Mussels From Brussels

Things you need to know about Belgian cuisine: (a) it actually exists, and (b) there’s more to it than waffles. In fact, this small northern European country boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than its neighbor, France. Belgian food marries French finesse with good old comfort food, producing that happiest of offspring, the (misnamed) French-fry - and other internationally beloved dishes. "We use European cooking methods like the French and Swiss, but with our unique local game, beer, chocolate and produce," says Michelin-star chef Benoit Gersdorff, who will be cooking at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile's Avenue restaurant.

This is the month to sink your teeth into this largely unheralded cuisine as Hong Kong plays host to the Best of Belgium 2005 celebration (the biggest yet), to celebrate 175 years of Belgian independence.

So what can you expect? Well, despite its relative youth as an independent country, Belgian cuisine has its roots in the Middle Ages, and many dishes still use that typical medieval combination of mustard, vinegar and dried fruit. Its prominence as a trading state is reflected in its use of spice trade ingredients such as saffron, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and peppercorns, as well as homegrown herbs tarragon, parsley, thyme and chives. Here’s what to look out for.

Belgian fries

Sauteed, boiled, baked or fried, Belgians love potatoes. It was they, not the French, who invented the fry. In the 17th century, fried small fish were a common dish among the poor, but when the rivers froze they substituted fish-size pieces of potatoes and the fry was born. Belgian fries are fried twice and are the country's most popular street food, eaten out of a paper cone and dipped in mayonnaise (just like John Travolta says in “Pulp Fiction”), béarnaise or curry sauce.

Seafood

Belgium is famous for its mussels. Imported from Zeeland in the neighboring Netherlands, they have become a national dish and are prepared in every which way, shape and form. In season from September to February, they are traditionally served in a large steaming pot of savory broth – often made with white wine or, increasingly, Belgian beer - with a side of fries and homemade mayonnaise. Also popular are lobster, herring, cod and eel. Traditional recipes include eel in green sauce and raw herring with raw onions.

Vegetables

Chicory, or Belgian endive, was discovered in 1830 when a farmer returned from war and found his chicory, then used for coffee, had sprouted white leaves that had a very distinctive, somewhat bitter taste. Today chicory is used in creamy soups, sauces and gratins, headlining in such dishes as braised Belgian endive and cream of Belgian endive soup, or wrapped in a slice of ham topped with bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese. The scourge of young children everywhere are Brussels sprouts – and yes, they’re really from Belgium. Developed in the 13th century, this winter vegetable is full of vitamins, iron, fiber and calcium. They are most commonly cooked in water and sautéed with butter, onion, and bacon. Finally, the country is famous for white asparagus, perhaps at their best in asparagus “a la flamande” - white asparagus with a creamy sauce and eggs.

Meat

Various meats are at the heart of Belgium’s comfort foods - dishes such as the famous waterzooies (creamy stews with chicken) and carbonnades flamandes (creamy stews made by simmering beef and vegetables together in beer for two hours). Onions, mustard, vinegar and a slice of country bread spread with a strong mustard gives the meal its truly Belgian taste. Another traditional dish is filet Americain, a baguette filled with raw ground beef mixed with mayonnaise and capers – not for the faint of heart.

Game

Oxtail, pigeon, quail and rabbit are stars of Belgian cuisine. Oxtail soup with celery root is a local favorite. And such dishes as sautéed young guinea fowl with cherries and beer or rabbit stewed with prunes perfectly symbolize the medieval influence.

Beer

Nectar of the Gods. With more than 450 varieties of beer, Belgians take their brews seriously and use them in everything from steaming and sauteéing to flavoring stews and desserts (and drinking it with gusto, of course). The variety is huge, with raspberry, white, chocolate, geuze and cherry beers, as well as the famous lambic beer. Its production involves a specific type of fermentation that allows the beer to get better with age, and it can be produced only in a small area in Belgium. Yum.

Waffles

One of the most popular exports from Belgium is the waffle. Made with waffle irons found only in Belgium, they are crunchy on the outside and fluffy inside. There are two varieties of waffle: the Brussels and the Leige. The Brussels is the style you find the world over, with a rectangular shape and various toppings eaten with a knife and fork. The Leige is a handheld waffle sold by street vendors in Belgium and is denser in texture with a burnt sugar coating. Try it at City'super in IFC Mall.

Chocolate

With 2,130 chocolatiers – including Godiva - Belgium is justly famous for its fine chocolate. It is the home of the praline, a hard-shelled luxury confection with soft, creamy filling typically flavored with hazelnut or coffee.

Directions

The Belgium Gastro Festival is held at: Avenue, Holiday Inn Golden Mile - 50 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2369-3111.

Main Bar, Foreign Correspondents Club, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, 2521-1511.

Cafe des Artistes, 30-32 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2526-3880.

Grand Place, Shop 1050, Level 1, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2234-7343.

La Parole, G02A, Ground Floor, Maritime Square, 33 Tsing King Road, Tsing Yi, 2436-4099.