A Bite from the Belgian Culture

Of all places I'd been to, Belgium has been my foodie favorite - Yeah, the world knows Belgium for its Chocolates, Waffles, Fries and Beer. I always am super excited especially of Food- Swiss chocs : check, Italian pizzas: check and now its time to double check the Belgian pralines! So hii everyone, time for some quickbites!


Remember the last time I told you of my Easter vacation at Belgium? No? ö.Ö ..  It is such a beautiful medieval town- every city in Europe is somehow similar, yet so different: so picturesque. Most often, in the trips me and S go, he makes it a point to taste atleast one of the signature dishes of the country we travel to.. Like in Czech, Denmark, Swiss, Italy, Vatican city, Austria, Netherlands, Germany (of course), France and Norway. "If not now, then when"? :D


Signature dishes were a lot to try here this time: So one by one we check it all. I save the last for the best: The chocolates. Brussels, unlike Bruges was bustling with skyscrapers, huge castles, palaces - together with the chic cobblestone streets, bicycles and a faint buzz of distant music. I think it will be a favorite for both city and vintage lovers. It felt so good looking around, gazing at the sculptures in those palaces (Man, how would they have carved so intricately back in those days), observing people and enjoying the pleasant weather. So we keep walking walking walking, until we (Yeah, the Mafia us) realize that we had crossed wayy past lunch hour!! Only to find a long queue - standing under the scorching Sun, waiting for something in a crowded stall. Oh yes, its the best-seller of Fries (We had read it online that this was the eminent of the lot, never really looked up for it: but this one coincidentally it happened to be right opposite us - well, lets go see whats so special with Pommes!) There you see the line. By the time our turn came, we were all exhausted, tired and getting angry on each other.. Hunger games :D.. and then we reached the counter. My God, soo many varieties with the Fries (not the potatoes, the sauces I mean hehe) That guy who was the Fries-Master (couldnt call him the Fries Anna) had this stern look on his face - probably because we were peeping over his assemble station like idiots. Uhm, there were toppings of soo many flavors: from the simple mayonnaise to bizarre meat flavored-sauces. Some of us ordered the classic mayo, some the curry sauce, some BBQ and me - as usual wanted to try something new and weird, which as a rule: tasted horrible (damn it, it was some Chilli bonanza). Know what, seems you can choose more than one sauce onto one pouch (haan, thats new!), add in chilli and jalapeno flavors if needed, there was also the classic curry flavor, African sparkles, Carribean delights, American spices and a lot more curious named-flavors. The Fries were nothing new in taste, except that they were broader, otherwise the variety of toppings you could add probably makes it a best-seller I think. And the quantity. Haha you wont believe it peeps, it was like massive - really - by the time I finished mine, it was like I would cough potatoes out (Considering the Pommes small size we get in Germany, we all as a whole bunch bought in large portions each) :D 



You get these packed waffles here in Germany - its soft, fluffy. Feels like eating the milk bread I get in my home town back home. Yumm. But what you get here in Belgium, was just delicious! I could see waffles everywhere along the main street, this particular signboard was so thoughtful, that I couldn't cross by without clicking it. Whoever thought of it, was extremely creative o.O It was a very small stall, yet the hottest seller of waffles of the lot. The smell of the topping sugar along with melted chocolate and nuts was so strong, that all of my sweet teeth were getting excited. Today, after so long too - as I write this, I still could feel how it tasted, as S and I scooped the waffle and gobbled it away. We stood there in the line, thinking which one to choose : the banana/cinnamon/coffee with cream, or the one with hazelnuts and nut base, or just the classic confectionery sugar waffle, or the strawberries all-choco one? The choices were countless, it was all mix-n-match: They make whatever you want. S and me took the 3 euro one, with choco base, fresh strawberries and a chocolate sauce over it, topped up with pistachios. Best sweet-dish I ever had. Thanks to R, who clicked this pic, for I was all engrossed in choosing the best one this time (after Fries you see) that I totally forgot to click it - me and R are the photobuggers of Mafia :D


After a satisfying sweet and kaaram, we were all energized for the second part of going around the city. We were 12 of us, so we had split into groups travelling together. While I was in one of the other times S was not with me, me, A and A went into a coffee shop. It looked gorgeously well-off, facing the harbor. A and me ordered a Cappucino each - Thats the coffee type I like in Germany, a little of milk and not much of foam. Not long after we order, comes this delight right infront of us. This.is.a.Cappucino? Wow. I could just watch the sheer sight of the coffee cup all day. You usually get a small cup of a normal coffee as a cappucino back in Germany. So this was a delight to sip in the steaming coffee, overlooking a fleet of ships - and seagulls flying over. Thats one coffee, we both would remember always.


As much as I love Coffee, S loves Sea food: Prawns, Fish, Crab - so why wouldnt he want to try the Signature Mousles- Frites! After so much discussions and confusions (especially because most of our friends were veggies and S wanted to for sure try this), we barged into a restaurant for dinner. And ordered the Mousles Frites. It came in a black pot of Mussels, and steaming vegetables - alongside Fries. He was all the while busy opening the shells, breaking them and popping them in his mouth. It was so aromatic, even for a not-much-a-seafood-fan, it sure would have tasted amazing. I had ordered my favorite cheese tortellinis - not just because it was cold and foggy, but because.. uhmm I missed it :D

With tummies full, we walk out for the last stopping point - before we retire back to our rooms: To Every girl's favorite (Technically, after diamonds ;)) - the chocolates. S had noted where the best of them are located, and there was cocoa beans aroma even before we entered the Galeria. Every corner had drolling chocolate fountains, eye-catching chocolate cookies of various shapes, macaroons and hand-made world's best chocolates. Here are a few of the shops that I stood outside the window, simply because I could not take my eyes off them.

 

Just as I enter the Galeria de la Reine, it was a delight not just for the eyes, but also for the palate. From meringues to marshmallows to home made pralines to macaroons - the list was endless. There was this 85% dark chocolate praline - the taste of it exploded in my mouth, yet without bitterness: a taste almost sensuous. And then there was this other praline, a combination of white chocolate, fruits, spices and strawberries - absolutely divine. Oh, I shouldnt forget the "orangettes" - these were like orange peels covered in chocolate (no, they were not sour at all!)  and also ginger flavoured. All of it was so intensely flavored yet so delicious, that you could pick the flavors blind-folded! And the best of all, the Belgian Owl it was itseems (only later did I know the name) was the milk chocolate with the world-renowned Belgian whisky. 

Happily I leave Belgium (for now) with the best souvenir I ever collected: a 200gram assorted box of 18, all handmade - fresh, tempting and heavenly: A mix of strawberries, rum, white chocolate, coconut, whisky, orange, milk, dark, dried nuts, raisins, marzipan, macaroons, lime with a wild flower, figs, chocolate mousse, caramel and cream-filled pralines. Unforgettable.

Comments

  1. hey blogger such a yummy blog.. It's make my mouth water..:P Thanks for sharing such a nice blog.
    Belgium visa UK

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. Belgium is such a beautiful country, I would love to visit again.

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  2. Thank you so much! Loved your poems.

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