The Stroopwafel McFlurry
Recently, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in idyllic Amsterdam. The narrow houses, late sunsets, and elaborate canals make this a magical city to visit. Eager to try the local cuisine, I waltzed around the Albert Cuyp Market like a millennial Belle.
There, I stumbled upon the best stroopwafels in all of Amsterdam. For those who don’t know, a stroopwafel is a Dutch dessert consisting of a caramel layer sandwiched between two thin waffles. Although messy, it was a lovely warm and gooey treat, made even more delightful by it being freshly made by a man who could double as a Disney prince. By golly, he, I mean, the stroopwafel, was delicious.
When my younger brother informed me there was a Stroopwafel McFlurry on the menu at McDonald’s in the Netherlands, I was excited to find there was a creation that combined one my favorite American desserts with my new favorite confection. Trying this McFlurry would whisk my taste buds away to a whole new world.
I entered the McDonald’s and glanced over the menu, and then again. The Stroopwafel McFlurry I was longing for was absolutely nowhere to be found. Did the Stroopwafel McFlurry actually exist? Was it a secret item kept from us tourists, a hidden gem only to be found in the most prestigious of Dutch McDonalds, or a cruel prank played on me by my brother?
I was only devastated for a short amount of time as once I returned to the States, I saw an advertisement on T.V. for the McDonald’s International Menu. I audibly gasped as the Stroopwafel McFlurry appeared on my screen. It was real! My heart’s desire was less than three dollars and a quick drive away.
A couple of days later, I pulled up to the drive-through and ordered myself a snack-sized version of the Stroopwafel McFlurry. Filled with high expectations, I took my first bite. The caramel-vanilla soft serve combination itself was luxurious, but couldn’t I find that in a typical caramel sundae? It was like being promised to go on a trip to meet Mickey Mouse, but instead of being brought to Orlando, I was in Times Square.
I was looking forward to the wafely goodness of this masterpiece, the pièce de résistance. The taste and texture of the cookie bits were more like a sweet granola. Don’t get me wrong, it was still good and tasty, but it was lightyears away from the experience I had at Albert Cuyp Market.
McDonald’s Stroopwafel McFlurry was delicious, but it was not the magical experience I was hoping for. I was expecting the soft and warm stroopwafel I had in Amsterdam, folded into a McFlurry. It looks like my Stroopwafel Prince in Amsterdam ruined all desserts for me. He was the pilot for my taste buds, and he flew me too close to the sun.
