Erwtensoep, called snert when thick enough for a spoon to stand in it, is Amsterdam's winter green-pea soup, stewed with smoked sausage, pork belly, leek, celeriac and carrot until the texture clings.
Where to eat it: 5 restaurants across 2 cities.
Erwtensoep is one of the oldest Dutch peasant dishes, recorded in cookbooks back to the 16th century. The Amsterdam test is whether your spoon stands upright in the bowl; if it does, it qualifies as snert. The traditional service is with rookworst smoked sausage sliced on top, slices of katenspek (smoked pork belly) on the side, and roggebrood (rye bread) to mop up. Moeders on Rozengracht runs the canonical version through winter.
Common allergens: Gluten, Celery
Tip from the editors. Real erwtensoep should coat the back of a spoon heavily; if too thin, simmer uncovered for 20 more minutes. The next day it will set solid in the fridge.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Moeders on Rozengracht is the room for Dutch stamppot, erwtensoep and the other home-mother dishes, the walls covered in photos of mothers customers contributed.
Signature: Stamppot, Erwtensoep, Boerenkool
Order: The stamppot of the week with rookworst sausage and braised pork.
Tip: Bring a photo of your mother for the wall. Reservation strongly advised.
Café Hoppe on Spui has poured Amsterdam jenever and beer since 1670, the brown cafe with the dark-wood interior and the stand-at-the-bar after-work crowd.
Signature drink: Jenever, Dutch pilsner on tap
Food: Bitterballen, cheese, bar snacks
Utrecht's organic farmers market on Vredenburgplein every Friday. Local farmers sell cheese, organic produce, bread, juices, meat and sustainable fish.
Historic brown cafe on the Tolsteegplein open to 02:00 on weekends. Forty Dutch and Belgian beers, bitterballen and a legendary local atmosphere.
Try: Bitterballen and Dutch bar snacks
Utrecht's original city brewery taproom on the Paardenveld. A bitterballen plank with a pint of the house Bisschop amber ale costs under €12 at the bar.
Try: Bitterballen plank with a pint of Bisschop amber ale
More cities are in research. Want erwtensoep (dutch split pea soup) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.