Belgian Cuisine: The Three Pillars of Traditional Gastronomy

Belgian cuisine has absorbed the best culinary traditions of neighboring countries - Germany, the Netherlands and France. At the same time, regional gastronomy is strikingly different from each other. In the north (Flanders) they prefer seafood and vegetables, in the south (Wallonia) - pork, beef, game. Truly culinary masterpieces of the Belgians are waffles, chocolate and beer. It was here that pralines were invented more than a hundred years ago - filled chocolates that became famous all over the world. The main types of waffles are Brussels and Liege, which differ in shape and hardness. Belgian beer is not inferior to German beer and is considered a national drink. Its hallmark is the addition of unexpected ingredients such as spices, fruits, honey and rice.

(Total 22 photos)

1. Mussels with french fries. (Anders Österberg)

2. Eel in green sauce. (Take away)

3. Stump - mashed potatoes or other boiled root vegetables. (WFIU Public Radio)

4. French fries. (cyclonebill)

5. Waterzoi - a soup based on chicken or fish broth with vegetables. The dish comes from Flanders. (su-lin)

6. Flemish goulash. (Kmeron)

7. Tatar steak. (Take away)

8. White sausage. (alpha)

9. Brussels waffles. They are rectangular in shape and airy in appearance.([puamelia])

10. Liege waffles. They are oval or round in shape and firm in texture. (Parkerman & Christie)

11. Speculos - spicy cookies. (jenny downing)

12. Honey cake with spices. (Frédérique Voisin-Demery)

13. Belgian chocolate. (VISITFLANDER)

14. (VISITFLANDER)

15. (nate2b)

16. (jpellgen)

17. Cuberdon - jelly-like cone-shaped sweets. (VISITFLANDERS)

18. Chimay. (Ludovic Peron)

19. Hoegaarden. (Jon Whitton)

20. Leffe. (Leigh Garner)

21. Stella Artois. (Steven Guzzardi)

22. Blanche de Brussels. (Vinicius Pinheiro)