About 8 months ago I was sitting on the couch, reading over our friends blog, when I read her post about Chocolate Hagel....she was dealing with a lot of morning sickness with her 2nd son and thought---"hey why not try some hagel---it's my favorite!" Ok, so keep in mind, I was one of the "non-Dutchies" that she mentions that had no clue what this chocolate hagel was. (I married into a large Dutch family.) So I mention the post to my husband and oh my goodness.....I don't think I've seen this man get so excited reminiscing about his childhood....."HAGEL??? Oh man, mom use to put that in our lunches all the time. " he says to me. REALLY????!!!!!!
So I posted something about chocolate hagel on my Facebook account and holy cow...i don't think I've gotten so much Dutch Feedback EVER!!!
Ok---to all those "non-Dutchies" here's the break down: Chocolate Hagel ---- White bread, buttered, covered in these chocolatey sprinkles.......
Really??? This was packed in lunches???? And then!!! And then -- I'm finding out that some of my nieces and nephews eat it AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK for breakfast!!! I find it so hilarious the feedback I get whenever I post something Dutch related on Facebook --- according to my family and friends out there, chocolate hagel is NOT just a snack (which is what I consider it) but an actual meal (totally disagree..hahahaa)
A little history for you...according to Wikipedia: Dutch hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) was first invented in 1936 by Gerard de Vries for Venz, a Dutch company made popular by said treat. Hagelslag is used on bread, most of the time butter is spread out so the hagelslag does not fall off. Several letters to Venz from a five-year-old boy, H. Bakker, asking for a chocolate bread topping, inspired and prompted de Vries' development of sprinkles. After much research and venture, de Vries and Venz created the first machine to produce the tiny cylindrical treats. They were named "Hagelslag" after their resemblance to a weather phenomenon prominent in the Netherlands, hail. Only hagelslag with a cacao percentage of more than 35 can bear the name chocolat hagelslag. If the percentage is under the 35%, it has to be called cacao fantasy hagelslag.
Interesting right?
Well, back in October when I first read about this, chocolate TREAT...I decided I would purchase these sprinkles from a Dutch Bakery for my hubby for Christmas. Buuut we dont have any Dutch bakeries here in Phoenix that I could find, so I ordered them from a bakery in Michigan.
It then took me 4 months to purchase a 99 cent loaf of white bread. (I'm so against white bread in the house...lol)....So as a family we all tried out the Chocolate Hagel.....................................
.............................and well I hate to admit it, but it was actually pretty tasty!! I split an extra slice with my daughter. I'm thinking I would most compare the taste to a light and fluffy yeast doughnut.
This Dutch TREAT will probably be making a few more appearances in this Douma household...right after we fill up on our nutrients in our actual meal. hahaha
(on a sort of side note....have you ever eaten Toast with Butter sprinkled with Cinnamon & Sugar? ---ya well I think I would consider this the *American* version of Hagel - so no more making fun of the Dutch Hagel I guess?)
This is cute. Hagelslag was my staple breakfast item growing up too. I shared it with all my friends throughout my life and even today with my coworkers. I live in Tacoma, Wa and the only store we found that carries it is a chinese store in Kent called the Great Wall. There is a great Dutch Store online. Here is the link. http://www.thedutchstore.com/webstore/home.aspx?topseq=1
ReplyDeleteDo you do Chocolate Letters with Christmas than too?
Sincerely Anka
How fun!! - And no, I have not heard of the Chocolate Letters - What is that???? (I'm the Italian one married into a Dutch family)
ReplyDeleteI usually order my husbands Wilhemina Mints from a company in Michigan. I'll have to check out The Dutch Store :) Thanks Anka :)