Weekend Cooking: What to Eat and Drink in Belgium

Before today is over, I'll have completed the first leg of my upcoming trip to Brugge. This won't be my first visit, and I sure hope it's not my last. The town is one of the prettiest I've been to.

There's more to Brugge than just a pretty face. It's one of the major lace centers of Europe, and in fact, lace is the raison d'etre for my trip. My friends and I will be attending a lace congress hosted by the local lace center.

Although we'll be based in Brugge we plan to travel around Belgium, cross the border to France, and maybe even spend a day in Luxembourg City. All the while, we'll be snapping photos and, of course, eating and drinking the local fare.

Here's what's on our to taste (or to taste again) list. We also plan to investigate some of the regional adult beverages.

French Fries: French fries should more properly be called Belgian fries, after their true point of origin. I especially love the fries from the guy who sets up a stand just below the Brugge bell tower in the main square. I, however, don't go completely native . . . keep that mayonnaise far, far away from me and my spuds.

Chocolate: I'm simply not going to bother to get into an argument with you. Belgian chocolate (made there, not the imported stuff that might actually be made in the USA) is by far my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I won't turn down German or Dutch chocolate, but given a choice, I go Belgian all the way. My favorite chocolate in Brugge is Dumon. (photo from their website)

Mussels: You know the saying: One has to eat mussels in Brussels. In Belgium, they are generally steamed with fresh herbs, garlic, and wine and served with, of course, French fries on the side. One of my friends is a mussels freak, so I'm sure they will make several appearances on our table in Brugge and elsewhere.

Beef: Meatballs (usually a mix of beef and pork) in a sour cherry sauce is a simple, traditional Flemish dish. I don't know why I haven't tried this yet, but I plan to rectify this lapse in my culinary experience. I have, however enjoyed the Belgian beef stew, which is made with beer (naturally).

Rabbit: I adore rabbit (on my plate, that is), and Belgium is known for two particular rabbit dishes. One is rabbit with prunes and the other is rabbit with beer. I prefer the beer-infused stew, which is usually made with potatoes and mustard. YUM.

Eel: Another regional dish is eel served in a green sauce. The sauce, if I recall correctly, is like a fresh herb and garlic puree. I'm not a huge eel fan because of all the bones, but one of my friends will order it at least once. It's a yummy dish, just fussy to eat.

Beer: Did you know there are more than 800 breweries in Belgium? It seems as if each town has at least one local beer that's worth trying. I'm partial to the darker, stronger beers, and stay away from the fruit beers. De Half Maan is one of the breweries in Brugge, known for it's Brugge Zot beer. I like the dubbel. (photo from their website)

Other sweets: Speculoos, ginger/spice cookies made in decorative molds, are popular in the Netherlands and Belgium. Although traditionally served at Christmas, they are now available year round. Waffles, of course!

Jenever: This gin-like spirit has a long history in Belgium. I first discovered Jenever in Brugge, but I have since learned there are regional variations across the Flemish region, from France to southern Belgium. We plan to visit the Jenever Museum and to do a serious tasting of the different varieties as we travel through the area. (Hey! somebody's gotta do it!)

Important Note: Because I'll be out of the country and my husband doesn't want to be responsible for maintaining my blog (and who can blame him?) Weekend Cooking will be hosted by Deb from Kahakai Kitchen on August 18 and August 25. She will be posting at her convenience, so just keep on eye on her blog. And while you're there, check out all her terrific book and food posts and don't forget to join in on her Souper Sunday linkup! Thanks so much, Deb, for giving Weekend Cooking a temporary home.

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