{"id":1095,"date":"2013-01-04T00:06:53","date_gmt":"2013-01-03T16:06:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stuif.com\/blog\/?p=1095"},"modified":"2013-01-04T00:06:53","modified_gmt":"2013-01-03T16:06:53","slug":"new-years-eve-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stuif.com\/blog\/?p=1095","title":{"rendered":"New Year’s Eve 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

My plan to celebrate New Year’ Eve (Oud en Nieuw, as we call it in Dutch) with my sister Lous and her husband Arend in Valkkoog, almost failed because I did not feel very well. A running nose, a bad cough and a sore throat, apparently I can no longer handle the Dutch climate…:-(<\/p>\n

But I was looking forward to meet my only sister, and she had promised that she would prepare oliebollen\u00a0 <\/a>! These oliebollen (oily balls) are a very Dutch delicacy, I had not tasted them for years. So I decided to brave the weather.<\/p>\n

Of course there was still a Christmas tree in the house. Often Christmas trees are thrown away after New Year, but last year Lous and Arend had placed the old one (still with roots in a pot) in their garden. Preparing to buy a new one, she had inspected the old one and found it still in good shape. So in the picture you see the second life of a real Christmas tree. Many birds in their garden, like this Great Tit.<\/p>\n

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After we had lunch, Lous and Arend started the preparations for the oliebollen. The dough is simple to make with lots of raisins and currants. It has to rise for at least one hour. In the meantime a pan with oil is heated. Then comes the moment to fry the balls, using two spoons. The dough has to be neither too thin nor too thick, the temperature of the oil has to be just right, etc, so it is always exciting to see how they come out. Is the shape round, are the balls not too dry or moist inside, etc.<\/p>\n

Well, in this case they were perfect. You cover them with powdered sugar before eating. Another variety is the appelflap, a slice of apple, dipped in batter, then fried in oil. Also very tasty.<\/p>\n\n\t\t