Here to Eat the Best Herring in Volendam

You can find Volendam fish stalls all over the country, but where can you find the best one in the village itself? I asked Miss Palingsound: Monique Smit.

As a young girl, she already had a side job at a genuine Volendam fish shop. “Of course, there are Volendam fish shops all over the country. They picked you up at six in the morning and brought you back to the village twelve or thirteen hours later. Those were pretty tough days, but also a lot of fun.”

By now, she has traded the onions and pickles for glitter and glamour and earns her money as a singer and presenter. But she certainly still enjoys a herring now and then. Where does she get it?

Fresher Than Fresh

“Here on the Dijk, at Snoek. It’s a somewhat older gentleman and his wife. They’ve been there for years and always prepare everything completely fresh right in front of you. They even slice the pickles while you watch.”

How does she like to eat her Hollandse Nieuwe best? “With onion and pickles, but preferably in pieces rather than by the tail. I know that’s officially how you’re supposed to eat it, but I’d rather keep my fingers clean.”

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