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Fall is here, and if you—like me—happen to live in the Netherlands, that means two things: rain and pepernoten. Traditionally, these small, round cookies were sold around Sinterklaas, a Christmas-like holiday held in December that until only a few years ago involved everyone and their uncle dressing up in blackface. ( Look it up .) Nowadays, courtesy of capitalism, pepernoten show up in supermarkets as early as September, months before most children start leaving their shoes at the fireplace before bedtime for the Dutch Saint Nick to stuff with toys and candy.

Pepernoten have also become available in an ever-expanding assortment of flavors. When my parents were

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