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- - HERRING (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/herring-165779/)

I LOVE Herring...I'm going to Amsterdam this spring (and other points in the Netherlands) and I want to know where to go to gorge myself on this fine little fish! Thanks!

I agree, I could pop them down morning, noon and night. Luckily ever street corner in Amsterdam has a herring stand, we always stay on the Prinsengracht where there is a herring stand open early until late! You won't have to search hard!

Sorry - you're both wrong. The best place for herring (haring) is Sweden or Denmark - followed by some ice cold Akvavit (sp?) Magical.

Sorry, Leo, but when somebody is going to the Netherlands, the place to eat herring is in the Netherlands The question wasn't where is the best place in the world for herring. I agree with herring lover, you can't avoid the little beasts in A'dam. I hate them and found them everywhere, all over the Netherlands!

i HATE TO TELL YOU BUT THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT GOING TO aMSTERDAM OR eUROPE THAT WILL HELP YOUR HEARING. aLL THE LATEST HEARING AIDS AND DEVICES CAN BE FOUND HERE. iT MIGHT SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE HELP WE DON'T HAVE BUT IF YOU NEED HELP WITH HEARING IT CAN BE FOUND IN THE us.

So can the caps lock key. Please turn yours off.

Hey anti fish - take a valium. (S)he asked the best place to go for these little fish. I politely answered. (Not a stretch to catch a train from Amsterdam to Denmark is it?)

Sorry, my mistake. I didn't realize that for the true fish lover an eight-hour train ride for lunch is no barrier.

anti-fish - apology accepted. Plus the scandinavians don't make me want to hurl the way the dutch do when they eat these things.

You can go to any "Kraam" (vending booth) on the street. The fish is very fresh and you'll like it. You can eat it right from the stall and it will have been deboned. Also try the "gerookte aal" (smoked eel). It is very tasty and good for you. You can get raw herring from street and market stands all over the Netherlands troughout the year. Another fellow Fodorite posted that in December, however, you will get "old" herring. The season for catching fresh herring is relatively short: during only 10 weeks the herring for the whole year is caught. During this period (May/June) the herring is at its best, and the street stands will have displays "Hollandse nieuwe" to draw attention to this fact. Because the herring is shock frozen directly after the catch, quality remains reasonable until the next season. The herring you eat is not quite "raw". The fish is salted, and the fish meat is slightly fermented after a process that is called "kaken". This way of preparing herring was introduced in 1380 by Willem Beukelszoon. The use of onions with herring is not a "must". Many people say real connaisseurs eat their herring without onions. The use of onions with herring was introduced a long time ago by some smart herring sellers. It gave them the opportunity to sell some fish that in fact was too old for consumption. The onion was added to mask the smell and flavour of the "not so fresh" fish... The real traditional street snack in December is the "oliebol". It is a sort of a ball-shaped donut. During winter, you will find temporary street stands that sell these products everywhere.

What does this have to do with hearing? Did two threads get crossed?

Obviously you didn't read the post, Lincoln. The initial question was about Dutch herring (you know, it's a fish). And then some dummy started talking about hearing. Tell me Lincoln: do you think outside of the box?

A herring looks good on braids.

The best herring are the red herrings at the Sayersplatz. Eat at least five.

Juzt a word of caution about eating haring in nederlands. Many mensen are reporting cases of een tumor, aambeien, and geslachtsziekte from eating too much of thesee fishees.

Obviously you need to consult your doctor for your head. There's something wrong with your geheugen, liefje. And you really shouldn't talk of your gesclachtsziekte to everyone; you'll scare them off.

Eye Spy, would you know where the term "maatjes" originated?

I guess I shouldn't answer because I'm not Eye Spy, but I've been told that the Dutch word derives from the same Dutch root as maagden (maiden; young woman) and refers to it being young herring.

Hence "maatjes" would come from "maagdjes" ? Very interesting. Thanks, KT !