Milk, butter and cheese are consumed in large quantities together with eggs, sausages and ham. These are accompanied by a variety of breads. Popular dishes are Dutch pea soup, meat balls, raw herring, smoked eel, and chips with mayonnaise. The Netherlands' colonial past is reflected in the availability of Indonesian food. Desserts include pancakes and apple pie, both served with cream.
Pastries are readily available in the shops together with chocolates and Dutch liquorice.
Traditionally beer was the most popular alchoholic drink although, today, wine is gaining ground. The country now known as the Netherlands was conquered by Julius Caesar in the first century. Roman settlements were built in Utrecht and Maastricht in 48 AD and 50 AD respectively. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the control of the country passed to the Franks . Later it became part of Holy Roman Empire .