Exploring Amsterdam’s ‘Nine Streets’
I’m not a big souvenir person. My souvenirs have always been the pictures I take or the occasional piece of jewelry or cool scarf.
It’s harder than ever to find a product unique to its country these days — and I don’t want to end up with something I can find on junk-clogged Canal Street in Manhattan.
To be sure, that doesn’t mean I don’t like to shop. Since my last visit to “the Venice of the North,” many of the unique antique shops in the Spiegelkwartier, with soon-to-reopen Rijksmuseum as a backdrop, had closed. Still, the area is lovely, with cool art galleries, a cute toy shop, and cozy cafes. You can also walk to nearby Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat for that Fifth-Avenue feel, with high-end shops like Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
The Rijksmuseum will reopen on April 13 after a 10-year hiatus. (Photograph by Marco Tardiola, Flickr)
But for that true taste of A’dam, head to “De 9 Straatjes.” Three major canals (Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht) divide the Central Canal district into nine little streets that are big on personality. While the more casual shopper may breeze through in an hour or two, serious shoppers can spend an entire day (or more) exploring the quaint boutiques and eateries — all with signature Dutch style – down each lane. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, be sure to bring your camera because the views are phenomenal.
Here’s my guide to must-sees along Amsterdam’s “De 9 Straatjes”:
1. Reestraat: Noa Lifestyle carries a beautifully curated collection of clothes and jewelry from one of my favorite designers, gorjana. For a great hot or cold sandwich, pick from among five dozen choices at Hartenkaas. If you’re looking for something different, try Nooch for a great al fresco meal or stop by Tin Pan Alley for quality coffee and live music.
2. Hartenstraat: At Eddy’s Prints (Hartenstraat 30), you’ll find colorful lino prints at great prices, while Dutch designer Hester van Eeghen sells a different kind of art: bright, intriguing handbags and accessories (she also has a second boutique that sells shoes with her signature geometric flair right down the street). Browse books on graphic design, photography, and contemporary art at Joot, take an espresso break at Screaming Beans, and satisfy your craving for Indian cuisine in a sophisticated space at Purna.
3. Gasthuismolensteeg: You can pick up perfect baby booties as a gift at Antonia by Yvette, but don’t forget to nab a pair of colorful pumps or leather boots for yourself. The housemade pastrami at ‘t Kuyltje rivals what you’d find at the best New York delis, as does the smoked salmon and bacon. It’s a cabinet of curiosities at Nic Nic, with vintage clothing (think lace collars and flowery dresses) and a variety of pottery and art deco items.
“The Darling” on Runstraat has it all. (Photograph by Annie Fitzsimmons)
4. Oude Spiegelstraat: On this very short street, you can pop into Simone to give your hair a boost or stop by Rika to pick up a chic studded handbag or a sexy leather jacket. But for a true taste of local living, book one of the two rooms above the shop.
5. Wolvenstraat: A great casual breakfast (and fantastic people-watching) can be had at Cafe Wheels. After that, dress up in sleek Scandinavian clothes at Filippa K and pay a visit to Scotch & Soda for a glimpse of the brand’s unique line for kids.
6. Berenstraat: If I had to pick a favorite street based on looks alone, Berenstraat would be it. Find fab books on fashion and architecture at Mendo, get wrapped up in noodle heaven at Thai Fusion, or try Mokka for an afternoon snack (it’s only open during the day).
7. Runstraat: While I will never lug a lamp home from Amsterdam, I was tempted at ‘t Runnertje. The street also boasts double-decker beauty emporium Skins Cosmetics (Runstraat 11), a shop dedicated to all things dental care, and De Kaaskamer, one of the greatest cheese shops in the world (they’ll shrink wrap for the plane ride home!). If you’re pressed for time, find coffee, cupcakes, and clothes in one-stop-shop The Darling.
8. Huidenstraat: Stop by Cafe de Pels to soak up some of their creative spirit and take in the walls full of funky art. Head to Pompadour Bakery just down the street to enjoy a mid-afternoon sweet treat in a dreamy space or create your own personalized jewelry at Beadies.
9. Wijde Heisteeg: On the shortest street of them all, you’ll find the goldsmith Wigmans, Lef, a tiny cafe that sells smoothies and sandwiches, and, last but not least, Emaille.nl, which has been making original signs for more than 40 years.
