When you think of typical Dutch food, most people immediately think of stamppot and a multitude of fast food variations. Whether it's a potato war, a "Frikandel special" or poffertjes. On Texel, on the other hand, people are traditionally associated with slow food. There are plenty of delicacies here that come straight from the island and literally taste “real”.
Texel is known for its many sheep. So it's no wonder that there are two typical specialties of these four-legged friends. The famous Texel sheep's cheese is made from their milk. Kaasmakerij Wezenspyk produces it according to a centuries-old recipe and still bears the hallmark that has been used for the island's sheep cheese for 400 years. A true culinary delight is orekees, a sheep's cheese with sea lavender, which was awarded the “Super Gold” award at the World Cheese Awards.
The meat of Texel lambs is also known far beyond the national borders. It comes from lambs that are at least 100 days old and have spent their lives in the pasture until then. The clean sea air and the slightly salty grass provide a particularly fine and creamy taste. From the start of the lamb season on June 1, the meat is available at various butchers and sheep farms. It is also a specialty on the menus of many restaurants.
In addition to freshly caught fish, crabs and mussels, Texel has a maritime specialty that you would not expect here in the first place:Japanese oyster, better known under the French name "Creuse". Armed with rubber boots and buckets, you can pick them up right off the coast of the island – alone or as part of a year-round excursion. With tasting of course! To match the fresh oysters, there is a delicious glass of sparkling wine, fresh bread and some clever tips for preparing them.
Texel Slow Food tip number four is not only tasty, but also very healthy:sea vegetables. This term includes plants such as glasswort, beach aster, sea monkey and sea lettuce. Some wash up on the beach, others can be harvested in the mudflats at low tide. Sea vegetables are packed with nutrients and give dishes a special taste. More and more Texel restaurants have dishes with sea vegetables in their repertoire as standard.
Last but not least, delicious “droplets” are made from local products on Texel. First of all:beer. There are currently four breweries on the island. The largest of them has already made a name for itself on the mainland with its “Texel” specialty beers. In addition, the northernmost winery of the Netherlands has been located on Texel since 2005. Several white wines, a rosé and a red wine are grown here on approximately three hectares, which can be tasted on site and in selected restaurants. There are also gin, vodka, bitters, jenever and various liqueurs on the island, which are locally produced under the TX brand in the Stokerij Texel distillery.
