Goldilocks & the Three Bears...The Pastry Version

Most of us who grew up in the U.S. are quite familiar with the tale of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."  I can't remember what age I was when I first heard the story, but I'm sure my parents shared the tale with me as a way to teach me not to wander away.   You're probably wondering what does this have to do with my externship in Holland.  To say that I think about it nearly every day would seem peculiar, but being surrounded by Dutch conversations all day long gives me a lot of time to swim around in my own thoughts.  

So what do I think of while everyone is speaking a language that I find impossible to understand?  

I often find myself reflecting on the negative feedback the chefs have given me about my work. I know there are several aspects where I  have excelled but I always dwell on the two things I always seem to struggle with:  piping & consistency. For example, each morning I pipe swiss creme onto almond-like cakes.  In school, making small portions made it seem fairly easy to stay consistent.  However, after piping a hundred or so little portions my inconsistency is quite evident.  So this is the foundation for my version of the story.  It's Goldilocks & the Three Bears...Pastry Style:

Zwartlokje en de Drie Beren

Once upon a time Zwartlokje was a pastry student who wandered each morning into the beautiful village of Heemestede.  Just before the sun rises, she biked 4.5 miles past the sand dunes and around the round-about and often dodged deer on her way to the local bakery.   

Upon arriving, what she failed to realize was that she was not in any ordinary bakery.  The atmosphere was light hearted, and the team of patissiers were exceptionally talented, but the drie beren were not just any Chefs.   Their eye for attention to detail was exquisite and the speed at which they all worked seemed super human.   They were patient, but persistent that everything was to be perfect. 

Each morning she pulled out items to prepare.  All of them possessed difficult names to pronounce such as zwitserse room, gezoete slagroom, groene spuitzak, aardbei, and boschvruten slofs.     Now the groene spuitzak was the bain of her existence.  She had used it before, but never in a capacity like this.  Knowing that consistent piping was not her forte she set out to do the best she could.  Every morning she lined up the rondjes and the slofs so that they can be piped with zwitserse room.   She did this every morning for nearly two hours straight.

During the first weeks at the bakery, she was approached by one of the beren.  "This one has too much." So she would pipe less and then the next beren would approach and say  "This one has too little."  The game seemed endless.  She wondered if she'd ever hear one of the beren say,  "This one is just right."   When given the chance to pipe rosettes, she thought, "I've done this before and even had a compliment or two from my previous teachers. I got this..."  Yet, the moment her rosettes hit the sweet treat the drie beren were back again saying, "This one is too flat,"  or "That one is too tall" and "This one is just not right".  

With tears welling up on the inside, she wondered, "What am I doing here?  How is it that I've gotten through school and I'm just now learning that my rosettes are terrible?"  Zwartlokje worried that if everything had to be perfect every time how would she ever get to that point.  How would she ever meet the drie beren's expectations.  She feared that some of the undecipherable conversations were about her...

Zwartlokje remained determined to make her rondjes and slofs to look just like the drie beren.  After work, she stayed late to practice her rosettes in hopes hers would be "just right."  That coveted phrase was spoken rarely during the first month.  However, when it was uttered, she soaked it in and remained persistent.  

Every night on her way home she cycled in the wind and rain, through the village, around the round-about, and passed the sand dunes.  Lost deep within her thoughts she knew that with only 7 months of school she was far behind everyone else in the bakery.  They had been in this line of work since they were 15 or 16 years old.  That meant she was at least 5-10 years behind them; however, that still didn't comfort her.  She wanted to be just like them...right now. 

Each night after talking to her loved ones and reflecting on her day, she ate her dinner, sat in her cushy chair and read, and then crawled in her comfy bed.  She smiled knowing that her little place was "just right" for her.  When she closed her eyes at night she continued to dream of the day that she would be just like the drie beren. ZZZzzzzzz

In the real fairy tale, Goldilocks ran way from the three bears.  However; in this tale, Zwartlokje returned to the village each day more and more determined than the previous day. So the lesson learned is that today things may not be just right, but with practice, patience, and by believing that it's possible one day things will be "just right."  

Dutch words:  prounouciation is in parenthesis (at least thats how I think it should sound)

Zwartlokje (svart-i-lowk-ye) = I made this up, but Zwarte means black.  I might act like I've got gold locks, but I wanted my main character to have black hair like me. :0)
drie (dree)= three
beren (ber-reh) = bears
zwitserse room (swi-ser rhooom) = swiss creme (sweet whipped cream & pastry cream combined)
gezoete slagroom (hgeh-zsweet slah-rhoom) = sweetened whipped cream
groene spuitzak (hgeh-rone spowt-zahk) = green pastry bag
aardbei (arrrr-bye) = strawberry
rondje (rownd- jun) = small round almond cookie-like cake
boschvruten slofs  (bosch-vruteh slofs) = fresh berry on an oval shaped almond cookie-like cake

What is a Tompouce Roze?

Once I was settled into my new apartment, I thought it would be a good idea to bike to Tummers to make sure I did not get lost going to work on my first day.  After 40 minutes and several wrong turns I finally arrived to the bakery.  I was certainly famished from my bike ride and knew that I had burned enough calories to enjoy a dessert guilt free!  

The display case was filled with so many different types of beautiful and tempting desserts.  There were several made of chocolate, some fruity, and many of them with names I could not pronounce.  Like a moth to a light, my eye caught the pink dessert: "Tompouce Roze" .  I did not exactly know what that was, but felt that it resembled a Napoleon.  From the color and the name I thought maybe it was rose flavored.  To my dismay, I was wrong and after my first bite I remembered that "roze" is dutch for "pink".  

