Food Shopping in Brussels
Chic Outlet Shopping® invited renowned food writer Tom Parker-Bowles to share with us his insights into the world of European food.
BRUSSELS
Marche Du Midi
At times, you could be down some spice scented side street in Cairo. Or lost among the myriad stalls of the Marrakesh bazaar. Instead, you’re in the heart of Brussels, at the Marche du Midi, Europe’s biggest Sunday market. There are fruits of course, and vegetables from the everyday to the exotic. In fact, there are 450 stalls in all, selling everything from Moroccan pancakes, topped with goat’s cheese and freshly ground spice mixes to baguettes and foie gras. The fresh stuff is excellent, and the atmosphere intoxicating; every step you take is drowned out by the incessant calls of hawkers and sellers, advertising their endless wares. The herbs and spices not only smell divine, but are of the very highest quality too. Sip on fresh mint tea, chew on some honey-soaked flaky pastry while wandering the endless aisles. It might be in the middle of Brussels, but at times, it feels like the centre of Africa.
Near Gare du Midi
Yves Tierenteyn-Verlent
Ok, so this mustard making institution is in Ghent, not Brussels. But for fans of the nose clearing condiment, a visit to Yves Tierenreyn-Verlent is more pilgrimage than average shopping trip. It's been open for business since 1790 and the recipe has never changed. Mustard seeds, - ground three times per week to ensure those oils remain pungent - vinegar and salt. Make sure you buy one of the famed grey stoneware jugs too, as much a thing of beauty as the mustard itself. The vinegar gives the golden condiment a sharp tang and there's an elegant pungency too. If all those chocolates start to bore you, get out to Ghent for a taste of a true Belgian institution.
Yves Tierenteyn-Verlent 3, Groentenmarkt 9000 Ghent, Belgium
tel: +32-092-258336
Planete Chocolate
The praline was born in Brussels, way back in 1912. And for those of you with a craving for chocolate, then Brussels is the city to feed that yen. There are 100s of shops selling every imaginable variation on the chocolate covered treat, but it's at Planete Chocolate where you can indulge your every whim. Part museum, part shop, it gives talks on the history of chocolate, workshops on how to make your own, as well as having a store where you can buy some of the most sumptuous chocolate on earth. It's also holds the title of Best Praline in the World. As you'd expect, every purchase is beautifully wrapped and presented, as delectable as the contents inside. If proper chocolate's your thing, then Planete Chocolate is the place for you.
24 rue de Lombard
1000 Brussels
www.chocolateriebruxelles.com
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02-02-2012
