Belgian cuisine

Belgian cuisine is widely varied among regions, while also reflecting the cuisines of neighbouring France, Germany and the Netherlands. It is characterised by the combination of French cuisine with the more hearty Flemish fare. Outside the country, Belgium is best known for its chocolate, waffles, fries and beer.

Though Belgium has many distinctive national dishes, many internationally popular foods like hamburgers and spaghetti bolognese are also popular in Belgium, and most of what Belgians eat is also eaten in neighbouring countries. "Belgian cuisine" therefore usually refers to dishes of Belgian origin, or those considered typically Belgian.

Belgian cuisine traditionally prizes regional and seasonal ingredients. Ingredients typical in Belgian dishes include potatoes, leeks, grey shrimp, white asparagus, Belgian endive, horse meat and local beer, in addition to common European staples including meat, cheese and butter.

Belgium has a plethora of local dishes and products. Examples include waterzooi from Ghent, couque biscuit from the town of Dinant, and tarte au riz from Verviers. While their local origins are acknowledged, most such dishes are enjoyed throughout Belgium.

History

Prehistory and pre-Roman period

Little is known about early Belgian cuisine. It can only be assumed that it was similar to that of other early European tribes. The ancient Belgians probably kept animals like sheep and cattle, grew root vegetables, hunted for animals such as the wild boar, fished, and foraged for berries and herbs. Beer was brewed as well, although not with hops (a later discovery).

The transition from appropriation to agriculture is thought to have occurred around 2000 BC, with migrants travelling across the continent along the Danube and Rhine rivers. Small, cultivated plots of land grew primitive varieties of wheat (e.g. emmer and einkorn), barley, and legumes (e.g. lentils and peas). Goats were bred for dairy products, sheep provided wool, and pigs provided meat. Wealthier families regularly ate meat, while the poor subsisted primarily on legumes, milk, and cereals in the form of porridge or bread.Peter Scholliers. Food Culture in Belgium. Greenwood Press, 2008. 264 p. ISBN 978-0-313-34490-9.

The Celtic tribes of the Belgae, who settled in Belgium around 300 BC, brought with them not only the wheeled plough and three-field crop rotation, but also enriched the diet with poultry (e.g. chicken and geese), mead and hops beer. Salt-cured beef was exported from the British Isles to the continent.Colin Spencer. Cambridge World History of Food. Kenneth F. Kiple, Kriemhild Coneè Ornelas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Т. V.C.4: The British Isles. ISBN 978-0-521-40216-3.

Gallo-Roman period

In 54 BC, the region of northern Gaul was conquered by Caesar's troops and passed into Roman possession for four centuries. The Roman Empire had an extensive road network, which played a significant role in the economic development of the empire, and in particular, individual cities. Active trade led to the spread of products from other regions of the empire to the territory of Gallia Belgica (e.g. olive oil and wine from the Mediterranean).

To meet the growing needs of the Roman army, increasing quantities of food were required. Thus, around the year 100 AD, tracts of forest in Belgica were cleared to plant crops. Wheat, barley and spelt were grown on fertile soils, while legumes and rye were grown on less fertile soils. New varieties of vegetables and herbs were presumably introduced to the region (e.g. cabbage and other brassicas, carrots, onions, beets, dill, coriander, and thyme), as well as many fruits (e.g. apples, pears, grapes, plums, and peaches), but they only became widespread in the 2nd century AD.Robert Nouwen. De Romeinen in België (in Dutch). Leuven: Davidsfonds, 2006. ISBN 978-90-5826-386-5 Livestock numbers also increased. Some regions of Belgica specialised in the production of salted ham and pork, and were known to be a large supplier of those products for many cities across the empire.

Archaeological excavations near the town of Tienen have given insight into the cuisine of Belgica in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD: cereals (e.g. wheat, spelt, and barley), legumes (e.g. lentils, peas, and beans), fruits (e.g. plums, cherries, pears, and grapes), nuts (e.g. walnuts and hazelnuts), in addition to olive oil, porridge, bread, salt, and fennel.Brigitte Cooremans. The Roman Cemeteries of Tienen and Tongeren: Results from the Archaeobotanical Analysis of the Cremation Graves in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. Heidelberg: Springer, 2008, no. 17., p. 3—13. For most of the population, the main dish was puls: cereals mixed with water or milk, heated and with a little olive oil added, then served with lentils or beans. Another important product was bread, to which honey or legumes were sometimes added when baking. Meat was rarely eaten (either fried or in vegetable soups), except freshwater fish (e.g. eel, pike, and trout). Water was the main beverage, in addition to milk, beer, and wine diluted with water and flavoured with spices. Rich people could afford to eat meat and wine more often.

Middles Ages and early modern

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the ruined and decayed territories of former Belgica were settled by Franks and Germanic peoples. They combined crop cultivation and livestock farming with hunting and gathering, but abandoned some of the food traditions of Belgica, such as fish sauce. They also favoured butter over olive oil and ale over wine.

