Iowa's Dutch Delight

Old-world Flair for Food, Pageantry and Tulips

BY ANN THELEN / PHOTOS BY JOSEPH L. MURPHY

A visit to Pella is like stepping across the ocean and being whisked away to the Netherlands. Rooted in Dutch culture and tradition, this vibrant community of 10,000 residents thrives with its Old-World flair and welcoming spirit.

Children dressed in traditional Dutch clothing participate in a street performance during Pella Tulip Time.

Every year, nearly 250,000 people from across Iowa – and the world – flock to Pella for the granddaddy of Iowa festivals – Pella Tulip Time. Since the event’s beginning in 1935, a palette of stunning tulips, mouthwatering Dutch foods and the pageantry of 19th century Holland have attracted curious visitors to the community. Residents, adorned in authentic costumes, sing and dance in lively performances to celebrate the heritage that is the foundation of Pella.

The Pella Historical Society has been organizing Tulip Time since the event began.

“Pella is beautiful and unique all year long, but it comes alive at Tulip Time. One of the attractions is seeing the traditional Dutch costumes,” explains Valerie Van Kooten, executive director of the Pella Historical Society and Museums. “Many people wear costumes with fabric directly from the Netherlands and meticulously represent the province of their family’s origin. Depending on where something is placed on the hat or the bodice, you can identify their religion, wealth, marital status and many other things. It’s fascinating.”

As magnificent as the costumes are, the 350,000 tulips strategically placed throughout the city are a visual showpiece and work of art. The tulips, which primarily come from the Netherlands, are replanted every year to maintain their abundant size and vibrancy.

“Two weeks after Tulip Time, the City of Pella and Pella Historical Society dig up all of the bulbs and put in annuals,” Van Kooten says. “In the fall, new bulbs are planted. Of course, Mother Nature always has the final say, but our planting schedule is designed for peak color during the first of May.”

GEMS OF THE COMMUNITY

Another impressive focal point of the community is the Vermeer Windmill, which stands 126 feet tall and is the tallest working windmill in the U.S. A notable spot on the Marion County Foodie Trail, the windmill was built in Holland and shipped to Pella. Complete with a food license, 500-600 pounds of flour is produced annually at the mill. About 90 percent of the flour goes to Jaarsma Bakery, which bakes Windmill Bread from the flour. The rest is sold to people who visit the windmill.

The Vermeer windmill stands 126 feet tall and is the tallest working windmill in the U.S.

“About 20 volunteer millers work at the windmill. They go through intensive training over two to three months with a master miller to learn how to operate the mill, run the sails and understand how the wind affects production,” Van Kooten shares.

She adds, “When there isn’t a lot of wind, the millers will climb up and put huge canvas sails on the blades.”

A lesser-known gem in the community is a miniature Dutch village housed in a large room on the second floor of the windmill. The village is an authentic scale model of a community based on the Netherlands in the 1850s, which would have been about the time the Dutch left on their voyage to develop Pella. The project stemmed from a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant, which was a Great Depression relief program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Millions of people were helped by WPA jobs to carry out public works projects.

Tulip Time isn’t complete without food, and Pella delights its visitors with many traditional favorites. During the festival, all food vendors must be from the Pella School District.

“Many of our vendors have participated for 50 years, and their location is established and consistent from year-to-year,” Van Kooten says. “Festival-goers know precisely where to go to find their beloved Dutch treats.”

3 MUST-TRY PELLA FOOD FAVORITES

Olieballen are a type of Dutch doughnut hole or fritter typically eaten from early December through the New Year. Some olieballen contain bits of apple or currents, and all are sprinkled with powdered sugar. When raisins or currents are used in olieballen, they are often soaked in rum overnight.

POFFERTJES

Poffertjes resemble silver dollar pancakes. These mini pancakes are cooked in a heavy, cast-iron pan with divots. The semi-circular indentions in the pan help the pancake dough puff up. Poffertjes are brushed with melted butter and dusted with powdered sugar.

STROOPWAFELS

Hailing from the South Holland town of Gouda are stroopwafels. These thin, waffle-like wafers are pressed together with caramel syrup or stroop. They are particularly known for being an afternoon pick-me-up that are warmed up over a cup of coffee before enjoyed.

PELLA’S SECRET RECIPE

How does a community of this size continue to thrive and attract worldclass talent for many of Pella’s global companies? Van Kooten says the recipe for success is straightforward.

