The story
Stroopwafels come from Gouda, the Dutch town better known for cheese. According to local tradition, bakers there made thin waffles from leftover crumbs and scraps sweetened with syrup and sold them cheaply, earning them the nickname 'poor man's cookies'. The baker most often named is Gerard Kamphuisen, who opened his bakery in 1810, and the oldest known recipe dates from around 1840. By 1870 about a hundred Gouda bakers were making them, and the treat spread across the Netherlands. Many people still rest one on top of a hot cup of coffee to soften the caramel.
Also known as stroopwafels, syrup waffle, Dutch caramel waffle, Gouda waffle.
On the Meridish menu
Stroopwafel was the dessert course on menu No. 5 on October 5, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Two thin waffles glued together with caramel syrup, first made by bakers in this cheese town around 1800.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
- devourtours.com/blog/stroopwafels
- tastingtable.com/1148439/goudas-famous-stroopwafel-was-created-from-bakery-leftovers
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroopwafel
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
