Griesmeelpudding

Dutch Delight: Griesmeelpudding

EM periodically tests typical Dutch foods with help of international students under the name of ‘Dutch Delight’. This edition, Russian IBA student Veronika Kartovenko (21) tries griesmeelpudding.

The product

Griesmeel (semolina) is flour-like product that can be made from a variety of different grains. In the Netherlands, it is made of wheat. Griesmeel is commonly made into a porridge (griesmeelpap) or pudding (griesmeelpudding). Griesmeelpudding is sweetened, and often served with redcurrant sauce. Both kinds are seen as ‘typically Dutch’ desserts, even though other countries have similar dishes made of griesmeel. In Scandinavia for instance, it is often combined with almonds and berries.

The review

“Oh, I’ve had this before, I love it!” Veronika says, “I like the whole procedure of opening it, turning it around… the first time I had it I didn’t know you should do it like that, so I just ate it out of the plastic cup.” Veronika says she has this dessert quite often, because it’s one of her favourites. Even though she’s not really sure what ‘gries’, or semolina, is actually made of, she likes it a lot: “I also like griesmeelpap, the porridge version. But I like this pudding more because it’s so cute, it looks pretty with the sauce on top and you really feel like you’re having a proper dessert.”