There are about 10.000 words in American English with roots in the Dutch language. And one of those is COOKIE. It comes from the Dutch word KOEKje, brought by the Dutch colonists in the 17th century.
It is a reason enough for me to start a series about the cookies of the Dutch cities ( I already have a collection of stories). The first one I introduce to you is the cookie of the city of Leiden (a city very connected with the story of the Mayflower).
The recipe for the LEISDCHE KOEK appeared somewhere around 1602. I don’t know for how long was the cookie on the market, but it reappeared in 2022, thanks to the young Olivier.
He and his sister stumbled over the recipe in a bakery museum, the Nederlands Bakkerijmuseum Hattem. It was accompanied by the following text ( a rough translation of the old Dutch language):
“Those are flat, round things, which we call the “scum heads”. They’re with butter, sugar and powdered with cinnamon. You never paid a better price and never better eaten.”
In the beginning, the cookie was called ‘Leidse Kanteling’. The recipe has been transformed over the years into the well-known kletskop. The name refers to a nickname for the people of Leiden derived from ‘sore heads’ caused by a skin disease common in small children. In the 18th century, Belgian and French pâtissiers copied the recipe as the basis for the famous tuilles.
Olivier took the old cookie recipe and dressed it in a modern jacket. Well, as a matter of fact he filled with chocolate the old jacket, that carries Leiden’s coat of arms: two crossed keys the attributes of Saint Peter. (The church with his name is not very far from Olivier’s shop)
He makes everyday fresh dough for his cookies, which are better served warm. You may keep it in the fridge for about three days, but after that you better place it in the freezer.
Olivier welcomes his customers in his floating happy shop with a big smile on his face. He is happy to tell his story and I was thankful! The cookies are delicious, by the way! 2 euros per piece. You will find the small cozy shop on Blauwpoortshaven 7.