Pancakes are not alone at lunch

It is interesting how different societies will eat the same foods at different meals.

In the Netherlands (and France as well), omelets are more a lunch food than breakfast fare. I went to a cafe at lunch a week or so ago - it was cold and raining outside (as usual) and I wanted something warm, but was tired of tomato soup. I ended up ordering an omelet, which is typically accompanied by a salad. I think that if you served someone an omelet and salad for lunch in the US, you would be regarded as very strange, indeed.

However, I am lucky. There is a nice cafe around the corner from my apartment with a very friendly proprietor who indulges my wish for an omelet for breakfast on Sunday mornings and will serve me one accompanied by brown toast instead of the salad.

The other thing that most cafes in Amsterdam seem to have is a juice press to make fresh-squeezed orange juice. You'll even see crates of oranges stacked up next to the bar. Another item is mint tea made with fresh mint leaves. It is wonderful and so soothing.