Organisation - November 4, 2010
Drop me in!
What is the sweetest thing that you would give your beloved children as a reward? My answer is candies, but not drop, a not-for-kids exotic Dutch sweet.
I was offered drop during my 1 st period, of course by a nice Dutch friend. The guy did warn me a bit before I tried, but I was more of a sweet lover than a cautious foreigner. I came to regret this. The sweets were lovely black coins, with a faint honey-like smell, nothing different from all the sweets I have tried in the last 23 years. Except for the taste: a mixture of sweet, salty and the strong liquorice taste really triggered a feeling that I was being poisoned. And besides, drop is as hard as if you were chewing a silver bullet. That was my first experience with drop: I totally dropped out.
Things changed gradually when I read a book named 'The Dutch, I presume?' in which the author Martijn de Rooi described drop as a controversial sweet: the Dutch would steal bikes for their drop addiction, while foreigners would rather die than try it. I then bought a packet of drop and tried it during tea breaks. And the good thing is: now I have the joy of watching movies with my little packet of drop in hand.
Drop is really a Dutch thing you should try, to see how much you like it - or hate it, like every other foreigner does on their first try. My advice for you this weekend: Go get a pack of drop and drop yourself further into Dutch culture.
Long Hoang Phi, MSc Environmental Sciences: Integrated Water Management