Great Scotch!
It was the only tasting I have ever attended where half the participants carried weapons. They wore dirks — daggers — either on their belts or thrust into the tops of their knee-length stockings. “This is a sgian dubh,” said the man next to me, drawing his dagger and placing it on the table. “It means ‘black knife’ in Gaelic. The blade was blackened by the peat smoke, you know.”
He was a ghillie laird. Don’t ask me exactly what a ghillie laird is, but he and others belonged to a club devoted to tasting single-malt scotches and they had gathered to sample three vintages from the Macallan distillery. If you think this a casual enterprise then try to pronounce the club’s name, Cuideagh o’ Corn o’ Uisghebeathe (roughly, “tasters of the water of life”).
The ghillie laird had more to tell me, but the bagpipes got in the way. He stood up, smoothed his kilt, and went off for a chunk of smoked salmon. I ate another oatcake to mop off my taste buds, concentrating on the task at hand: evaluating the heady peats before me while keeping a clear head.
The whisky industry is no longer in precipitous decline and sales of single-malt scotch have romped for a couple of decades now. Its popularity reflects the heightened awareness of quality among drinkers of everything from tequila to cognac — and a willingness to pay for it.
The Glenmorangie distillery was founded in 1843. (Photograph by Sandy Buchanan, Flickr)
“Single-malt,” as virtually everyone knows these days, simply means the whisky that comes from a single producer. The process enjoys more latitude than you might think, and the results, though they all taste like scotch, are as various as the components: malted barley, peat smoke, in some cases old sherry or bourbon casks, good water, and a certain je ne sais quoi.
According to one Cuideagh o’ Corn o’ Uisghebeathe enthusiast, when the Japanese attempted to assemble their own “scotch” over there, with ingredients – including water — imported from Scotland, they roundly failed.
There are more than a hundred scotch distilleries in Scotland, most of them tiny. The scotch Americans are most familiar with is blended, and comes mostly from the Lowlands. They’re lighter in appearance than single malts, sometimes with caramel color dumped in to make them look “authentic,” and generally taste more or less the same.
On the other hand, single malts, which come from the Highlands and Scotland’s west coast, are highly individualistic. Devotees collect vintages of single malts, and trade them like well-ranked Bordeaux.
Scotch is made from barley that has been germinated in water, kiln-roasted, and subjected to peat smoke in varying degrees. It’s then “mashed” and soaked in water again to liquefy the starches and convert them to sugar, and fermented like beer or wine. The resulting brew goes into a pot still that eventually produces a clear spirit of about 140 proof. Later, spring water is added. The whisky will already bear the taste of the cooking and the peat.
But another palatable element is yet to come – oak — which adds more taste and color. Traditionally scotch was aged in casks that had been used to ship sherry, yielding a lovely symbiosis. The advent of tankers for bulk shipment made sherry casks rarer and more costly, so most scotch found its way into old bourbon barrels brought over from the States. These became the most common cooperage for scotch, but some of the good single-malt distillers still use sherry casks. Producers like Macallan made arrangements with Spanish sherry houses that supply them with staves imbued with the taste of Amontillado and Oloroso.
Which brings me back to the glasses lined up before me. In addition to the three Macallan vintages — aged 12, 18, and 25 years — a fourth glass contains a 10-year-old Glenmorangie, one of Scotland’s most popular single malts.
I learned that the way to smell any strong spirit is to pass the glass under your nose twice at most. The Macallans were “lightly peated” and lacked the oily quality of heavier single malts made in the west of Scotland, which I discovered on a trip to the inner Hebrides and will write about another time.
Single malts produced by Lagavulin and Laphroaig, neighbor distilleries on the isle of Islay (pronounced “Eye-lay”), smell vaguely of tea and iodine derived from the vast ocean on their doorsteps. The older ones are a deep amber, with a sweetish, complex nose. A more lightly peated — and less expensive — single-malt from Islay is Bowmore.
Finally, single malts taste better with a dollop of (un-chlorinated!) water. And forget about an ice cube if you find yourself in the presence of a single-malt partisan wearing a sgian dubh.
Great Scotch! Bowmore , Cuideagh o’ Corn o’ Uisghebeathe , Glenmorangie , Islay , James Conaway , Lagavulin , Laphroaig , Macallan , Scotch , scotland , single malt , whiskey , whisky
How to Drink Whisky
It smelled like bacon.
