Ruben op het plein: haring, paus en voetbal

What is “haring” in Dutch?

Haring is the Dutch street fish. You buy it from a haringkraam (a herring stall) and eat it one of two ways: hold it by the tail and bite up from below, or eat it cut into pieces on a small tray with diced onion (uitjes) and pickles (augurken). The most prized version is “Hollandse Nieuwe” — the first catch of young, fat herring of the season, arriving in early summer and sold fresh across the Netherlands.

In the clip, a vendor shouts “Haring, haring!” at a public square and the main character heads over: “Ruben gaat naar de kraam. Hij eet een haring.” Despite the popular image, haring isn’t truly raw — it goes through “gibbing” (partial removal of the gills and gut with a special knife) and a brief brine cure. The enzymes left behind develop the mild, creamy flavour. “Hollandse Nieuwe” is a legal term: fat content must be at least 16% and the catch must fall between May and September. The season kicks off with Vlaggetjesdag (Flag Day), a celebrated moment when the first barrels arrive at harbour.