“46 minutes by car, 57 minutes by train, 46 minutes if you hitchhike (seriously google maps!?), an hour and 47 minutes by bicycle, 7 hours if you walk …
De Vuursche Boer Pannenkoekenhuis which translates to, “The Fiery Farmer” Pancake House in Lage Vuursche, Netherlands is sketched out of a storybook! “Over the river and through the woods, to Grandpa’s house we go…”
Actually, I don’t have time for “Opa,” today, I’m on my bike and 3km from completing my 35km cycle from Amsterdam to eat. Yeah I know, who the f&%@ cycles almost 70km (44 miles, round trip) to get some pancakes!?
This FAT KID DOES!
Channelling my inner Daft Punk, “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”, I cycle down the tree-lined, etched-out soil path of an enchanting forest that is straight out of a Bob Ross painting. Greens and browns, “let’s build some happy little trees.” I pull up, almost jumping off my bike as if the seat was on fire.
No bike lock, it falls to the ground, while I push through children and old women to get a seat. The menu has soups and sandwiches, coffee and teas, beer and wines, and of course sweet pancakes. But I’m looking for one thing and one thing only! Words elude me as the server walks over...
“Wat wil je drinken?”, I respond, “Pancakes!” "Lekker weertje vandaag, he?", I respond, “Pancakes!” Feeling like the “Rain Man” of pancakes, words re-enter my vocabulary, “Voor mij, Ardennerspek en Kaas [speck and cheese], alsjeblieft!”
FUN FACT: Pannenkoeken are usually larger (up to a foot in diameter) and much thinner than their American counterparts. They are pan-fried in butter and made from flour, milk, salt and eggs. Heerlijk! “Spek”, if you didn’t know, is like bacon but better. Better than bacon!? YES! Better than bacon…
Jittery leg syndrome setting in, looking over my shoulder and daydreaming about pancakes, I glare at the waitress as she walks towards the table in what appears to be slow motion, praying nothing stops her progress.. Someone choking, whatever! Crying baby, shut up!
I look down and wipe away a tear as I see my pancake looking back at me. “Hello, beautiful!”
Each bite better than the next, crispy, salty, pan-fried spek is placed geographically like crop circles around the pancake. Topped with traditional Old Dutch cheese, the matrimony of butter, crispy, salty, cheesy, ooey gooey ingredients give you that fusion you look for in a long-term relationship!
But wait... there’s more! Schenkstroop a.k.a some kind of wonderful sweet syrup can be drizzled on top to give your pannenkoek that sweet ‘n salty explosion you’ve been longing for!
Sadness starts to come over me as I take my last bite. Maybe it’s because the pannenkoek is gone so quickly, maybe it’s that I now have to cycle 35km home. Whatever, I don’t care. It’s worth it.
Would you cycle for 70km for pancakes? Where do you like to eat pancakes? Let us know & comment below!