Winter with a Dutch flavour

Coming from Mexico, a warm country of colourful dishes flavoured with multiple spices and herbs, I was neither excited about food nor about Dutch weather when I first arrived to the Netherlands on a cold November morning.
Luckily, I soon realized how mistaken I was. Snowy landscapes, adorned by canals turned into ice skating rinks, made me appreciate better the experience of winter in Holland. Exploring Dutch food in this time of the year, however, was undoubtedly the best part.
The arrival of 'Sinterklaas' is one of the highlights of the season. Sinterklaas is the equivalent of Saint Nicholas in other European countries and, during the last days of November, he arrives from Spain to visit many cities across the country. The year I saw him for the first time, welcomed by both children and cheerful adults, he was not alone as he paraded in the streets. His helpers, known as 'Zwarte Peten', were also there, giving away fruits and cookie-like pieces as they passed by. I received an orange and a handful of 'kruidnoten', which are mini spiced cookies with a mixed taste of cinnamon, cloves and ginger. I loved them, but not more than their bigger counterparts, known as 'speculaas' and also famous during this season, whose smell, while being baked, might definitely be the proper abstract description of Christmas.
But winter in The Netherlands is not only about sweet spiced flavours. As the days were getting colder, the warm feeling of 'erwtensoep', a Dutch version of pea soup, became a necessary end-of-the-day encounter, especially after a tiring session of ice skating on canals. The traditional 'stamppot' (potatoes mashed with vegetables), eaten by Dutch throughout the year, is also much appreciated during these chilly days.
Visiting the Netherlands on winter time was an unexpected adventure to all my senses, but especially to my palate. The combination of spicy aromas and hearty dishes confronted the common assumption of Dutch cuisine boring simplicity.