“Our manufacturing facilities are multigeneration family businesses, which have tremendous pride in their town. Our residents want to see Pella prosper while preserving and sharing our Dutch heritage,” Van Kooten explains. “If we lost that, Pella wouldn’t be what it is. The authenticity is what draws people in.”

The Dutch heritage and farm culture are still predominant in Pella. Many Dutch families and companies still have koffietijd (coffee time) at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. every day.

Authentic. It’s certainly a fitting adjective for this charming community. When visiting, plan to stay awhile. There will be a cup of coffee waiting to be enjoyed!

CENTERPIECE OF THE CITY: PELLA’S FOOD SCENE

ULRICH’S MEAT MARKET

Ulrich’s Meat Market – located on the south side of the town square – is the oldest retail store in Pella, built upon a smoked meat tradition that began 150 years ago with the Genuine Pella Bologna creation. Two smokers add a unique flavor to their products, and the inviting smell of fresh-smoked meat draws crowds.

Lucas Van Wyk, a co-owner of Ulrich’s Meat Market, pulls bologna from a smoker. The business is the oldest retail store in Pella.

John Ulrich brought his treasured recipes from Europe to Pella in 1868. He perfected the craftsmanship of smoking meats and offered excellent service as he carried his products in a basket throughout the area to sell to locals. Soon, word of his quality product spread and people began to travel lengthy distances to have a taste of the Dutch history.

By 1884, Ulrich had a butcher shop in downtown Pella to create and sell his now-famous meats.

Ulrich’s Meat Market offers a variety of award-winning smoked meat products including Genuine Pella Bologna, dried beef, summer sausage, bratwurst, beef sticks, beef jerky and fresh meats ready to be cooked on the stove, oven or grill. A wide selection of specialty cheeses are also available from locally made Gouda or cheddar to cheese imported from Holland.

Sarah Talma holds Ulrich’s famous smoked bologna.

JAARSMA BAKERY

The Jaarsma Bakery has been offering delicious “Dutch Treats” since 1898 when it was founded by Harmon Jaarsma who used recipes he brought with him as an immigrant from Holland. Today, fourth-generation family members – Harmon’s greatgranddaughter Kristi and her husband Dave Balk – operate the bakery. Flaky pastries, tasty breads, irresistible cakes and cookies with hundreds of baked-from-scratch choices are available daily.

The famous Dutch Letters originated in the U.S. with the Harmon family. Back then, Harmon had two brick ovens in the bakery that were fired with wood. After the ashes were brushed out, the bread was put in to bake, followed by the buns, Dutch Letters, cookies, and finally, rusks as the ovens slowly cooled down before re-firing. The bakery also served as a coffee shop and living quarters for the family.

Cindy Reed Shull holds Dutch Letters at Jaarsma Bakery.

In those days, the Dutch Letters were made only as a special treat for Sinterklaas Day (the Dutch Santa Claus Day) on Dec. 6. They are typically shaped into an “S” for “Sinterklaas.”

Jaarsma Bakery has been located on Pella’s town square since 1948.

FRISIAN FARMS

Just a stone’s throw south of Pella is a cheese lover’s paradise.

The Frisian Farms Cheese House is conveniently located just off Hwy. 163 between Pella and Oskaloosa. Here, visitors can experience the cheesemaking process and try samples of various ages and flavors of their Frisian Farms Gouda.

Their famous Gouda cheese is a semihard cheese named after a Dutch town in the province of South Holland and accounts for more than 60 percent of the cheese produced in the Netherlands.

Frisian Farms, founded by two brothers – Mike and Jason Bandstra – who grew up on a small dairy farm south of Pella, has mastered the art and science of cheesemaking. The brothers even hosted a Dutch cheesemaker at their farm so they could perfect their process.

Mike Bandstra, co-owner and head cheesemaker at Frisian Farms, turned a passion of working with dairy cows and his Dutch heritage into a "gouda" opportunity.

When visiting the area, plan an overnight stay at The Cheesemaker’s Inn. Originally the heart of a dairy farmstead, the turn-of-the-century, craftsman-style home was elaborately customized a century later to accommodate guests who seek the highest levels of comfort and modern amenities. Guests will wake up to a hot and hearty breakfast made from Dutch family recipes featuring the freshest products from Frisian Farms dairy and local gardens.

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