In the US, we sometimes enjoy a cinnamon danish with our coffee.

The word danish is short for Danish pastry, recognizing Denmark… the country of origin for these sweet, bready treats.

Evidently danish became popular in the United States in the early 1900s when they were served at the wedding of President Wilson in December, 1915.

Here in Holland, the Dutch enjoy similar ingredients in a different format.

This is a buttered, cinnamon raisin roll sandwich with a slice of soft cheese inside. They say the Dutch don’t typically sit down to a complete breakfast of “cereal, juice, toast, milk and spread.” Often it’s a grab-and-go rozijnebol.

The label:

Translates to: Raisin roll (with) Young Mature Cheese
(Young cheese means soft cheese, old cheese would mean aged, not as soft, and more sharp tasting).

At first thought – a cinnamon raisin roll with cheese on it sounds odd to the American taste bud. But when you think about it, a cheese danish is a bready pastry topped and baked with cream cheese. Same flavors, different arrangement.

Albert Heijn (the blue “ah” logo and name on the label) is the main grocery store here in Amsterdam.

If you want a taste of the Netherlands for breakfast… buy yourself a pack of cinnamon rolls or cinnamon raisin bread, add butter (an essential condiment to every sandwich the Dutch enjoy), and some slices of soft Gouda cheese!

Eet smakelijk! (Enjoy your meal)

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