Travel Turtle

Who knew there were so many things to love about Belgium? Aside from the chocolate, they also have the best fries, waffles, lace and so much more. As I’m currently planning for a trip to Belgium, I thought I’d share some of my findings here. Now, I originally planned to write about everything I am finding about Belgium in one post, but that just might take a really long time to write and for you to read. Instead, I’m going to do it in parts as I find things that are interesting to me. If you have anything you want to add, recommend, or ask… please do!

Belgian Fries (or frites)

There’s definitely something appealing about a good belgian fry. They are thicker, crispier and tastier than any other fry out there. It’s a taste you’ll never forget, but only if it’s done right. The way I make them is to cut the potato thick, boil the fries for a bit, deep fry at a low heat, deep fry at a high heat. Perfect every time. Now, most of the recipes I read never mention the boiling part, but always mention the other two parts. I guess that works, too. I’ll probably never try it their way because I really love the way I make them.

On a side note, I have been to various Belgian Fry places not in Belgium and for the most part, it’s not the same. The place either focuses on the huge variety of sauces, or the fries aren’t spectacular. If you find yourself in a place that’s not Belgium and eating fries that claim to be Belgian Fries, there’s a really simple trick to figure out the authenticity… ready? Eat a fry (without sauce), is it the most amazing and delicious thing you’ve ever tried? No? Then it’s not authentic. It might be good, but if it’s not jaw-dropping-i-want-one-of-these-every-day-for-the-rest-of-my-life memorable, then it’s probably not authentic.

In my online search about the history of Belgian Fries, I came across a more than informative website called www.belgianfries.com. It was from this site that I learned that the fry shacks in Belgium are now regulated. There used to be nothing like a road-trip through Belgium and stopping for delicious fries. I guess that can’t happen as frequently anymore. This site offers a history of the fry, as well as the shacks (pictured below) and links to more information.

(Originally uploaded in flickr by BlissBohemian)

Because of my love for all things Belgian Fries, I have added the Friet Museum to my list of must-dos during my weekend in Belgium. It’s located in Brugge, which was going to be a stop I planned to make anyway.