{"id":4287,"date":"2016-05-25T17:35:40","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T17:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=4287"},"modified":"2016-05-25T17:35:40","modified_gmt":"2016-05-25T17:35:40","slug":"birthday-cake-or-birthday-pie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/birthday-cake-or-birthday-pie\/","title":{"rendered":"Birthday Cake or Birthday Pie?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Limburg, pie is king! When there is something to celebrate, pie is the one who is always present. Correction:\u00a0vlaai<\/em> is always present!<\/p>\n

Vlaai<\/em> has definitely been something that has grown on me. I used to never think of pie; now, I crave it. Perhaps it is the\u00a0slagroom-<\/em>art pies have or the fact that everytime it is someone’s birthday, I am offered a slice. Regardless of the reason:\u00a0vlaai is koning!<\/em><\/p>\n

Here are a few interesting facts about Limburgse\u00a0vlaai:<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Birthday pie<\/p>\n

In the southern-most region of the lowlands, people don’t have birthday cakes with candles and sweet inscriptions made out of frosting. Here, birthdays are celebrated with\u00a0rijstevlaai\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0abrikozenvlaai <\/em>or whatever flavor you might like. Whenever you are invited to celebrate a birthday, you are offered\u00a0vlaai<\/em> and something to drink. People happily eat their\u00a0vlaai<\/em>, leave an evenlope with money, and then head on home.<\/p>\n

If you work,\u00a0your colleagues will require you to take\u00a0vlaai<\/em> for everyone. Yes…you take your own birthday pie to work. In Limburg, where I live, people are quite demanding in regards to the quality of\u00a0vlaai<\/em>. It must be from a\u00a0bakkerij<\/em>\u00a0(never from the grocery store) and, of course, everyone has very strong opinions about which one is really the best.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Met of zonder slagroom?<\/em><\/p>\n

When you order a slice of this celebratory pastry, waiters usually ask\u00a0met\u00a0<\/em>of zonder slagroom?<\/em> If you say\u00a0met<\/em> a delicious dollop of whipped cream will accompany your\u00a0vlaai<\/em>.<\/p>\n

3. Varieties<\/p>\n

Each\u00a0bakkerij<\/em> in the Netherlands has its own variety of pie. You can find\u00a0appelvlaai<\/em> (apple pie),\u00a0abrikozenvlaai<\/em> (apricot pie),\u00a0rijstevlaai\u00a0<\/em>(rice pudding pie),\u00a0kersennvlaai<\/em> (cherry pie),\u00a0aardbeienvlaai<\/em> (strawberry pie),\u00a0appelkruimelvlaai<\/em> (apple crumb pie),\u00a0appelnotenvlaai<\/em> (apple and nuts pie),\u00a0roomvlaai\u00a0<\/em>(cream pie), etc. All these and more (I am sure I missed a lot) have their own variations whether it is the way the fruit is displayed or if it has\u00a0slagroom<\/em> or\u00a0kruimelen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

My favorite is abrikozenvlaai<\/em> zonder slaagroom en zonder kruimelen.\u00a0<\/em>Which\u00a0vlaai<\/em> is your favorite?<\/p>\n

The following video gives a brief history of the\u00a0limburgse vlaai<\/em><\/p>\n