Market Day

Today was Market Day in Bussum and I wanted to share a bit about the experience of shopping in the market. It has become an important part of my weekly routine.

For a little context, markets vary by city, and there is some crossover in vendors in particular regions, but every market has its own flavor and even the vendors that crossover have different products depending on the community.

We have experienced the markets in Huizen (where we first stayed), Bussum (where we live), Hilversum (which is a major city just down the road), Utrecht Central (one of many in the large city) and I have also happened on markets outside our region in Zandvoort, Amersfoort, Almere, Amstelveen and Noordwijk. For the larger cities there are multiple days with markets, though each has a little different focus.?

While it would be easy to compare the market to a Farmer’s Market, it is really a whole different experience. Of course there is access to fresh produce, but there is so much more.

There are some types of stands that seem pretty consistent. A butcher, fish stall and a chicken only butcher. There will be cheese stands, bakeries and, of course, produce stands. But there will also be a coffee stall (for fresh coffee, not necessarily to purchase beans, though I did find one in Zandvoort that sold their own roasted beans.) There will likely be a snoep (candy) stall, flower stands and fresh eggs. There is a root vegetable specialist (onions, potatoes, garlic, etc.) There will also be at least one wurst stand, with a variety of types of sausages.

One of my favorite stands is the fresh nut shop which has a variety of nuts and nut mixes, dried fruits, crackers and other goodies. We always get fresh macadamia nut mix, and I have recently added sugared ginger pieces to our weekly visit.

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I have noticed that there are generally at least two of most of these types of stands – meaning you are covered if the stall you usually patronize is not there. But it is fascinating that even a market in smaller towns will have multiple bakeries, fish stands, cheese stands and flower stalls. Sometimes they are even under the same brand name, just run by different individuals. The best I can figure is it is like franchises, but don’t quote me on that. Some of the stands are local vendors who have brick and mortar shops, but close those to be at the market. Some are more regional vendors that travel from city-to-city for the different market days.

Beyond the raw food products, you will also find a loempia stand that will offer a variety of flavors, including vegetarian. A frites stand, of course, that will also offer other Dutch snacks such as bitterballen (a Dutch meat-based snack of fried thick stew), kibbeling (battered chunks of fish served with a garlic mayo sauce) or other snacks. I will note that often the fish and chicken stands will also have hot options available for immediate eating as well. Larger markets will have additional hot food stands – I have seen hot dogs, burgers, Indonesian and more.

One of the most important stalls is the stroopwafel one, where they will be making fresh oversized stroopwafels. Forget what you have seen on the socials, stroopwafels should not be coated with tons of extra toppings and cost a ton- those are for the tourists. Stroopwafels should be basic very thin waffles with a layer of fresh syrup melted in between them. The stand will also sell packets of stroopwafels, suiker wafels (Belgian waffles with a coating of sugar) and “pieces” which are bags filled with broken stroopwafel parts. Those seem to be a favorite with kids at the market.

There are also often pre-made food options. I often buy fresh pita, hummus, falafel, olives, herbed feta spread and more from our market. Recently a new stall popped up in Bussum, with Turkish bread and spreads. The Turkish bread is amazing and fluffy. I really miss the “Pieman,” who has stopped attending our market. They had mini savory pies. While they had a variety of options that you could purchase and take home to bake, I discovered their spinach feta pie with raisins (I know!), and they were favorites of ours. I believe they are at one of the area markets, so now that the weather is turning, I will for sure head to another market to get a supply of these pies (unless, fingers crossed, they come back now that it is fall!).

In addition to all of these stalls, you will also find clothing stands including new and second-hand clothing for men and women, purses, fabric stalls and notions stands. There will also likely be a stand that sells pillows, duvets and blankets. We even have a sock shop at our market.

There is an animal stand that has treats and goods for pets and wildlife. Our market has a card stand, where a gentleman sells a large variety of greeting cards. And there is what I would best describe as a “deal” table that has a variety of basic hygiene items like toothpaste and shampoo. ?And of course, there is a bike stand that sells all the accessories you could ever want for your bike.

And all of this is separate from the specialty markets. For instance, Utrecht has a separate flower market during the summer months, and other cities have their own specialty markets.

Overall, the market serves as the core for my weekly shopping. I buy nuts, bread, flowers, eggs, meal items, fish and tons of fruits and vegetables. I supplement this with trips to the grocery store for the items that are not available at the market including shelf-stable items, non-cheese dairy items (yogurt and milk) and cereal.?

And the markets are year-round. We have now been through almost a full-year with our local market. And while there is some weekly shifting in who is there, it is pretty consistent. And usually, even if one bakery stall is not there, for example, the other one is, so products are still available. There is one exception and that is the month of August. The market was a little sparse during August holidays, in fact, that is the only time I opted to skip a few weeks since I could not get what I needed.

The market does not seem to be a universal part of Dutch life as I have friends who consider them more quaint experiences, though that may depend on the size of your community and how accessible the market is depending on your schedule. But for me, it has been a standing part of my week. Especially now that I can bike to the market, pack my panniers with my purchases and be home in less time that a regular grocery trip used to take me in the U.S.

One of the most important things for us in moving here was actually being part of and spending money with our local community. The market is an easy way to do that. And because of the nature of the interactions – fairly short and consistent – it has been a great way for me to work on my Dutch. I was so excited the day that my interaction with the nut stand went from placing my order to me being able to complement them on their new, bigger stand.

I know large markets are not uncommon in bigger U.S. cities, but those tend to be in dedicated buildings with a full infrastructure. The markets here are set up and torn down in the same day. By this evening, there will not be a trace of our market if I walk back to town.?

For me, coming from the Midwest, we had a weekly Farmer’s Market during certain months (though that is expanding), but it is nothing like what I experience here. And while I sometimes feel like the market day dictates my week, or I grumble about having to go (which is always my choice!), once I get there, I am energized and excited. Seeing all of the amazing products gives me a little burst of energy and makes the rest of the day and week go better. And for that, I am very grateful.