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Belgium has been called a nation of gourmands rather than gourmets: a country, in other words, where "big cuisine" comes before "fine cuisine". However, just as in France, the word gourmandise has today largely lost its original derogatory meaning of "gluttony" and has come to refer, more positively, to "the appreciation of good food". In Belgium this means that along with big portions and a certain unpretentiousness of presentation, the diner can expect a high standard of ingredients and preparation. It has been said that Belgium serves food of French quality in German quantities.[1]
Deep-fried chipped potatoes ("fries" in American English; "chips" in British English) are a very popular food item – and one which the Belgians often claim to have invented. They are called frieten in Dutch and frites in French. However, unlike the 6-10 mm thick "French fries" (known as pommes allumettes in Belgium) which are normally served in American fast-food restaurants, Belgian fries are more substantial (12-15 mm thick) and are typically fried in animal fat. One of the best places to enjoy them is at one of the often temporary or mobile establishments known in French as a friterie, in Dutch as a frituur or, more informally, a frietkot. These are typically to be found strategically placed in town squares or alongside busy highways.
Another Belgian speciality is beer.[1] For a comparatively small country, Belgium produces a very large number of beers in a range of different styles – in fact, it has more distinct types of beer per head than anywhere else in the world. Almost every style of beer has its own particular, uniquely shaped glass or other drinking-vessel. The recipes for a number of Belgian home- and restaurant-prepared dishes call for the inclusion of one or other of the country's beers.
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Typical Belgian dishes
- Mosselen-friet/moules-frites: mussels and chips.
- Konijn in geuze/lapin à la gueuze: rabbit in geuze, which is a spontaneously fermented, sour beer from the area around Brussels.
- Stoemp: potato mashed with other vegetables, often served with sausages.
- Salade Liégeoise: a salad with green beans, pieces of bacon, onions and vinegar, associated with Liège.
- Vlaamse stoofkarbonaden: a Flemish beef stew, similar to the French Beef Bourguignon, but made with beer instead of red wine.
- Waterzooi: (lit. 'Water mess') a rich stew/soup of chicken (or sometimes fish), vegetables, cream and eggs, associated with Ghent.
- Paling in 't groen/anguilles au vert: Eel in a green sauce of mixed herbs.
- Gegratineerd witloof/chicons au gratin: a gratin of chicory in béchamel sauce with cheese.
- Tartines: Slices of rustic bread and an uncovered spread, often pâté or soft cheese, served on a board and eaten with knife and fork. A typical variety is a slice of bread with quark and sliced radishes, typically accompanied by a glass of gueuze.
- Braadworst, Pensen or Boudins: a type of sausage, often eaten with potatoes and apple sauce.
- The Ardennes is notable for Charcuterie, or cold meat products, particularly paté, which may be made of game such as wild boar.
- Waffles, sometimes eaten as a street snack.
- Chocolate, particularly pralines (filled chocolates).
See also
- Belgian beer
- Chocolatier Neuhaus
- Chicory
- Pommes frites
- Friterie
- Leonidas Chocolatier
- Mussels
- Pierre Wynants - chef
- Stoemp
- Waffle
- Waterzooi
External links
References
- ^ a b Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium, Michael Jackson, ISBN 0-7624-0403-5
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