on top. It’s also possible to include it in desserts of all sorts. This thick form of advocaat is mostly eaten in the Netherlands and Belgium, but also in Austria and Germany. It is known to be served in retirement homes and is very popular among people over seventy years old. You can find it in the wine section of any Dutch supermarket.

The review

When I told Triinu she was going to taste advocaat, she immediately recognized it: “I know this! I saw it when I just arrived in the Netherlands, and it looked so weird that I had to buy it.” Even though she did try it before, this time I present it to her with some whipped cream on top.

Aesthetically, advocaat does not score very high in Triinu’s eyes: “It looks very interesting, a bit like the slime stuff you play with as a kid.” She does note that as long as it contains alcohol, she is willing to try anything. After a few spoons, she is quite positive: “It’s really extraordinary that you eat alcohol, and it tastes a bit like tiramisu.”

Would she recommend it? “Yes, it’s not bad. It’s not the best thing I have ever tried, but the experience is very good. And weird.” IS

Score: 3 out of 5

1= I flushed it down the toilet

2= If you bought it anyway, eat it, why not?

3= Quite nice actually

4= Really good food

5= Best food I’ve ever tasted