BELGIUM CUISINE

pRepAReD by: jHaNE >3

HISTORY OF BELGIUMBelgium occupies part of the Roman province of Belgica, named after the Belgae, a people of ancient Gaul. The area was conquered by Julius Caesar in 57–50 B.C. , then was overrun by the Franks in the 5th century A.D . It was part of Charlemagne's empire in the 8th century, then in the next century was absorbed into Lotharingia and later into the duchy of Lower Lorraine. In the 12th century, Belgium was partitioned into the duchies of Brabant and Luxembourg, the bishopric of Liège, and the domain of the count of Hainaut, which included Flanders.

HISTORY OF BELGIUM

• In the 15th century, most of the Low Countries (currently the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) passed to the duchy of Burgundy and were subsequently inherited by Emperor Charles V. When the latter abdicated in 1555, the territories went to his son Philippe II, king of Spain. While the northern part, now the Netherlands, gained its independence in the following decades, the southern part remained under Spanish control until 1713, when it was transferred to Austria. During the wars that followed the French Revolution, Belgium was occupied and later annexed to France. But with the downfall of Napoléon, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 reunited the Low Countries under the rule of the king of Holland. In 1830, Belgium rebelled against Dutch rule and declared independence, which was approved by Europe at the London Conference of 1830–1831.

HISTORY OF BELGIUM

• Germany's invasion of Belgium in 1914 set off World War I. The Treaty of Versailles (1919) gave the areas of Eupen, Malmédy, and Moresnet to Belgium. Leopold III succeeded Albert, king during World War I, in 1934. In World War II, Belgium was overwhelmed by Nazi Germany, and Leopold III was held prisoner. When he returned at the government’s invitation in 1950 after a narrowly favorable referendum, riots broke out in several cities. He abdicated on July 16, 1951, and his son, Baudouin, became king. Because of growing opposition to Belgian rule in its African colonies, Belgium granted independence to the Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1960 and to Ruanda-Urundi (now the nations of Rwanda and Burundi) in 1962.

HISTORY OF BELGIUM

• Since 1958, when the European Economic Community was born, Brussels, the country’s capital, has gradually established itself as the de facto capital of what has now become the European Union (EU), a role that became official in Dec. 2000 when the European Council of heads of government decided to hold all its regular meetings in Brussels. As a result, the city has become home not only to nearly 20,000 European civil servants, but to an even more numerous community of lobbyists, lawyers, and other professionals drawn to the EU’s main decision center.

HISTORY OF BELGIUM

• Growing divisions between Flemings and Walloons, and devolution along linguistic lines, culminated in the revised constitution of 1994, which turned Belgium into a federal state with significant autonomy for its three regions and its three language “communities.”

HISTORY OF BELGIAN CUISINE• When shopping for dinner, a Belgian will happily go

20 minutes out of her way if it means her family will enjoy a better loaf of bread or a more tender bunch of asparagus. Food is an extremely important part of Belgian life. Not only do Belgians spend considerably more money on food than the average American, but they also devote a great deal more time and energy to discussing it, shopping for it, preparing it, and consuming it. The Belgian approach to food is perhaps best summed up in the following motto: WE EAT THREE TIMES A DAY, SO WE'D BETTER TRY TO MAKE A FEAST OF IT EVERY TIME.

HISTORY OF BELGIAN CUISINE

• But what is Belgian food? When faced with this question, most Americans might answer, after a puzzled pause, "French?" "German?" or, perhaps, "Dutch?" Even other Europeans find Belgian cuisine enigmatic. To a great extent, that sad fact is their own fault, since Belgians tend to keep a low, even self-effacing international profile. But it is all the more confounding when considers that Belgian food is truly some of the finest Europe has to offer and that Belgium has more three-star restaurants per capita than France.

HISTORY OF BELGIAN CUISINE

• Although present-day Belgium can aptly be described as a nation tied to its traditions, its very culture sprang from a pastiche of foreign influences. Over the centuries, Belgium has been invaded by almost every other European people—including the Romans, Vikings, Spanish, French, Germans, and Dutch—effectively becoming a meeting point for the Germanic cultures of northern Europe and the Latin cultures of the south. Favorite cooking techniques, ingredients, and styles of the invaders were picked up by the natives, who by the Middle Ages, had developed a cuisine they could call their own. Now Belgians are fond of saying that OUR FOOD IS COOKED WITH FRENCH FINESSE—AND SERVED IN PORTIONS OF GERMAN GENEROSITY.

HISTORY OF BELGIAN CUISINE

• At some point, the urge to forge and preserve this hard-won and slow-cooked identity eventually became a sort of national mania, reflected in a native suspicion of strangers and a hard-shelled, highly conservative resistance to any further exotic influence. Our customs, traditions, folklore, and festivals were frozen in time, along with their cuisine, which has remained doggedly faithful to its origins.

SPECIALTIES OF BELGIAN CUISINE

• Asparagus flemish style

• Filet Américain (Steak Tartare)

• Croque (Grilled Sandwich)

• Flamiche

• Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce (Boulettes)

• GAME

• Moules Frites

• Belgian waffles

• Belgian chocolates

MOST COMMON USE INGREDIENTS

condiments :

mustards, vinegars dried fruits and nuts (almonds)

Spices:

nutmeg, cinnamon, peppercorns, saffron, ginger, and bay leaves

fresh herbs:

chervil, tarragon, thyme, sage, parsley, and chives

ERIC PANKERT (ZUR POST)For the new season (December 2014 – April 2015) we are proud to present the creations of Chef Eric Pankert. Eric Pankert has been at the helm of the Michelin-starred restaurant Zur Post, in St. Vith since 2003. He has cooked alongside well-known chefs such as Joël Robuchon, France’s “chef of the century”, in cities all over the world, including Liège, Düsseldorf, Ghent, Paris and New York. In Ghent, he was introduced to the art of pastry-making, and from New York he carried home the influence of various international cuisines. A firm believer in perfection, Pankert chooses not to follow current trends but offers his guests a modern interpretation of French cuisine instead, always adding a personal touch. He earned a 17/20 in Gault Millau and 4 “Toques” from the Belgian gastronomy guide “Guide Delta”.

JULIEN LAHIRE (MOULIN HIDEUX)

• For the spring season (April - July 2014), we were proud to present the creations of Chef Julien Lahire from the award-winning restaurant Moulin Hideux. Set in the heart of the Semois Valley in the Ardennes, the restaurant is part of the Auberge du Moulin Hideux, a magnificent 17th century mill that has been converted into a hotel. The cuisine is rooted in the local region, with game being the speciality of the house.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Beer

BELGIANS NATIONAL DRINK• Fried potatoes

BELGIANS NATIONAL DISH

none

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS?