GLOSSARY OF FOODS AND FOOD TERMS
A la Flamande: “in the Flemish style,” i.e., rich with smooth egg and cream sauces.
Amuse-geules: small cocktail tidbits.
Biftek: used to describe any trimmed, boneless piece of meat whether beef, veal, pork, or horsemeat.
Botermelk met Mavermout: buttermilk soup thickened with oatmeal, enjoyed on meatless Fridays in Catholic Flanders.
Boudin: sausage.
Boudin Blanc: mild-flavored sausage. Boudin Noir: blood sausage.
Boulangeries: bakeshops specializing in “everyday” breads, rolls, cakes, and pies.
Carbonnades Flamandes: famous Belgian dish of stewed beef and onions simmered in beer.
Chicoon: French name for the variety of chicory from which the Belgian endive was first developed.
Confiseries: fancy bakeshops featuring party cakes and pastries.
La Cramique or Rosynenbrood: a loaf rich with raisins and eggs, served thickly sliced and buttered, with coffee. The favorite coffeebread of Belgium.
Creme Fraiche: slightly thick and flavorful cream available in both France and Belgium, widely used for fruits and desserts and in cooking.
Crevettes: tiny shrimp.
Elixir d’Anvers: one of the national liqueurs of Belgium, somewhat similar to Benedictine.
Elixir de Spa: Belgian liqueur with a taste of pine. Estaminets: beer taverns.
Fondu Bruxelloise: a favorite appetizer of chilled thick cheese sauce, poured into a pan then cut in squares, breaded, and deep-fried.
Fraises des Bois: strawberries. Frites: french-fried potatoes. Fritures: any deep-fried food. Hutespot: the Flemish pot-au-feu. Keppebouillon: chicken soup.
Kervelsoip: light buttery soup, flavored with fresh chervil
Marcassin: wild boar. Moules: mussels.
Padstools: a delightful appetizer of salmon-stuffed eggs arranged on end with tops of tomatoes to resemble mushrooms.
Patisseries: fancy bakeshops featuring party cakes and pastries.
Pistolets: traditional rolls for late Sunday breakfast. Preisop: smooth pureed leek and potato soup. Preskop: headcheese.
Rijspap: Flemish rice pudding made with milk, rice, and raisins, flavored with saffron and cooked in a large flat dish.
Speculaas: molded spiced breads and cookies. Sprats: small herrings.
Tomates aux Crevettes: the favorite Belgian appetizer, tomato halves heaped with tiny shrimp in mayonnaise.
Walzin: Belgian liqueur with a flavor similar to Benedictine.
Waterzooi: between a soup and a stew, made with fish or chicken, its rich broth fortified with an egg and cream sauce. Served in a soup plate, it is accompanied by buttered bread or potatoes. The fish or chicken is usually served as a separate course.
Whitloof: Flemish name for the variety of chicory from which the famed Belgian endive was developed.