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ON
A GASTRONOMIC BREAK
Sujata
Reddy bites into crunchy frites and gets a high sniffing chocolate powder
in Belgium
FRIES, WAFFLES, CHOCOLATE
WHERE: Brussels, Ghent, Bruges...
And a plate full of French Fries please,” I said, placing my last order
from an oversized leather bound menu, at a canal facing restaurant in
Bruges, Belgium. “We don’t have French Fries but I can get you a plate full
of Belgian Fries, madam. And they’re tastier,” said the waiter with a hint
of arrogance and perhaps irritation. As he left, my companion was quick to
fill me in that Belgians don’t take too kindly to any reference to the
humble fries as French Fries as they believe that the dish originated on their
soil. Frites, as they are locally called, are to Belgium what vada pav is
to Mumbai and burgers to America and Belgians are very possessive of that.
I was careful never to address frites as French Fries throughout my time in
Belgium. Frite stalls are a common sight in Belgian corners, serving piping
hot fries in paper cones topped with generous portions of mayonnaise.
Delicious!
INSPIRED BY TASTE
As I continued on my food trail, I was surprised to see how our own
contemporary tastes have been heavily influenced by Belgian specialities;
fries being the biggest example. And who hasn’t heard of Belgian
chocolates? Considered the epitome of fine chocolate, a walk down the
alleys in the cities of Ghent and Brussels was a delight to my senses! As I
passed by confectionary stores, I was treated to aromas of a variety of
chocolate being whipped in large bowls, even as attendants arranged newly
cooled batches of chocolate on the shelves. Add to that the scent of
freshly baked bread being sliced for eager customers in the never ending
number of bakeries here and you can imagine why I was hungry all the time.
With strong food fragrances lingering on the streets, it’s still a mystery
as to how anyone in Belgium can ever muster the will power to go on a diet!
TAKE A SNIFF...
It was a nippy day and I was out
sightseeing in Bruges, when I passed by a chocolate shop. Giving in to my
hunger pangs I stepped in to bite my way through for some instant energy.
The sheer variety drove me nuts and I ended up tasting chocolate with cola
filling and a variety of spice chocolates in wasabi, chilli and lemongrass
flavours. You’d think that I had my fill, but I was far from done. Sensing
my enthusiasm, the girl at the store carefully removed a box from a
designated cabinet, in
which were placed two round tins of chocolate powder and a glass apparatus.
Originally designed for the English rock band, Rolling Stones, she said I
could just sniff the chocolate powder. Scooping a pinch onto a slot on the
apparatus, she held it near my nose and asked me to inhale as she counted
to three. On the count of three, she released the lever which sent the
powder flying deep into my nose. I think it reached straight to my brain as
the chocolatey sensation lasted for a few hours. One thing was clear,
chocolate, fresh bread and soft butter are not temptations, but a way of
life in Belgium.
Belgian beer is also the reason behind many happy
relationships here. Each beer brand recommends specific shapes of glasses
to best enjoy the beverage and eateries here take great care to serve in
these glasses itself.
Though it seems like a lot, waffles, frites,
chocolates, bread and mussels make up for just the tip of the gastronomic
iceberg that is Belgium. Bliss!
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