At the end of the 5th century, Clovis I united the former possessions of Gaul and founded the Frankish Kingdom. During his reign, the Franks were baptised, and from then on the church began to play an increasing role in the development of the kingdom, including greatly influencing the culinary traditions of Belgium. Presumably, the history of Belgian brewing began with breweries at monasteries, and the monks also produced cheese. In addition, the Catholic Church prescribed fasting on certain days, of which there were at least 195 per year.Sigrid Dehaeck. Voedselconsumptie te Brugge in de Middeleeuwen (1280-1470) (in Dutch). Universiteit Gent, 1999. This led to a reduction of meat products in the diet in the 10th–11th centuries, while bread, fish and eggs became more popular.

Over time, the County of Flanders and the Duchy of Brabant became some of the most economically developed regions of Europe. Instead of a three-field system, the Flemish people began to fertilise the land, which allowed them to harvest twice a year and raise more livestock. The Flemish and Brabant cities of Bruges, Antwerp, and Ghent became the largest trading cities in Europe, where the richest people settled and where goods were brought from all over the world, including spices from India and exotic fruits from warm countries.

In the 13th to 15th centuries, great importance was attached to table setting and serving dishes. From then on, dishes had to be not only filling, but also pleasing to the eye. To achieve this, before serving, dishes were decorated with greens, crumbled eggs, seasoned with spices that gave colour (e.g. saffron), and poured with sauces. The food of common people consisted mainly of bread (due to low prices, bread was eaten in large quantitiesRaymond Van Uytven. Het dagelijks leven in een Middeleeuwse stad (in Dutch). Leuven: Davidsfonds, 1998. ISBN 90-6152-659-0), beer, vegetable soups, meat, as well as fruit pies, pancakes, and waffles. Most often they ate beef and lamb; only wealthy families could afford pork, poultry and game.

In the 15th century, the port city of Antwerp became one of the most important economic centres in Europe. With the discovery of America, products such as potatoes, tomatoes, turkey, and cocoa became available. Brewing also developed intensively in Antwerp.Richard W. Unger. Beer in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8122-3795-5. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the first cookbooks appeared in Belgium. While the menu of wealthy Belgians consisted of a variety of dishes and elaborate desserts, the poor still subsisted on bread, beer and vegetable soups. Potatoes were initially perceived as pig feed, but by 1830 they had become the staple dish of the poor.Yves Segers. Economische groei en levensstandaard: de ontwikkeling van de particuliere consumptie en het veodselverbruik in België, 1800-1913 (in Dutch). Leuven: Leuven University Press, 2003. 631 p. ISBN 978-90-5867-333-6.

Late modern and contemporary

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Flemish cities lost their former importance, and the French-speaking territories of Belgium, especially Liège and Mons, took the lead. Many culinary traditions came to Wallonia from neighbouring France. First of all, various meat and fish dishes, expensive seafood (e.g. lobsters and oysters), as well as exotic fruits (e.g. pineapple and melon), became popular dishes at that time; seasonal vegetables went out of fashion. Sauces, potatoes, and offal were widely used. In the 19th century, restaurants began to appear; cookbooks were now published for the middle class as well.

As a result of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Belgium gained its independence. Brussels was chosen as the capital of the new kingdom, where young dynamic businessmen, diplomats, and politicians settled. An increasing number of restaurants, cafés, and bars appeared in the capital, some of which were recognised as the best in Europe. Brussels chefs successfully combined French cuisine with elements of Flemish and Walloon dishes.Peter Scholliers. Buitenshuis eten in de Lage Landen sinds 1800 (in Dutch). Brussels: VUBPress, 2002. ISBN 90-5487-339-6. The city is also known as the birthplace of the Belgian endive. The technique for growing blanched endives was accidentally discovered in the 1850s at the Botanical Garden of Brussels in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.

In the 20th century, more exotic fruits and vegetables were introduced (e.g. bananas, kiwis, avocados, sweet peppers and aubergines), which gradually entered the everyday life of Belgians only with the spread of supermarkets. Many products became available to the working class. Some culinary traditions were lost because working class women, in order to save time, began to cook only the simplest and most nourishing dishes. At the same time, convenience foods and fast food became increasingly popular (e.g. spaghetti bolognese, pizza, and hamburgers), which negatively affected the nation's health. Recently, Belgians have become more health-conscious, so many families favour light, healthy meals with lots of vegetables, as well as fresh, natural products without chemical additives.

Belgian cuisine

Appetizers

Tartines/Boterhammen: slices of rustic bread and an uncovered spread, often pâté or soft cheese, served on a cutting board. Typical spreads include Americain, pâté, rilette and saucisson. Sandwiches: An oval shaped slightly-sweet bun. It is often eaten instead of regular bread, but is traditionally eaten on Sundays or after funerals. Jambon d'Ardenne/Ardeense ham: particularly smoked ham and pâté, often made of game such as wild boar. The forested Ardennes region in the south of Belgium is renowned for this type of food. /Luikse salade: a potato salad with green beans, bacon, onions and vinegar. It is usually associated with Liège. Croquettes aux crevettes/Garnaalkroketten: a traditional Belgian dish, these croquettes have a thick and creamy béchamel filling mixed with grey shrimps. They are often served with a slice of lemon and fried parsley. /Tomaat-garnaal: a Belgian culinary specialty, composed of a hollow tomato stuffed with peeled grey shrimps and mixed with Cocktail sauce.

Savoury dishes