Olé! ‘Bitterballen with drinks’ officially recognized as intangible cultural heritage
There was already some delightful news for the bitterbal and all its fans recently. The Netherlands’ most popular drinks snack got its own holiday: National Bitterballen Day. But less than a month later, it’s party time again: the convivial little ball has made it onto the list of new intangible cultural heritage of the Netherlands.
Bitterballen queen
The driving force behind all this is Ilona de Wit, known on Instagram as the ‘bitterballen queen’. Ilona was amazed when she discovered that there was no National Bitterballen Day yet, rebelled in snack-related fashion, and from then on we all celebrate the day of the bitterbal, as we did recently on 27 March. But Ilona is someone who gets things done, and in the wake of Bitterballen Day she immediately submitted an application to have the bitterbal registered as intangible cultural heritage with the Knowledge Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage Netherlands. Ilona: “In the Netherlands, we find it completely normal to order a portion of bitterballen, but they are part of a typically Dutch drinks culture.”
Bitterbal across the border
According to Ilona, the bitterbal has a status all of its own when spending time with family, friends or colleagues. “In no other country is there a drinks culture where people enjoy drinks with bitterballen. Bitterballen are eaten in other countries with Dutch influences, though. In Belgium, bitterballen are mainly ordered at the chip shop and usually aren’t on the menu in cafés. Bitterballen can also be found in Indonesia, but they are mainly eaten there by Dutch expats.”
A sense of identity
And it is precisely that aspect of identity that has led to the bitterbal being designated intangible cultural heritage. Because this kind of intangible cultural heritage is about ‘cultural expressions that are experienced as heritage by heritage communities and give them a sense of identity and continuity. This intangible cultural heritage is continually reshaped in connection with social changes and in interaction with the social environment, and passed down from generation to generation’, according to the Knowledge Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage Netherlands.
Little ball, little beer
All perfectly understandable, if you ask me. Because a too-hot, greasy, crispy bitterbal with a cold beer turns any drinks gathering into a party. Chairs in a circle (has that actually already joined the club of intangible cultural heritage of the Netherlands?) and then having a good argument over that last ball. Because this remains an annoying issue: the number of bitterballen on a terrace never equals the number of people.
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