From some of the paintings by Brueghels and Teniers you have probably surmised that the Belgians eat robust meals... And it is true that Belgians take their food seriously, very seriously! Belgium has the greatest gastronomic reputation and it will be hard for you to find a restaurant that served you a poor meal or, for that matter, too small a quantity!

Although "progress" has made large inroads and supermarkets have supplanted a number of neighbourhood stores in the past few years, these markets stock a range of food products unrivalled in Europe. Of course, in most towns and villages you will still see the greengrocer, baker, butcher and cheese-and-eggs store. These are busy all day, every day (except Sundays and one month of the year, when they are on vacation!).

Cooking is a national pastime and an art in Belgium. From the most modest inn to the most elegant restaurant (more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than anywhere in the world!), from the farmer, coalminer and the steel worker to the baron and the duke, food preparation is almost akin to religion! Belgians love to eat and, because of their tumultuous history, have acquired the best of all European cooking. There are an untold number of restaurants in Belgium. A friend of ours, after a three week visit, wondered if he might be correct in assuming that there was one restaurant for every five people?... Not so, of course, but they certainly can be found in an abundance unmatched in any other country in the world.

Regional and local specialties abound. Travel through the country and you get a few mouth watering examples: calves kidneys cooked in butter with juniper berries, jambon d'Ardennes - smoked ham typical of the Ardennes (one of several dozen different types of ham available), Carbonnades Flamandes - beef stewed in dark beer; jugged hare prepared with beer, prunes and onions.

Brussels is THE place to consume "poulet", a particularly tender kind of chicken from the area. In Flanders, try "Waterzooi", a vegetable stew with cream and pieces of chicken or fish, makes for a delicious meal. We could go on and on and never give you a complete list of all the different kinds of heavenly repasts served. Furthermore, practically no one adheres to the concept of "nouvelle cuisine", in other words, meals are not only tasty but also very generous in their servings. All eating establishments are required to display their menus outside, so you always know in advance what is served and how much you will be charged. This is a very refreshing custom, and I wish it would become universal.

Breakfast usually consists of bread, butter, jam, cheeses, cold cuts and sometimes soft boiled eggs or omelets, served with coffee or tea. Most hotels, motels, inns and pensions include breakfast in the price of their room. The bread very often consists of "pistolets" which are a kind of very tasty, crispy roll typical of Belgium. These are always fresh as the hotel (or restaurant) people will have had the baker deliver the rolls and bread in the early morning, fresh out of the ovens. You will find that the smallest village has at least one baker who usually also sells pastry and cakes (and what heavenly pastries!).

Lunch is a full meal but usually lighter than dinner. You will notice that 90% of the menus do not make a distinction between lunch and dinner. What is available in the evening is also available at noon, at the same price (most restaurants). Most Belgians will have either wine or beer with lunch and dinner. Do not expect the "automatic" glass of iced water in restaurants. Belgians have a deep-seated aversion for water as a beverage... They will, however, sometimes order bottled water such as Vittel, Perrier etc. On the other hand, you can safely ask your waiter for a glass of water if you are so inclined.

Besides the numerous restaurants, you will also find a lot of "snack bars" where you can get fast, inexpensive but still very tasty meals, either hot or cold, and a great variety of sandwiches.

And then, at last, we come to THE national dish of Belgium: the "frites", which we call french fries but are not French at all! The Belgians are definitely the inventors of this tasty morsel. And scrumptious it is! Due to the method of cooking and also the ingredients used in the frying process, these fries have a lot less fat content and are so much better tasting than ours.

There are stands, called "fritures", wherever you look. Most of the time you can literally "follow your nose" to one of them. Just sniff the air and you will know which direction to follow... Do so, and ask for a portion of "frites". They come in two sizes: small and large; freshly fried (while you wait), they are served either in a paper cone or cardboard dish with mayonnaise, mustard or even meat sauce on the side. Taste them and I wager you will become addicted to them! They can really be considered a meal all by themselves when washed down with a pint of good Belgian beer.

I will, in the following pages, give a few typical Belgian recipes. Included will be some tips on buying, preparing and cooking some of the ingredients. Most of them (such as Belgian beer, Belgian endives) are now freely available in our country, if not at supermarkets, then, very probably at specialty food stores.