I was curious as to why the Dutch called this dessert by it's name.  When I asked, no one in the bakery really could explain the history so I decided to do a little research. There wasn't much information on the internet and most of my resources came from Wikipedia, which I don't find to be the most reputable source of information.  What I have gathered is that the Dutch claim that an Amsterdam baker invented the dessert and named it after Tom Thumb.  What I do know for sure is that the Tompouce Roze is one of the popular selling desserts and because of it's popularity there are few variations.   

The dessert is composed of two mille-fueille (puff pastry) layers, zwitserse cream (swiss/pastry cream), whipped cream, and a fondant topping.  I think the dessert is actually difficult to eat and one of those desserts that would be daring to eat when you're on a first date or trying to impress dinner guests.  The dutch have a saying, "Hoe eet je een tompoes?" which means "How do you eat a tompouce?".   

Notice the difference of the pastry fork tine.

I have discovered that in the Netherlands they serve pastry forks with desserts.  The difference is the left tine is actually shaped differently to help cut through the dessert.  Unfortunately, most places carry forks for right-handed people so these forks aren't for us lefties!  I thought they were cute and might have to hunt some down.   Some people choose to use these forks, others simply separate the top layer and eat the top & bottom halves individually.  Whatever method is chosen, one thing remains the same for all who eat the Tompouce Roze...it's always served with thee (tea) or koffie (coffee).  

Of all the desserts I don't know why I chose this one.  However after learning more about the Tompouce Roze, it turned out to be a very popular and traditional dessert.   As such, it was the most fitting selection for my very first dessert in Holland. Ironically enough, the first task I was given in the bakery was to help assemble the Tompouce Roze.  I couldn't help but smile knowing that the day prior I had sat and enjoyed this very dessert and now I was getting to make it for someone else to enjoy!   

Hoi uit Nederlands! (Hi from the Netherlands!)

Dear Flour Bloom readers,


I'm safely in Holland and officially settled into my place.   I knew I would have many Aha moments and Ahhhhh... moments throughout my journey.   Here are just a few that have made my first week quite exciting and memorable:

     Aha moment #1:  Dealing with cash.  I went to the supermarket the other day and made sure that I had enough cash with me for my purchase.  Somehow a 2 Euro coin fell into the deep abyss within my purse causing me to not have enough cash for a purchase.  I asked if the store took credit cards.  Nope, of course they'd only take their store card.   Unlike in America you can't tell the cashier to just take something off your transaction.  Believe, I tried and she gave me a strange look. Instead she insisted that I go to the ATM across from her register.  I did and the lady behind me was not pleased with the situation.  I didn't understand the words she said, but I don't need to know Dutch to pick up that she was definitely annoyed by me. 

   Aha moment #2:  Remembering where I put my keys...  Sounds simple right?  Even though I thought that I had placed my keys in my purse; I didn't.  I learned of my mistake after a 16 mile bike ride and with a couple bags of groceries.  When I went to pull my keys out of my purse I realized they were not there.  After dumping out all the contents into my lap I felt not a wave of panic, but I'd like to describe it as a tsunami of panic throughout my body.  Thankfully another guest had found my keys, placed them in a lockbox, and happened to be walking outside just minutes after I made my desperate call to the B&B innkeeper.   

   Aha moment #3: Detoxing from the iPhone BEFORE traveling abroad.  It has been a long time since I had to locate an address without using a navigation system or my iPhone.  I had forgotten what it was like to be lost and not really be able to ask for directions.  Not only did I get lost on my leisurely bike ride to Haarlem, but I got lost again trying to find the bakery.   To make matters more stressful, having another bike rider approach me asking for directions (in Dutch) while I'm also lost didn't make me feel any better.  I'm realizing I really need to invest in a map and possibly a compass.  Yet, knowing myself very well, I'm not so sure having either of those would really help me that much.  

     I'm usually an optimistic person.  So on one hand I've had several aha moments that I can't help but laugh at and on the other hand I've had a fair share of what I like to call ahhhhh... moments.  I define these as moments where I've felt a deep feeling of peace in spite of being in a completely unfamiliar place.

  I've never lived in a town with church bells, but I HEART the sound of church bells.  The one in the center of town rings on the hour and every half.  There is something old world and romantic about hearing them throughout the day.   Unlike in the US where cities are built along a grid, many of the towns and cities in Europe are built around around a church.  Ever since I read Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, I have had a fascination with old churches and my love for them continues.  

     My first morning in town I woke up right at sunrise and could hear the faint sound of the ocean. I truly believe, nothing...Nothing compares to living next to the beach.  I decided to toss on my running shoes and jog to the shore.  In less than 5 minutes, I couldn't believe I was looking at the North Sea and that England was on the other side.  Listening to the sea gulls caw along with the sounds of the waves hitting the shore was peaceful and a very familiar sound.  The fresh ocean air reminded of how much I missed living in Charleston.    

   On my first day in town, my friend Marit took me to the bakery.  I took one step into Tummers and completely melted. There's no doubt, bakeries simply melt me.  Everything behind the counter was perfect, beautiful, and looked delicious!   With just one look I was in love and the feeling I experienced undoubtedly confirmed I was in the right place.  

     In spite of my somewhat rocky aha moments (which I know won't be my last during this trip), the realization that a goal has become my reality is the best ahhhh moment I've had.  I know that today's achieved goal is bringing me one step closer to fulfilling my dreams.  In this first week, I have truly affirmed that I'm definitely traveling down the sweet road that last year I had hoped to be on.  

Steve Jobs said during the Stanford Commencement speech, "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.  They already know what you truly want to become..."  So that's what I'm doing the next few months.  I hope that you continue to follow me along this journey because I know it's going to get sweeter.


Love & Hugs,
Evangeline