3 december - Receiving a Sinterklaas package

This, dear friends, is gevulde speculaas. The first part means 'filled', the second part is simply untranslatable. Let's say: it's sweet. It fills. It's one of those things that Dutch people eat during the Sinterklaas season. Above all, it's just extremely delicious. Think pepparkakor, but then two layers, thicker and softer and better spices than in the ginger bread. And in between, a good layer of almond paste. 

Gevulde speculaas from the stores is quite nice, but the best version is the one made by my mother. And when I say 'made' then I mean that all is self made, including the almond paste. Which takes a lot of time, I can tell. 

This piece of speculaas came out of a box with lots of other Sinterklaas presents, a poem and some other indispensable Dutch products (yep, stroopwafels) that I could pick up at ICA Nära this evening. 

That package was even sweeter than the gevulde speculaas itself.