Belgium might not be renowned for its coffee, but the dark liquid is indispensable to any grown-up. On average, we drink 135 litres per capita per year, which "boils down to" about 1,7 cups a day. Americans drink slightly higher quantities.
No doubt Starbucks changed American coffee culture profoundly. I remember visiting one of their fist shops in Seattle back in 1995, and reminiscing of Belgian coffee at home. Starbucks has not ventured into Belgium, most likely because of strong local brands, existing 'tea-room' culture (read: waffle and coffee culture) and the increased popularity of Italian coffee brands.
One of the most successful recent innovations in the Northern European food industry has to do with coffee: Dutch companies Philipsand Douwe Egberts joined forces to create the Senseo appliance combining espresso power with handy coffee pads. Strong but silky coffee as only Swiss espresso engines could produce, were in the reach of all households at a democratic price.
Still …
We tend to visit our favourite local brasserie "Zurich" at the Vlaamse Kaai in Antwerp a bit more often than necessary, and the coffee they brew has lots to do with it (… let's not forget the many many dog cookies Louis the Lab gets thrown at him by the waitresses either…). Cfr. the picture I included of their 'Lait Russe', a drink of ½ cup of frothed heated milk, ½ cup strong espresso, a dash of cocoa and some drops of honey. Can't start the weekend without one, so I am off!

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Grandmothers' recipes are the best! My "mémé" is 85 and is still going strong. At family dinners - where food remains the main activity and topic of discussion -, she proudly presides over the table .

The following recipe isn't my grandmothers', but has been in the family for a while. Vanilla waffles are a popular snack served when children return from school, or baked fresh at birthday parties. They are most delicious when eaten warm and can be preserved for a couple of days in an airtight container. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Recipe yields 80 small waffles
2 1/4 lbs all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs. butter, at room temperature
3 sachets vanilla sugar
10 (medium) eggs, split

Mix the softened butter, the yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar and a dash of milk into a homogenous mass.
Add the sifted flour, and allow the dough to rest in a refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
Warm the waffle iron (high heat). Add two coffee spoons of dough per waffle. Bake for a 2 minutes and turn the iron upside down. Bake for another 1 and check the waffles for color. They are ready when colored golden brown and still soft on the inside.

Tip: use an ice cream scoop to scoop the dough. Easy!


[Tags: waffle, Belgian,vanilla]

After a long cold winter, and an even longer cold spring, summer has arrived in Belgium! And with it shiny, tasty fruit asking to be savored in large quantities.
Cherries are my favorite by a long shot. It seems they have existed for ever, since no places of origin can be traced. “Cherry Garcia” Ben&Jerry’s needs no introduction. Dark chocolate pairs wonderfully with cherries, as it does with most red fruits. What dessert more Belgian than a Cherry Chocolate Soufflé?...

4 servings

½ lbs. cherries, pitted and halved
1 oz creamed butter, extra to grease the ramekins
3 oz sugar + extra to coat the ramekins
1 oz corn starch
1 cup milk
4 ½ oz dark chocolate (>70% cocoa), broken in small pieces
4 egg, split
Powder sugar

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Butter 4 soufflé ramekins and powder them with some sugar. Partition half of the cherries among the ramekins.
Add the cornstarch to a couple of tablespoons of milk. Warm the remainder of the milk, add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted. Add 2 oz of the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cornstarch-mix. Bring the milk to a boil over low heat. Continue to stir for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the liquid has thickened. Remove the milk pan from the heat. Stir the yolks one by one into the mixture and allow to cool.
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue to beat to create a shining meringue. Fold the egg whites carefully into the chocolate mix and add to the ramekins.
Place the pots in the oven during 15 to 20 minutes until the soufflés have risen and are golden brown.
Powder with sugar. Place the ramekins and the rest of the cherries on a beautiful plate.
Serve immediately.

Source: Weekend Knack

[Tags: Belgian , chocolate ,cherry ,soufflé ,recipe]

Most of the fish served in Belgium arrives daily in the port of Ostend, a city on the 45 mile long coast. Mussels, haring, cod, lobster, oysters, eel and sole make up for the largest part of the daily catch.
The stews' vegetables vary between seasons, as do the fish.

4 servings

3 ounces butter
1 small onion, sliced in fine rings
3 heads endive, cut in small strips
3 spring onions, finely chopped
Lemon juice
½ quart fish stock
2 fluid ounces dry white wine
2 meaty tomatoes, peeled and quartered
4 pieces cod filet, 6 ounces each
6 ounces salmon filet, but into strips
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons watercress, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flat leave parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Serve with
Steamed potatoes or Croutons

Melt 2 ounces of the butter in a large pan and add the onion, endives, spring onion and lemon juice. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat.
Add the tomato parts and the rest of the butter.
Season the cod with salt and pepper and add to another pan. Add the vegetable mixture, bring to a boil and poach the fish for 6 to 8 minutes.
To serve place the cod filets and (uncooked) salmon strips in a large dish and cover with vegetable stew.
Serve hot with steamed potatoes or croutons.

The Brussels Waffle is a sibling of the Liège waffle and is considered one of the most classical of Belgian desserts.
Children, parents and grand-parents generally order the waffles in tea-rooms (like the famous Desiré de Lille in Antwerp) on Saturday afternoon outings.
The waffle is eaten warm, dusted with powder sugar. When in season, the waffles are topped with strawberries and cream!

2 lbs. fine flour
1 ounce yeast
1 quarts lukewarm water
0,5 lbs. powdered milk
A pinch salt
½ vanilla pod
1 lbs. melted butter
6 to 8 egg whites, beaten

Break the yeast into the water. Create a ‘crater’ in the center, to which you add the yeast which has been removed from the water. Mix slightly.
Add the sugar, powdered milk, vanilla seeds and the remainder of the water. Mix into a tender dough, left to rise in a draft free and warm environment (e.g. your oven without turning on the heat) for 1 hour.
Beat the dough with a spatula and mix it with the lukewarm melted butter.
Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until very stiff. Add the egg whites to the dough. Blend to create an airy mixture.
Bake the waffles using a waffle iron featuring a large squared mould. The outer layer is crispy but the inside is soft!

Permalink: Belgian Waffle, Sweet