Nieuwe Haring

"New Herring". Another typically Dutch food is 'haring' (Herring). 'Haring happen' involves eating a raw Herring, sometimes covered in raw chopped onions, by picking the up by its tail, tilting your head backwards, opening your mouth and taking a bite. Haring happen can be traced back to 3000 B.C. although it was first eaten in Scandinavia. Every year on a Saturday in late May there is a festival called 'Vlaggetjesdag' (Flag Day). The harbor at Scheveningen is filled with ships decorated with colorful flags for Vlaggetjesdag to celebrate the first catch of Herring (usually called 'Hollandse Nieuwe' (the Dutch new). The first barrel of 'Hollandse Nieuwe' is usually auctioned with the profit donated to charity.

Ingredients

 * 2 new herrings per person
 * toast
 * butter

Directions

 * 1) Clean the Herring by removing the head and carefully gutting it.
 * 2) Make a deep cut along the back, remove the skin and then carefully pull the meat off the bone.
 * 3) Put the Herring on a flat dish and garnish with some parsley.
 * 4) Serve with toasted bread and butter.
 * 5) On hot days the Herring should be cooled in ice before serving.