# Brilliant Belgian Things **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809 "2002-08-07T17:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/1 "2002-08-07T17:55:24Z")
Discoveries of the last 3 weeks in this Flemish corner of Belgium: 1. Boterwafels. They are BETTER than stroopwafels. Soem of you will cry “No, that’s impossible, you silly moron! you hallucinate!” Yet I insist it is so. Imagine everything that is good and true about stroopwafels AND those english shortbread cookies, combined. Mmm. 2. Straffe Hendrick, from the Halve Maan brewery in Bruges. Mmm. But my FAVORITE beer of all time must remain 3. Rodenbach. The type is apparently called a “sour beer” as after it ferments instead of bottling/ kegging they toss it into oak barrels for another 2 years after letting it catch some wild yeasts. Hooray for wild yeast! Lang zal ze leven in de Gloria! 4. Uitsmijter. This is an open-faced grilled egg sandwich with ham/speck/canadian bacon/ whatever you call it and farmer’s cheese. Mmmm. You can feel your arteries getting bigger and stronger as you eat this thing. 5. Nelhaus pralines, of the hazelnutty sort. Mmm. 6. Grapefruit/pomello Fanta What am I missing? Any other recommendations, while I’m gaining weight? Just had to share. This is my way of checking in. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/2 "2002-08-07T18:27:28Z")
Avoid the draft horses and the lace? ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/3 "2002-08-07T19:10:42Z")
My entire experience with Belgium consists of a train ride through it in the middle of the night on the way to Paris. I have tried Belgian frites in Amsterdam (I know, not exactly true Belgian, but as close I’ve come). They were the best examples of what we Americans would call french fries. Boterwafels better than stroopwafels? That must be pretty good. As you said, I have a hard time believing it, but will trust you. I almost forgot, when one of my housemate’s boyfriend came to visit (they are both Dutch) he introduced us to what he called the best Dutch beer (or at least pretty good Dutch beer). We checked the label to find out where it was from and we discovered that it was brewed in Belgium. As you can tell, I have more connection with the Netherlands than with Belgium. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/4 "2002-08-07T20:03:55Z")
My wife, at least by descent. ---
**Author:** ![GKW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@GKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GKW)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/5 "2002-08-07T20:37:08Z")
You could try: Côte d’Or chocolate Waterzooi Chimay beer Smakelijk eten! ---
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/6 "2002-08-07T20:38:36Z")
Blue chimay! Duvel! Hoeegarden! ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/7 "2002-08-07T21:10:35Z")
That whole late eighties club scene was pretty brilliant if you ask me. Oh yeah, and abbey beers. ---
**Author:** ![Mooney252](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@Mooney252](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooney252)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/8 "2002-08-07T23:21:42Z")
Cote d’Or chocolates ---
**Author:** ![d12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@d12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d12)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/9 "2002-08-08T03:59:36Z")
KLM Pilot accents. Cabin Crew, please return to your seats for landing. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/10 "2002-08-08T04:14:06Z")
Since when is KLM Belgian? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/11 "2002-08-08T04:47:58Z")
Callebaut milk chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/12 "2002-08-08T07:56:19Z")
Spa-Francorchamps ---
**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/13 "2002-08-08T10:24:44Z")
Belgian food is good. Belgian beer is better. [try trappist] - not going into the Belgian jokes\* 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/14 "2002-08-08T10:25:08Z")
Belgian food is good. Belgian beer is better. [try trappist] - not going into the Belgian jokes\* 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/15 "2002-08-08T10:26:33Z")
Dutch jokes on the other hand: You know the one about the double poster? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/16 "2002-08-08T10:47:13Z")
Belgium is the only country I know that is worth the trip just for the beer. Find a trappist brewery and get the beer, fresh bread, cheese and sausages made there. If you can catch the elusive sunny summer day in the Ardennes it is heaven. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/17 "2002-08-08T10:54:15Z")
Belgian-style frites make McDonald’s french fries seem like a bad joke. Although no Belgian would respect me because I refuse any kind of sauce whatsoever. Salt only. ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/18 "2002-08-08T11:00:41Z")
Leffe Blonde and Eddie Merckx ---
**Author:** ![Theobroma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@Theobroma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theobroma)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/19 "2002-08-08T11:23:34Z")
1. Nothing is better than stroopwafels. NOTHING! 2. The frites are brilliant, especially with the pindasaus 3. Uitsmiters are Belgian? My husband is Dutch and I make him one every Sunday morning. (=artery-hardening day) 4. Spa Cassis! Mmmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809/20 "2002-08-08T11:30:42Z")
Leonidas chocolates. Trappist beer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brilliant-belgian-things/122809.md?page=2)