BELGIAN CUISINE

Poor little Belgium does get some very bad press.

If most people were asked about Belgian food they would probably say chocolate and chips and mayonnaise!!

Today I am here as an honoury ambassador of Belgian food and will try to show that there is more than frites and chocolate to Belgium.

Belgium is sandwiched between France and Holland along the North Sea,
It covers a strip of land almost 200 miles long and 100 miles wide. With over 10 million people, it is the second most densely populated country in the world.
The country is divided into two distinct cultures -- the Flemish in the Northern half, and the Walloons in the Southern half. The languages spoken include French, Flemish, and German, though in tourist centres most people speak English as well.

The first time I went to Belgium was almost thirty years ago, it was the first foreign holiday I had taken my (then) three children on, we stayed in Ostend, although we did visit many other places; I have been back to Belgium many times since, and always feel a little sorry for the country when it is so often belied

My first memories of the food in Belgium were the huge pots of moules (mussels) steaming in the café windows. Yes there were fry shacks (frietkot) selling cones of frites with mayonnaise, and the yummy Belgian waffles but there was much, much more.

Belgian foods has had many influences, until 1830 it was still part of the Netherlands, but because of its history with a long story of other nations marching through the country, there are strong traditions left on their cuisine from all these invaders - the Romans, Franks, Spaniards, Austrians, Dutch, and especially the French.

It may surprise all the people who slate the food in Belgium to know that has the highest number of restaurants earning Michelin stars per capita and that McDonalds consistently lose money in Belgium?
Surely these facts alone are evidence to the Belgian's love of good food.

GENERAL EATING HABITS IN BELGIUM

Breakfast is the usual Continental affair, and consists of bread, butter, jam, cheeses, charcuterie and sometimes eggs and is served with coffee or tea.

Unlike most other countries, lunch is considered to be the main meal of the day with dinner usually somewhat lighter usually eaten at 7 or 8 PM.

Mealtimes in Belgium are leisurely occasions to enjoy good food and good conversation. Most Belgians eat with the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left. It is considered wasteful but not impolite to leave food on the plate

THE FOOD

Many Belgians believe that their food is Europe's second finest cuisine (behind the French).

The Flemish cuisine has a strong Dutch influence, whereas Wallonian cuisine is similar to French cooking with lots of rich sauces.
There is a huge variety of places to eat out from modest cafés to Michelin starred restaurants throughout the country, what I have noticed though is that there is not a lot on offer for vegetarians.

Most main dishes are meat or fish based, as I mentioned earlier, there is little vegetarian food on offer except at specialist restaurants.
Naturally the coastal areas tend to serve mostly seafood dishes, many of which are live flavoured with herbs and spices.
There are often street stalls selling all sorts of interesting looking cooked fish to eat as a 'take away'.

Desserts almost always involve pastries or chocolate

Although wine (mostly French) is popular, beer is still without doubt the national drink and often accompanies a meal.

VEGETABLES

Vegetables played a large role in Belgian cooking, with potatoes featuring heavily in meals.

Potatoes

are eaten in many forms including stuffed baked potatoes and potato croquettes, as well as fries.
Mashed potatoes flavoured with caramelised onions or spinach are also popular.
Then of course, Belgium is also home to the world's best French fries (Dutch: "Frieten"; French: "Frites"), which are served by the numerous stalls; found in Belgian town squares

Brussels Sprouts

were sold in the markets in Brussels as far back as the 1200's; they are still popular in Belgium, especially served in a sour cream sauce.

The Belgian endive is a very important vegetable in Belgian It was accidentally discovered by a Belgian farmer, Jan Lammers, in 1830.
When he came back from war, he found that his stored chicory, which he'd previously grown and used for coffee, had sprouted white leaves, the taste of which he found very distinctive.
They are very popular today in Belgium, where they are known as 'white gold'.

The strangest of all vegetables though has to be === Hop Sprouts. ===

The hop sprout is not only one of Belgium's most favourite region products it is also one of the most expensive vegetables in the world. It is a strange vegetable, that looks a little like Soya beans, the price of this vegetable is about 200 euros a kilo at the beginning of the season.
In Belgium it is often served with smoked salmon and poached egg.

CHEESE

Despite its small size Belgium makes more than 300 varieties of cheese, the same number as France. These cheeses are made in very small quantities and rarely exported out of the country.
I will just tell you about eight of the most famous of the Belgian cheeses.

Beauvoorde

This is a very new cheese that was first created in the early 1990s by Arthur Djes, an innkeeper from Beauvoorde Village.
It's made from cow's milk; the semi-hard cheese has a hexagonal shape and a natural grey rind. Its mild flavour makes it ideal for snacks and sandwiches.

