1/2 The blue Bossche Bol that revealed the gender of Collin and Elke’s baby (photo: Collin Beijk).
It’s the Bossche Bol’s birthday and that’s why we asked about the most special memories of the Den Bosch delicacy. Because whether life is celebrated or a cup of comfort is needed, the Bossche Bol always appears to be there. And that produces the most beautiful and sometimes even hilarious stories.
Leontien and Jeannette both had Bossche Bollen at their wedding. Mini Bossche Bollen provided comfort at the funeral of Sophia’s mother. Monique and her sister go to Jan de Groot every year on the anniversary of their mother’s death, because their mother was a fan of the Den Bosch pastry. And the first socks that Nika’s son wore had Bossche Bollen on them.
“I tried it out. That’s so gross.”
Collin and his girlfriend Elke from Best even revealed the gender of their first child with Bossche Bollen. They already knew that it would be a boy and asked Jan de Groot to fill some balls with blue whipped cream. “That created hilarious scenes,” says Collin. “My aunt cut the buns and didn’t react at all. Then my other aunt saw that blue cream and screamed: it’s a boy, it’s a boy!”, laughs Collin. “And my mother-in-law thought we had the wrong bulbs because she was convinced it was a girl.”
Marjan Hurkmans from Drunen has a less sweet memory of the Bossche Bol. Her colleagues had gotten one especially for her, but the disappointment was great at the first bite. “Instead of whipped cream, it contained toothpaste,” Marjan says horribly again. “I tried it out. That’s so gross.” Did Marjan ever dare to sink her teeth into a Bossche Bol after that? “Yes it is. The Bossche Bol is part of our family and we celebrate everything with it.”
When Luuk from Asten went to propose to his girlfriend Michelle, he first visited his father-in-law to ask for her hand in marriage. To have the best chance, he brought Bossche Bollen, his favorite pastry. Spread across four chocolate balls was written ‘Can I have your daughter’s hand?’ “My mother became emotional and my father of course immediately reacted,” says Michelle.
In their enthusiasm they forgot to take a photo. “So Luuk ordered them again two weeks later,” says Michelle. “The baker thought it was a bit dubious. Apparently they were already guessing whether Luuk would have two wives,” laughs Michelle. “But I was happy with it, because at least now I could eat along too.”
“My grandmother sold the first Bossche Bollen.”
For Carla Boonman (65) from Schijndel, the Bossche Bol is completely special. “My grandmother worked in the bakery of her brother Henri van der Zijde, who I think is really the inventor,” says Carla. “They sold the first Bossche Bollen there.”
Although there is most evidence that Joseph Lambermont from Den Bosch is the inventor of the Bossche Bol, there are also stories that Henri from The Hague is the inventor. Unfortunately, Carla’s grandmother never told her anything about the Bossche Bol, so Carla also has to guess at the truth. “But for us, the real discoverer remains Uncle Henri,” she says. “And you know: as long as it’s tasty, right?”
On the anniversary of the Bossche bol, there is an extra long line at the De Groot bakery on Friday. Laughing, owner Jan de Groot blows out the birthday candles on a Den Bosch ball. “Yes, this is a special birthday. We celebrate it by making lots of ‘Bossche bollen’.”
What is the best way to eat a Bossche Bol? These residents of Den Bosch explain:
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The Bossche Bol was invented by Jos 100 years ago