De Boekhoud-familiewebsite/ The Boekhoud family website

The "Molleboon"

     In the Netherlands there are three welknown symbols for the province Groningen. The first is the Martinitower in Groningen-city. Every "Groninger" is very proud of this tower. The second is "The horse of uncle Lucas" and the third is the "Molleboon"

     The "Molleboon" is a nickname. The translation of "Molleboon" is a bit difficult but it means a tick-bean roasted in a "mol" (a kind of wok).
     When people in Holland hear that I was born in the province Groningen they say: "Aha, you are a "Molleboon". Sorry for them but that is not correct. The nickname "Molleboon" is only ment for the inhabitants of Groningen-city and who were born there.
     That the "city-Groninger" got this nickname has probably to do with the habit to vote in former days with beans, for example in the local counsil. If you were for a proposal you put a white bean in a bag, and if you were contra you put a black bean. After the vote the beans were counted. The Groninger museum still has a few crockerey imitates of those beans.
     The "Moleboon" is in Holland known as a typical Groningen delicacy.