The picture above is of herring. Yup, raw herring.
Raw.
They make it fancy (or perhaps attempt to disguise it) by sprinkling onions all over the top. It's nice, because you can't quite see the herring underneath. It comes already cut into 5 pieces, and a toothpick is provided for easier eating. I recommend just plunging right in. There's no sense messing around with a small bite, or a nibble, or smelling it first. Just dive right in. Stab a piece of that herring, make sure it's smothered in onions, tip your head back real far, and drop that herring in there.
Chew.
Keep chewing.
It'll only get worse, but do it anyway.
The flavor isn't great. It's not salty, but instead just fishy. The onions don't help - instead, it's as if they aren't even there. It's not pickled, or smoked, (I read that it's salted, but you can't tell)...it's just raw fish. The texture is the worst part. It's not quite slimy...but it feels extra moist and slightly sticky, but with a rubbery, stick-to-your-teeth kind of feeling. Keep chewing; it'll be gone eventually.
The pickle is the saving grace of the entire dish. It allows for a slight reprieve after all the chewing. It's a chance to cleanse your mouth of both the feel and the taste of the raw herring.
Next time you find yourself in Holland, I suggest skipping the herring. Instead, just read my post about what it was like and save yourself a few euro. :-)
Join me in my next blog to discover what Oorlog Fries are and see how they compare to raw herring.
As always, this picture was taken by me, and used with my own permission.
