Vlaai

Limburgse vlaai (Limburgish: ''vlaai, vlaoj or flaai.'' Plural: ''vlaaien)''Koene, A.
Food Shopper's Guide to Holland: A Comprehensive Review of the Finest Local and International Food Products in the Dutch Marketplace
' (2006). Eburon Uitgeverij B.V. p. 138. . Google Books. Retrieved on April 18, 2011. is a pastry consisting of dough and a filling, traditionally associated with the provinces of Limburg found both in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as parts of Germany across the border.

Variations exist throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, and areas of the German state North Rhine-Westphalia near the border with the Netherlands. A ''vlaai'' is usually 26—31 centimetres in diameter. It is available in many different varieties of fruit fillings, such as cherry, apricot, strawberry, and plum. Other variations are a crumbled butter and sugar mix ("''greumellevlaai''" in Limburgish, or "''kruimelvlaai''" in Dutch) and a cooked rice and custard porridge ("''rijstevlaai''").

Vlaai is often eaten on special occasions and for significant life events, particularly in the Dutch province of Limburg, such as birthdays and funerals. When eaten on the occasion of a funeral, the vlaai is typically made with black plum ("Zwarte pruimenvlaai").

History

There is little known about the history of vlaaien that can be said for sure, except that they're not a purely Limburgish pastry.

One of the oldest mentions of vlaaien dates from the 12th century during the siege of the city, Sint-Truiden, located in Belgium in 1189. During the siege by duke Godfried III van Leuven the inhabitants of the city offered him a vlaai that was baked following old local recipes. According to a mention from abbot Nicolaas in the chronicle from the abbey of Sint-Truiden, the duke stopped the siege soon after.

Until the mid-20th century the vlaai was considered a luxury item in Limburg that would only be eaten during celebrations. In the countryside they were almost always baked by the people themselves, usually in traditional bakehouses. The vlaaien would be served around four in the afternoon during the coffee break, with usually two or three different slices per person. Because of the growing economic prosperity after the second World War, people started eating them more often.

The vlaaien began to be more widely known outside of Limburg during the late 19th century mostly because of growing tourism in Dutch Southern Limburg. Many tourists took a vlaai back home from local bakers. In 1986 the first vlaaien shop opened in Amsterdam. The selling of vlaaien by several supermarket chains also helped in popularizing the pastry. Maria Hubertina Hendrix, also known as 'Antje van de Stasie', also helped spread the popularity outside of Limburg. In the early 20th century she sold her 'Weerter vlaaitjes' at the train station in Weert, and this caused the pastry to become well known by travellers from all over the Netherlands. After a while the Weerter vlaaien were also sold in Nijmegen. She has had a statue in Weert since 1988.

Geographical indication

On 17 November 2022, the Netherlands and Belgium applied for protection of the designation ''Limburgse vlaai'' as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the European Union.

Notes

Dutch cuisine
Limburgian cuisine
Fruit pies
Weert

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