Local Makers: Eberhardjes
Take care of our city and each other
The heartfelt line, Zorg goed voor onze stad en voor elkaar (Take care of our city and each other), from the farewell letter of the late former mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, struck a chord with many. After Eberhard's passing on 5 October 2017, the words resonated deeply with Résalieke Vlieger. "In politics, personal matters are often glossed over, but that wasn't the case with Eberhard," says Résalieke. "After he passed away, I felt a strong sense of unity in the city. It didn’t matter where you were from; everyone in Amsterdam felt it. The city was covered in flags bearing the iconic Saint Andrew’s crosses, and this loving message was everywhere. It moved me deeply. I had only one thought: how can we keep this sense of unity alive?"
From dream to idea
After Eberhard’s memorial at the Royal Concertgebouw, Résalieke discussed this feeling of togetherness with a friend and noted that the Dutch word for "heart" could be found in his name. That evening, she went to bed feeling that she had to do something with this. "I woke up in the middle of the night. I had dreamt that I should bake heart-shaped cookies to give something back to the city." The following day, this dream started taking shape when she met up with Ineke Kuiper on a train. Ineke agreed, saying, "It's a simple and sweet idea to hold onto Eberhard’s beautiful farewell message."
The birth of a cookie
It wasn’t long before everything fell into place. In 2018, chefs Joris Bijdendijk and Samuel Levie announced a Freedom Meal on 5 May for 500 "lovely Amsterdammers." Residents could nominate others, and a panel of judges, which included Eberhard’s widow, Femke van der Laan, made the final selection. This gave Résalieke the creative push she needed. She decided to email Samuel about her idea. After an enthusiastic response by Samuel and Femke’s approval, Résalieke and Ineke were told, "If you make the cookie, we’ll serve it at the Freedom Meal." Next, they needed to find a baker.
The recipe
Through mutual connections, Résalieke found Nico Meijles, the owner of Holtkamp Horeca Patisserie and Croquetten, who coincidentally lived on the same street as Résalieke at the time. They created the recipe with pâtissier Cees Holtkamp, bringing the ‘butter biscuit with a twist’ to life and calling it the Eberhardje. As a baker’s daughter, Ineke knows precisely how to describe the taste: "buttery, vanilla-rich, crispy, and just absolutely delicious." On 5 May 2018, the cookie was served at the Freedom Meal. Résalieke and Ineke’s original plan was just to bake 500 cookies and be done with it. But with Holtkamp Horeca behind them, they dared to launch the Eberhardje as Amsterdam’s new signature cookie - and it was a hit. You can now find them at Holtkamp Patisserie, and they’re served with coffee at many (museum) cafés. Within a year, they sold over a million Eberhardjes. What truly makes this cookie special is that it’s not just a treat for yourself but also a nice gift for others.
A cookie for connection
With just one bite of the heart-shaped butter cookie adorned with Amsterdam’s three emblematic St. Andrews crosses, you help contribute to a greater cause: the net profits from every kilo of cookies sold go to the Hart voor je Stad foundation (which translates as “heart for your city”), founded by Résalieke and Ineke. The foundation supports community projects, including Mensen Maken Amsterdam, ensuring that funds reach local initiatives while making it easier for Amsterdam residents to apply for funding. For the founders, it’s just another way of taking care of their city and its people. We’re sure Eberhard would’ve approved.
The I amsterdam Store, your go-to shop for Amsterdam gifts, gives a platform to the stories of local makers like Eberhardjes. You’ll find us at the back of Central Station, in the IJ-hal.
