Muisjes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Muisjes are a typical Dutch sandwich filling.
It has been a tradition to eat Dutch biscuits called beschuit with muisjes (beschuit met muisjes) – that are really no more than aniseed sprinkles with a sugared and coloured outer layer – when a baby is born. Muisjes is Dutch for 'little mice'. This name was chosen because the aniseed sprinkles are shaped like little mice with the stem of the anise seed resembling a tail. Mice also stand for fertility. The anise used for the muisjes would be good for the mother's milk and scare away evil spirits.
As early as the 17th century, the parents of a newly born baby gave away these biscuits with a layer of butter and muisjes to the maternity visitors. Every supermarket in the Netherlands sells them. Currently, De Ruijter is the only producer of muisjes.
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Pink Muisjes Formerly, maternity visitors for a baby got only white muisjes, but in the 20th century this changed to a mix of pink and white muisjes. Nowadays the pink muisjes are for baby girls only. |
Blue Muisjes When a male baby is born, parents give away biscuits with blue and white muisjes. |
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Orange Muisjes Orange Muisjes were sold for only one week in December 2003, in honour to the birth of future crown princess Catherina-Amalia. |
Crushed Muisjes Crushed Muisjes (gestampte muisjes) are – like the name suggests – muisjes crushed to powder, which can easily be poured onto a slice of bread or a Dutch biscuit. These muisjes are not related to the birth of a child; people eat them throughout the whole year. |
