If you ever get tired of French fries, you might want to try some Belgian fries (frites) -but be warned they aren't quite "fast food." In Belgium, fries are taken very seriously. They are the centerpiece of frites shops, or fritkots. And only recently have they begun to take off internationally. How are Belgian fries different from what we are used to?
Bel Frit is now established in Eastern Europe and is looking toward opening fritkots in Asia and maybe even America. Link -via the Presurfer, who loves Belgian fries
(Image credit: Flickr user Domitille Parent)
First, frites require certain kinds of fresh potatoes. The Belgians prefer to use a local spud called bintje.
Also, true frites are cut thicker; in fact, they are about three times thicker than a McDonald’s fry.
And to be real frites, they need to be fried twice. First to make the inside soft, and a second time to give the outside a nice bite.
And you have to remember that Belgian fries, along with a dipping sauce, are the centerpiece of a meal, not a side-dish.
All in all, it sounds like a tall order to export, but a company called Bel Frit is trying to do just that.
Bel Frit is now established in Eastern Europe and is looking toward opening fritkots in Asia and maybe even America. Link -via the Presurfer, who loves Belgian fries
(Image credit: Flickr user Domitille Parent)
That being said: thanks for advertising for our great frieten! Eat them with beef stew (stoofvlees) or mussels (mosselen). And of course don't forget: they only taste their best if combined with one of our 1000+ beers!
Fast food fries are nasty
British chips are fat like Belgian ones, but generally speaking rather than being fried twice they are parboiled to soften before frying. Frying at a low temperature first is what makes Belgian chips so oily, parboiling doesn't have this effect.
Traditionally British chips are cooked in beef fat, but many shops these days use vegetable oil because of it's supposed health benefits. I suspect, however, that most of the shops use vegetable oil because it's cheaper, but the chips just don't taste the same.
But mayonaise?! On chips? Salt and vinegar, definitely. Ketchup, if you must. But mayonaise?