the great poffertje battle of Orange City, Iowa.

My mom and I have been going to the Tulip Festival in Orange City, Iowa since 2015. 

The only year we've missed from 2015 to 2022 was 2020 - not because I had a two-month-old baby (we totally would have taken him), but because the Tulip Festival was canceled due to COVID.

There are so many reasons to go to the Tulip Festival: the gorgeous tulips (obviously), the lovely people, the cute town, the fun shops (Next Door Boutique being our favorite), the parade, the food... just everything.

The number one reason to go, though, are the poffertjes.

For the uninitiated, poffertjes are Dutch mini pancakes. One obtains poffertjes at a place called The Little White Store. You buy them by the boat, and they are soaked in rum butter and sprinkled with powdered sugar. There are no words for me to accurately describe them to you - they are nothing short of delectable. Ambrosia.

The Dutch Heritage Boosters have been in charge of poffertjes for who knows how long, and the poffertje earnings go right back into the community. 

Last year, though, there was a PROBLEM.

Another store in town decided to set up their own poffertje stand.

COMPETITION.

Obviously, competition is just fine - most of the time. But when you are a shop that sets up your own for-profit poffertje stand for the first time ever in competition with the local volunteer-run nonprofit who basically makes the entire Tulip Festival happen? Come on.

The poffertjes they were offering had different topping options - strawberry and Nutella, I believe. Not a bad idea, but PEOPLE. Have a little respect.

I cannot tell you how the poffertjes at that place compared to the originals, because I obviously only had the originals. I would venture a guess that the only ones who tried the other kind were those unfamiliar with the underlying douchebaggery. 

Mom, Phineas, and I will be attending the Tulip Festival tomorrow, and our first stop (as always) will be The Little White Store. Mom and I typically end up with three orders for the day: two (one for each of us) right away, and one more to split before we head out of town. I'm anticipating Phineas finding them as delightful as we do, so the Dutch Heritage Boosters can c0unt on more money from us. 

When I checked this morning, there was no indication on this other shop's social media indicating if they would be serving their knock-off poffertjes or not. However, when I checked again before publishing, the announcement was there.

I was hoping they were sufficiently shamed into not doing it again, but that clearly is not the case. If I'm feeling like enough of a sasshole, maybe I'll get in their line and ask them if they are Dutch Heritage Boosters as well. When they tell me they aren't, I'll ask them how the money supports the Tulip Festival and Orange City. I'll let you know what happens.