About us
In September 2007, we moved from the Netherlands to the beautiful Canadian Okanagan. Unlike most Dutch people who immigrated to Canada in the 1950s for economic reasons, we moved here for a change of life and adventure. Pretty spoiled, eh?
We had visited British Columbia several times before, and after our first trip, we immediately fell in love with the country. We decided to begin the long process of emigration, and after two years, we received our work permits, followed by our permanent resident cards.
The first few years were tough. We didn't know many people, we worked hard to adjust to Canadian culture, and we had to get by on a lower income. This situation forced us to be creative and to rely on each other. It brought us closer together and made our lives much richer!
Instead of taking vacations twice a year, we spent our days off hiking, biking, skiing, and doing so much more. To provide ourselves with cheaper, and more importantly, cleaner food, we started a vegetable garden, took up beekeeping, and got ourselves four chickens. What a life! We’re so much happier now, and we’re so glad we chose this change of life!
We had visited British Columbia several times before, and after our first trip, we immediately fell in love with the country. We decided to begin the long process of emigration, and after two years, we received our work permits, followed by our permanent resident cards.
The first few years were tough. We didn't know many people, we worked hard to adjust to Canadian culture, and we had to get by on a lower income. This situation forced us to be creative and to rely on each other. It brought us closer together and made our lives much richer!
Instead of taking vacations twice a year, we spent our days off hiking, biking, skiing, and doing so much more. To provide ourselves with cheaper, and more importantly, cleaner food, we started a vegetable garden, took up beekeeping, and got ourselves four chickens. What a life! We’re so much happier now, and we’re so glad we chose this change of life!
I’m Marij,
My roots are in the south of the Netherlands, in a small town called Boekel. My nursing career brought me to Arnhem, where I met Arnold. The city lifestyle suited me; I loved the vibe. When Arnold suggested moving to Canada, I wasn’t so sure. I loved my life, so why change it?
It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I reinvented myself. Designer clothes made way for second-hand finds. City culture gave way to nature. And I was able to expand my passion for food. Besides cooking, we started a vegetable garden, as well as a flower and herb garden. My passion for foraging edible mushrooms also grew to new heights.
My specialty is the savory side of the business: energy bites, tahini squares, and sometimes soups. Over the past few years, I’ve practiced a lot making stroopwafels (syrup waffles). I even visited stroopwafel bakers in the Netherlands and picked up some of their secret techniques! Now that I’ve adjusted the recipe to my own taste, and experimented with honey and maple syrup, I’m quite satisfied with the results!
Although I’ve always loved working as a nurse, the kitchen is where my true passion lies. I enjoy taking our business to new heights by doing what I love most, alongside the man of my life!
My roots are in the south of the Netherlands, in a small town called Boekel. My nursing career brought me to Arnhem, where I met Arnold. The city lifestyle suited me; I loved the vibe. When Arnold suggested moving to Canada, I wasn’t so sure. I loved my life, so why change it?
It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I reinvented myself. Designer clothes made way for second-hand finds. City culture gave way to nature. And I was able to expand my passion for food. Besides cooking, we started a vegetable garden, as well as a flower and herb garden. My passion for foraging edible mushrooms also grew to new heights.
My specialty is the savory side of the business: energy bites, tahini squares, and sometimes soups. Over the past few years, I’ve practiced a lot making stroopwafels (syrup waffles). I even visited stroopwafel bakers in the Netherlands and picked up some of their secret techniques! Now that I’ve adjusted the recipe to my own taste, and experimented with honey and maple syrup, I’m quite satisfied with the results!
Although I’ve always loved working as a nurse, the kitchen is where my true passion lies. I enjoy taking our business to new heights by doing what I love most, alongside the man of my life!
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I’m Arnold,
About 62 years ago, I was born in Roelofarendsveen, a small town near the Dutch capital of Amsterdam and the city of Leiden. After completing training to become a nurse, and later a social worker and counselor, I decided to move to Arnhem, a city in the east of the Netherlands, where I met my wonderful wife. After having the privilege of visiting British Columbia a few times, I started to dream about what it would be like to live in the beautiful Okanagan. Luckily, after some persuasion, Marij shared the same dream. Being a sweet tooth, I began to miss the Dutch cookies, especially the gevulde koeken (almond paste-filled cookies). I decided to try making them myself. After experimenting with and combining various recipes, I was finally – quite – satisfied with the result. When I visited the Netherlands recently, I had some freshly baked gevulde koeken, and to be honest, I liked ours better! Over the years, I’ve also started making other Dutch cookies such as speculaas, bitterkoekjes, and our customers’ favorite: boterkoek! About twelve years ago, I also learned the basics of beekeeping. This hobby has gotten a little out of hand, as we now have about 20 hives! We invite you to visit our booth at one of the Farmers' Markets or special events, try our cookies, healthy treats, or honey, and let us know if you also enjoy our cookies! |