Brusselae Kaas

Also known as Fromage de Bruxelles, this is soft cow's milk cheese that is repeatedly washed and dried over a maturation period of at least three months. The result is a smooth-textured cheese with a sharp, citric, salty bite.
It is used for spreading on breads and snacks.

Herve

This is one of the most favourite cheeses in Belgian and comes from the town of the same name. The cow's milk cheese comes in a brick shape with a glossy, reddish brown coating that's created by bacteria during the aging period. The Belgians like this with their famous beer.

Limburger

Though most Limburger is now made in Germany this legendary "stinky" cheese actually originated in Belgium. Made from cow's milk, the pungent cheese has a soft yellow interior that hints of sweetness, but it's actually quite spicy, aromatic and meaty. It is very much an acquired taste; this is another cheese the Belgian's like with beer.

Maredsous

Traditionally made by monks, this soft cow's milk cheese gets its name from the Maredsous Abbey in Belgium. Lightly pressed and washed in brine, the loaf-shaped cheese has a firm orange crust and a pervasive aroma. This is a good cheese to grill.

Passendale

Taking its name from the Flemish village of Passchendaele, this semi-soft cow's milk cheese is Belgium's best known. Resembling a loaf of bread, it has a round shape and a hard, but edible brown rind that's lightly sprinkled with white mould. Inside, the flesh is golden, dotted with small holes and very, very creamy.

Prince-Jean

Made in modern creameries, this fresh cow's milk cheese is wonderfully rich and velvety with a triple cream status. The rounds have a slightly pungent aroma and a whitish, mouldy surface. A softer type of Prince-Jean is also made with peppercorns.

Rubens

This semi-soft cow's milk variety is named after Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, the most popular and prolific painter in 17th century Europe. Made in the Lo region, the cheese is formed into small rounds and has a firm, reddish-brown washed rind.

CHOCOLATE

What makes Belgian chocolate unique is the quality of ingredients and an almost fanatical approach to ancient manufacturing techniques. Even in today's world of automation and mass production, most Belgian chocolate is still made by hand in small shops using original equipment.
In fact, these small chocolate shops are really popular with tourists visiting Belgium.
Much like wineries or distilleries, tours of Belgian chocolate shops include tastings and souvenirs - and you have to take part - don't you!!
From the beginning of its history in Belgium, the chocolate was considered as a gift.

Chocolatier Jean Neuhaus made Belgian chocolate history in 1912 when he created the " praline ".
Three years later, to protect the delicate nature of the " praline ", he designed a special packaging and patented it under the name of " Ballotin ".
Today, pralines and ballotins are synonymous with Belgian chocolate and Neuhaus remains one of the best-known names of Belgian chocolate.

A BELGIAN MENU

Are you beginning to think that Belgian food isn't that boring?

Not convinced yet?

The following 'Menu' is a list of Belgium's most popular dishes

Paling In 't Groen- Eel soup with mixed herbs. This is a traditional Flemish dish

Luikse sla - Green bean salad with bacon and onions, and dressed with vinegar.

Gegratineerd witloof - Endives (a type of chicory) cooked with melted cheese.

Viszooitje - Fish stew (bass, eel, carp or pike) containing a mixture of vegetables (carrots, leeks and potatoes) with butter, cream and eggs.

Kippenwaterzooi - Chicken stew, similar to Viszooitje, and also containing a mixture of vegetables (carrots, leeks and potatoes) with butter, cream and eggs.

Vlaamse stoofkarbonaden - The Belgian version of Beef Bourguignon, cooked using Belgian beer instead of red wine.

Konijn in Gueuze - Rabbit cooked in Belgian beer.

Mosselen-friet - Mussels with French fries.

Smoutebollen: A fried pastry served hot on street stalls especially at fairs and festivals

Boudin Blanc & Boudin Noir: Blood sausages (French influenced) made by artisans

Waterzooi: This is a soup with added chicken or fish to make it into a meal. A delicacy from Ghent

Choesels: Another traditional Flemish dish of offal cooked in Lambic beer

Belgian fries: Famous worldwide as French Fries although they originate in Belgium. Sold from mobile stands known as fry shacks (frietkot)

Gauffres (Waffles): A true Belgian waffle is baked using special waffle irons. There are two types: the Brussels and the Liège waffle. The Brussels waffle is rectangular in shape, golden brown on the outside and eaten with a knife and fork. It is often served with sugar, whipped cream, ice cream, strawberries and chocolate. The Liège waffle is denser in texture, has a burnt sugar coating on the outside and is served by street vendors throughout the country

IN CONCLUSION

I hope that now you think that there is more to Belgian food than frites and chocolates!

Bon appetite!!!