A Herring a Day.

Arina's Second Blog Post.

Silver hair waving in the wind, with goose bumps all over his body, he licks his lips with satisfaction. Big salt crumbs disappear slowly while his stomach rumbles like a whale. He starts to dry himself faster so he can get away from the wet sand on which he is standing. The sea is waving him goodbye. He shivers, it‘s time for coffee and a proper breakfast. The morning ritual is not completed without a “heering” straight from the sea, with freshly chopped onions that still make your eyes tear up. Every day, my grandpa swam in the North Sea before heading to work. A herring a day keeps the doctor away—Arie’s life motto, which helped him live happily for 87 years.

Raw herring with raw onions: eat or hate it. 

It is a warm morning and the sun is just breaking through the clouds. The town of Scheveningen is busy. Today, June 12, 2010, is a special day. Vlaggentjes dag, the day on which the first barrel of new herring is sold, announces that the herring season is officially open, and it starts with the celebration, when all the boats in the harbor are decorated with flags. The history of vlaggentjes dag goes back to 1947, when the first edition was organized. Scheveningen, however, located in the heart of the Dutch coast, has celebrated unofficially since the 18th century. Children take tours on vessels and on fishing boats, while the older generation listens to the havenzanger, a band that plays music from the old days. The season will last until the days become shorter again and the leaves begin to fall. All fish markets and shops have new supplies of the pride of the Dutch sea.

The slippery tail almost slides through her little fingers, the two parts into which the herring has been cut flap dangerously, and some onions hit the ground. The two-year-old girl looks carefully at aunty Arie and at her mom before she follows their example. The Hollandse nieuwe must be eaten properly, as it is a ritual that is passed on by family members. You have to hold the herring by its tail, tilt your neck like a baby bird, arm up and let the herring slowly dive into your mouth. The soft silver texture of the herring has a salty taste; you can feel the sea embrace your cheeks as you chew. The tenderness of its flesh, combined with the hairiness of the bone structure, tickles your tongue while eating. It is not easy to hold the fish when eating. The fat and thickness, which makes the fish so famous for health reasons, makes it difficult to hold on to it after each bite. After three bites the little girl puts the fish down, which is not a bad thing. This way she can dip it into the yellow onions so the bitterness of the fish is well balanced with the crispy onions. The last bite makes her face become like a little silver herring too. My niece smiles happily.

By Arina Van Leenen 

- written for Corby Kummer's Journalism class.