I was afraid to say it out loud, though—I doubt any real food and drink connoisseurs compare the smell of some grand old Scotch to an everyday pork product, but that’s what my nose captured.
In the heart of Edinburgh, in a room walled with brass- and bronze-colored bottles, I sniffed more and more whisky and soon captured a whole rainbow of aromas: cloves, apples, vanilla, sage and strawberries. And that smokiness I smelled as bacon? That comes from the Scottish peat they burn when heating the mix.
Not everyone loves whisky, but as alcohol goes, this bright and golden drink offers a rich taste of the land from whence it comes. Real Scotch Whisky is made with malted barley and pure Scottish water, and to qualify as Scotch, it must be aged for a minimum of three years on Scottish soil.
The range of personality in Scotch is so fascinating and explains why 90% of whisky is sold in blends as opposed to single malt (Glenfiddich is the world’s largest seller of single malt Scotch in the world).
Today, there are 107 different whisky distilleries in Scotland today and none of them make the same product. Like good wine or cheese, the individual peculiarities of Scotch bring out a thousand subjective qualities in every sip. In order to understand those differences, I spent the afternoon in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, practically bathing in whisky.
Though I am an unseasoned traveler in the world of whisky, I sought the help of a professional guide—Angela Kier, the Deputy General Manager of the Scotch Whisky Experience. Angela grew up with Scotch, surrounded by distilleries and the culture of drinking Scotch in Scotland. After showing me the world’s largest collection of Scotch Whisky (3,384 bottles), she taught me how to drink Scotch in these five easy steps:
1. LOOK See the color of the liquid—this is part of the whisky’s personality. New whisky is clear, but gains its color from the used oak barrels during maturation. Color can range from brassy yellow to golden reds or a pale sunshine. The color of Scotch hints at how it was made.
2. SWIRL With your hand on the bottom of a round tasting glass, swirl the whisky until it coats the sides. Look for the “legs”—the drips of liquid pulling back down into the glass. Watch how quickly the legs run down the side of the glass—this reveals how light the whisky is. Some whisky is very light, with lots of legs (an indication of light flavor), while others can be viscous or oily indicating an older, heavier-bodied whisky. A very thick whisky will coat the glass like the golden silhouette of Scottish mountains.
3. NOSE Tasting whisky is an olfactory experience, so in order to capture all the nuance of flavor, you must “nose” the whisky. “Smell with your mouth open,” counsels Angela, explaining how it offers a fuller nose. “At first you might just get the alcohol. Adding a splash of water releases the aromas.” Bring the glass back and forth—nose it deeply again and again. “Whisky is a sensory experience, so get your nose right up in the glass!” says Angela, who told me that anyone can learn to nose whisky. “The best way to improve your sense of smell is to smell everything.” This allows your brain to create a kind of encyclopedia of scents. (My brain smells bacon.)
4. TASTE When you’re ready to drink, let the whisky coat the palate. “Some are creamy and smooth, others light and fruity,” explains Angela. Adding water releases aromas, adding ice will lock them in. “There are a lot of ‘rules’ about adding water, but don’t pay any attention to that. Different brands react differently to water, so find out what you like. The important thing is to just enjoy your whisky.” Also, remember to say Slàinte Mhath! (Good Health)
5. FINISH “Finish” does not mean tossing back your drink like real men do in the movies. Rather, the finish is the whisky’s grand finale where you feel the flavor and tempo of the drink. “Once you’ve swallowed, see how long it stays with you. Scotch whisky can be quick and short or it can be very long and warming.”
Perhaps most important of all, Angela advised me to never drink whisky alone. “Whisky is a drink for sharing—that’s what we do in Scotland, we share one another’s whisky. It warms you up when you’re walking in the hills!”
Like all food (and travel), whisky is also very personal. “My grandparents used to heat their farm with peat,” she told me, “so it’s a fond childhood memory that I get every time I taste a good peaty whisky.” Whisky is like that—it carries a lot of personal meaning and says much about who we are as individuals. This is probably why I smelled bacon—some of my fondest memories involve bacon.
But now some of my fondest memories involve Scotland, which is what I will think of every time I see a bottle of Scotch. – How to Drink Whisky
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