Matjes Herring

Matjes are herrings caught before they have spawned. They are reputedly at their best in early summer when stalls appear on Amsterdam streets. Matjes made the Hansa. Seven centuries later they are still consumed voraciously in Bremen, Stralsund, Rostock and in Hamburg whose Sunday morning fish market is a temple of greed. All that is needed with them are raw onions and akvavit or Hamburger kümmel. Never make the mistake of ordering a Rostocker kümmel in Hamburg: it’s akin to marching into a Celtic pub singing The Billy Boys.