Belgian Food: A 'Sin' for Every Taste

Belgium combines French and Dutch influences -including in its cuisine. In three areas of cuisine the Belgians are famous:

Pomme Frites:  Belgians invented "pomme frites" or fried potatoes.   Alas, the French got credit and this in the US pomme frites are the ubiquitous French fries. Stands and pomme frites cafés sell pomme frites in Belgium. Traditionally the fries are eaten with mayonnaise. 

Beers:  Unlike Germany and the Czech Republic where a Medieval beer purity law keeps beer ingredients limited to a classic five elements, Belgians experiment with a broad palate of beer ingredients. Belgian inventiveness makes Belgium a smorgasbord of beer with libations that include fruit beers. 

Chocolates:  Switzerland may be more famous for the quality of its plain chocolate bars, but Belgians rule when it comes to esquisite and complex chocolate candies.  From chocolate-covered candied orange peel to exotically flavored truffles, Belgium is a chocolate lover's paradise. It's thus no accident that Godiva chocolatiers started in Belgium. 

Belgian Food: A 'Sin' for Every Taste

Belgium combines French and Dutch influences -including in its cuisine. In three areas of cuisine the Belgians are famous:

Pomme Frites:  Belgians invented "pomme frites" or fried potatoes.   Alas, the French got credit and this in the US pomme frites are the ubiquitous French fries. Stands and pomme frites cafés sell pomme frites in Belgium. Traditionally the fries are eaten with mayonnaise. 

Beers:  Unlike Germany and the Czech Republic where a Medieval beer purity law keeps beer ingredients limited to a classic five elements, Belgians experiment with a broad palate of beer ingredients. Belgian inventiveness makes Belgium a smorgasbord of beer with libations that include fruit beers. 

Chocolates:  Switzerland may be more famous for the quality of its plain chocolate bars, but Belgians rule when it comes to esquisite and complex chocolate candies.  From chocolate-covered candied orange peel to exotically flavored truffles, Belgium is a chocolate lover's paradise. It's thus no accident that Godiva chocolatiers started in Belgium. 

Belgian Food: A 'Sin' for Every Taste

Belgium combines French and Dutch influences -including in its cuisine. In three areas of cuisine the Belgians are famous:

Pomme Frites:  Belgians invented "pomme frites" or fried potatoes.   Alas, the French got credit and this in the US pomme frites are the ubiquitous French fries. Stands and pomme frites cafés sell pomme frites in Belgium. Traditionally the fries are eaten with mayonnaise. 

Beers:  Unlike Germany and the Czech Republic where a Medieval beer purity law keeps beer ingredients limited to a classic five elements, Belgians experiment with a broad palate of beer ingredients. Belgian inventiveness makes Belgium a smorgasbord of beer with libations that include fruit beers. 

Chocolates:  Switzerland may be more famous for the quality of its plain chocolate bars, but Belgians rule when it comes to esquisite and complex chocolate candies.  From chocolate-covered candied orange peel to exotically flavored truffles, Belgium is a chocolate lover's paradise. It's thus no accident that Godiva chocolatiers started in Belgium. 

Flemish vs. Dutch

Northern Belgium consists of Flanders.  In the Middle Ages Flanders was a collection of various wealthy merchant cities that eventually came under Spanish Hapsburg rule. The more northern provinces of the Low Countries, the nether or low lands, fought a bitter and bloody revolt under William of the House of Orange. These areas became the Netherlands.  Flanders remained under Hapsburg rule before becoming its own independent monarchy as part of Belgium. 

I asked our taxi driver what is the difference between Flemish and Dutch.  He told me the two are the same language, but that the Flemish call their language Flemish in part because a number of Flemish people don't much like the Dutch. At least, this is how our taxi driver in Brussels explained things. 

Today language and identity continue to be connected.  One guide book informed us that certain parts of Brussels favor Flemish or French. According to this book, greeting a shopkeeper or waiter in one language may offend someone whose primary language is another of Belgium's two main languages.  This morning in fact the housekeeper at the hotel greeted us with "good morning" in both Flemish and French. Strangely this has pushed me to use English as a kind of neutral ground. I'm sure people with more familiarity with Belgian life know how to tactfully bridge the dual language issues. I believe 80% of Belgians speak French as their first language -or again so I was informed by our cab driver. Online, Flemish folks on the chat apps seem to consistently list they live in the Flemish Region rather than Belgium. 

I suspect that if the move for statehood among minority nations such as Scotland, Catalunya, and the Veneto set a pattern where such regions can have a national identity within the larger EU, Flanders will eventually seek independence. 

Belgium: Europe in a Blender

Belgium fascinates me for a number of reasons. It's character is surprisingly elusive to me.  Brussels, Bruges, and the other areas of Belgium I have visited or passed through are identifiably European but not specific to a particular country I can identify. The architecture seems a mix of Dutch and French. Most people speak English along with French and Flemish.  German and French makes of cars mix together on the roads.  It's as if someone put western Europe in a blender and created Belgium. 

Of course, historically this scenario isn't that far from the truth.  Belgium combines the French-speaking Walloonia with the Flemish-speaking Flanders. Brussels is in the middle and thoroughly trilingual with international English commonly heard and seen in print. Brussels' aggregated identity makes it a perfect birthplace for the European Union. 

Travel to Europe: Jet Lag

I suspect the glory days of travel from the US to Europe were back in the days of ocean liners. Because the trip took days, it gave the human body time to adjust to the change in time zones. 

Today we strap our bodies into cramped seats for 6-8 hours of flight time.  Flights usually leave the US in the evening.  About an hour into the flight dinner will be served.  Then the lights are turned off, and passengers begin the challenge of trying to sleep.  About 1.5 hours before landing the lights come on, and the flight attendants serve breakfast. Then you land jet-lagged, excited and foggy. 

Or at least that has been my experience and the experience of others with who I have traveled.  As evidence I post this picture of a jet-lagged Nathan in Brussels' Grand Place. 

Various friends have given me advice on how to reduce jet lag. One friend consumes no caffeine on the trip. My friend Marc arrives, checks into his hotel, has lunch and walk around. Then in mid to late afternoon he takes a nap for a few hours. Then he gets up in time for dinner and a short walk before going to bed around 9-10pm. The next morning he awakes on the new European schedule. 

I find Marc's system works better than any other jet lag tricks I've tried.