During tonight’s episode of The Bachelorette, Tyler C and Hannah decided to take a horseback ride while in The Netherlands and they were offered pickled herring at the side of the road.
But what is it they ate?
Jamie Oliver writes on his website that herring is an intrinsic part of The Netherlands‘ national food identity. While fish, in general, is popular in northern Europe and Scandinavia, herring is hugely popular in The Netherlands.
By pickling the herring, the fish is preserved. The process includes curing the fish with salt to extract the water and then removing the salt by adding the fish to a brine made of vinegar, salt, and sugar.
The herring is a delicacy and when served, people often get its tender fillets. The skin and bone are removed, and it’s served with strong vinegar, horseradish, and goes well with buttered potatoes, dill, and boiled egg.
Oliver suggests leaving the herring in the juice for two days before eating, ensuring that the pickled taste is absorbed.
While on the date, Tyler C told the cameras that eating pickled herring was possibly his worst nightmare and that he had no desire to eat it. But after Hannah took a huge bite and said it wasn’t that bad, he tried it. He tried it and he gagged – while sitting on horseback.
I ate a fish eye and a bug out of the jungle. Pickled herring is nothing. Man up. ?? #thebachelorette
— Hannah Brown (@hannahbrown) July 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/tearsinversace/status/1145852227703193600
Some people even compared Tyler’s gagging on the screen to how they felt when Luke P was in focus. It’s clear that Tyler didn’t really handle that situation correctly.
Tyler eating herring is how I feel every time Luke P comes on the screen. #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/FlUTvGzvSx
— ?? (@jemmadarling) July 2, 2019
Based on his Bachelorette bio, Tyler C appears to love things that he knows, such as his dog, and his family. Traveling and trying new food in those destinations are not on the list, so trying pickled herring may not have been his top choice for a date.
Instead, he loves to spend time with his family, scuba diving and hanging out with his dog, Harley – ideally, without pickled fish.
The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.