Belgium is the country, which is famous for long-standing cuisine tradition. In its history, Benedict Flemish monks improved technique of producing beer and Charles de l’Excluse- a Flemish played an important role in disseminating potato to Europe. Therefore the Belgian always is proud of their special dishes which were guided in antique cookery books.

You can enjoy Belgium cuisine through many local dishes which are made of available materials such as: stag meat, partridge and Ardennes rabbit and North Sea seafood, according old recipes. Belgium cuisine is influenced by seasonal food. For example: sardine in spring, asparagus and strawberry in May and June are best. And autumn is hunting season, thus, wild beast meat will full appear in food store in that time.

Moules – Frites

To a country that is famous for seafood and beer, this dish seems always to be on the top when you search about Belgium cooking. The king of this, as its name, is moules, a kind of sea animal. Many people maybe not persuaded easily by the appearance of the dish with a bowl of cooked moules, a plate of chips and a glass of beer or wine. However, everything changed in the first seconds when people taste an amazing flavor of butter, wine, some kinds of herbs as onion, celery and some salt, pepper. Eater can enjoy with bread. Moules – frites is so popular in not only Belgium but also other countries that many people think its origin is from France.

Meat

Meat plays an important role in cuisine of the Belgian. Roast meat with some frites above is probably the most favorite dish of them. It’s also true to say that the Belgium is the country that eating rabbit more than any European countries. There a long list of dishes made of rabbit and the most popular ways are: rabbit cooked with beer in earthen pot of rabbit cooked with dried plum. The other favorite food of Belgian also includes smoking meat and pate of Ardennes region, Salami hot-dog, some dishes eaten in winter such as: Vlaamsekarbonade (beef stewed with beer), Faisan à la Brabanconne (pheasant simmered with lettuce), Waterzooi (fish or chicken cooked with potato, carrot, leek and cream), Konijn met pruimen (rabbit cooked with dried plum)

Seafood

The Belgian likes seafood very much. They cook clam with onion, parsley and celery then we have a delicious dish with very special tasty. North Sea shrimp of Belgium is supposed to be the best in the world. And the most favorite way to enjoy it is to stuff shrimp and mayonnaise into a tomato. There are also delicious dish cooked from freshwater shrimp and fish like Paling in bet groen, Truite au bleu…

Some special vegetables

The Belgian eats a lot Brussels cauliflower. Besides, they extremely like asparagus because of its white and plentiful flavors. The best asparaguses are grown in sandy soil area near Mechelen. Other popular vegetables are wiloof, lettuce, leek and red cabbage.

Chocolate

Belgian chocolate is famous all over the world, it was supposed to be the best, is made of high quality ingredients. The most popular kind is Praline- the chocolate having stuffing. The stuffing can be made of coffee, fruit-alcohol, almond or even a whole cheery.

Belgian Beer

Beer is the national characteristic drink of Belgium. This country produces about 400 types of beer including black, yellow and white beer. Through many centuries, monasteries became big beer suppliers. In the past income from beer was very important to their life. Some monasteries still produce beer according to the old recipe and the most famous is Chimay monastery with Trappiste beer. Pajottenland- region in the southwest of Brussels, is very well-known with Lambik and Gueuze beer which are produced in the traditional way. After ferment and brew process, they have a type of beer having yellow color and ripe apple flavor.

There are always many restaurants all over the country; therefore, you can enjoy Belgian cuisine easily. There are towns where have their own special dishes. You can visit Liège to enjoy Salade Liègeoise which includes: salted pork, onion, potato, parsley and French bean. Liège is also famous for stews and soup. If you like soups, let go to Gent because this region is renowned for its Waterzooi soup. In the past they used fish to cook Waterzooi soup but now, people prefer chicken to fish. And Brussels capital is well-known all over the world with dishes made with beer and waffles. Therefore, when going to a restaurant in Brussels, don’t forget to order waffles and a dish which is cooked with beer. It is also the city that is famous for cuisine in the world. With about 2000 restaurants, Brussels can makes the most fastidious and gourmet visitors satisfied.

If you like seafood, you should go to restaurants in North Sea region. Cities in the region of West Flandre are the great destinations for visitor to savor sweet dish such as “babelutte cake of Ypres and Furnes people, Kalletaart cake of Courtrais people. Besides, jam and hot-dog in Damme, river eel in Damme and Ypres are also great. In Ardennes, fresh salmon and shrimp are main special food. In Dinant, Dinant cake, jam and Leffe are the special food that visitor shouldn’t skip.

In short, if you are a gourmet and have a chance, let go to Belgium at least once in your life. It is really a Heaven to discover cuisine of a country with long-standing cuisine tradition. Take your valise and go now!