winterdepression or gezelligheids sessions...

Its dark when you get up and go to work, its dark when you come home after a day working.... I'm not a big fan of these times.

We dutch people did figger out a way to make it a little easier to abide...

We have "gezelligheid" here, a not translatable word that stands for a atmosphere I guess. A very warm and cosy one.

So in these dark times, it is probably the best time to experience the dutch "gezelligheid". Christmas and New years are one of the best times, and "sinterklaas" of course, that old guy from Spain that brings us gifts every 5Th of December. (in the picture, mr Sinterklaas en his fellows the "zwarte pieten" (Black Peets....I know, its not as bad as it sounds...).

Anyways, as nice as it can be here in the winter besides the cold and lots of wind and rain, I like the summer better. I miss getting up because of the sunlight touching your face, and when you get out of bed you feel her warmth. I cant wait for those days when Ill get on my bike to work and not minding all the people in the train, there will be more space in the train to.... We wear enormous cotes here in Holland. At least I think so, and no one takes them of in the train, so we all sit to squashed together. In the summer though, when its warm, everyone feels better (its a fact!) and we don't wear those ridiculous big cotes, so we have more space in the train, and can move our self to different places without looking like a penguin!!!!

But than again, when I come home, and light my candles, turn on the heater, make my self some food, and sit on my enormous sofa, with my friend and my new fish (that I still have to buy...)....

I guess its not that bad at all.

I love being gezellig!!!!

So, if you ever have a winter depression give me a call, and Ill invite you over for "erwtensoup" and learn you how the real dutch gezelligheid works! :D

See the how to make SNERT (the soup) below!

Dutch Pea Soup ( the real one: snert)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Split Peas10 cups of water1 pork hock (part of leg)1 to 2 bay leaves2 leeks, cut in pieces2 celery hearts, cut in pieces1 potato, peeled and diced12 oz. bratwurst or smoked sausage1 cup of selery leaves1 onion, cut in piecessalt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
Wash and rinse the split peas and put them in a pot with the water.Add the pork hock, the bay leaves, the onion, and the salt to the pot.Cook this for about an hour and a half, while stirring from time to time.Add the cut vegetables and cook for another 30 minutes. Add the whole sausage at this point as well.Now take out the meat, remove the skin and dice the meat into small pieces and add back to the soup. Cut the sausage into slices and add back to the soup.
Note: Pork hock can be replaced by pork ribs or pork chops, or even salt porkIf you add salted meats to the soup, be careful not to add too much additional salt.This soup is often served with German style rye bread.

See glossary for recipe ingredients you're not familiar with.
Serves 8 10.