Amsterdam
 

Where's a good place in Amsterdam to buy authentic Delft? Also, how hot/spicy is Indonesian food? I'd like to try it but my GI system doesn't do well with really hot food.

It depends on your personal preference
when it comes to Indonesian food. It can be very hot and spicy, but you can always have it prepared mild. My whole family loves indonesian food, but I personally think it has too much concentrated flavor, if that makes any sense to you !

Indonesian food has both spicy and mild type of dishes. My mother is Indonesian, so I grew up eating a lot of authentic Indonesian meals, and I don't tolerate spicy food too well. We use a lot of coconut milk and exotic spices in which give it its authentic flavoring. You should try some of the more popular Indonesian dishes like satays (chicken kabob with peanut sauce), gado gado (salad with peanut sauce) nasi goreng (fried rice), or bakmi goreng (fried noodle). Try their appetizers: fried tofu or tempeh, all very scrumptious. The rice table is also a good idea since it almost presents you with a few type of dishes and their condiments. Avoid anything on the menu with "Sambal" on it (hot sauce) or "pedas" (Spicy). Have a wonderful time, I wish I were going with you! :)

It is not difficult to get from A'dam to the small city of Delft - you might want to consider a day trip there (really half day would be enough). There are many shops there selling the Delftware and also you can see it being made. Plus Dleft is a charming small town to wander around in. But if that is not an option maybe check out a shopping section of a tour book (like Fodors) or ask someone who works at your A'dam hotel where to buy the Delftware there.

If you just want a piece or two, the airport actually has some nice, authentic Delft pieces and, as mentioned, many shops in Amsterdam carry it also. Not to dissuade you from visiting Delft if you plan to do some serious shopping.

As the above posters have suggested, where better to buy authentic Delft than from Delft itself!

The piece would carry much more significance for you.

Hi.

It is true that various Indonesian foods may be very spicy, but one should exercise the greatest caution when adding the oils that are often on the table as condiments.

"Hot" is a laughably weak word when tryng to describe the hellish intensity of these oleaginous temptations.

Comedienne Rita Rudner got it right when describing her first experience with wasabi which she thought was guacamole. Upon consuming a most imprudent amount of the green paste, she said she could see her own nostrils.

Indonesian oils are kinda like that.

Galleria d'Arte Rinascimento, Prinsengracht 170, AMS has an excellent collection of high quality delftware and antique pieces. Visit the website at: www.delft-art-gallery.com. There is a vast difference between good quality delftware and the stuff sold at most tourist shops in Amsterdam, and indeed in most of the shops in Delft itself. I am certainly no expert here, but the collection at the above store is impressive, and they wrap your purchases beautifully and will ship them if need be. As for Indonesian food, if you are thinking of the rijs tafel, for example, the traditional meal with rice and lots of meat and vegetable dishes on a hotplate, the dishes range from mild to so hot your mouth will burn. But when you order it, you can ask for less spicy, or request only the mild dishes in a larger quantity.

We usually order the smallest version, which will have 2 kinds of rices, and about 8-10 small dishes of meats, vegs, in sauces... they arrange them in order of "heat" and advise you to eat them in that order. So, you can stop when you want to - no way to eat all the food anyway! As mentioned above, don't add any oils or 'side' spices and you should be fine. The food is absolutely delicious.