You Have to Start With Waffles

I am starting this blog with the intention of giving advice to those who are going to visit the hidden gem country of Belgium. My mother is Belgian, and I was born in Ghent, Belgium. Half of my family still lives in the Ghent area, and we visit once a year; each time finding new restaurants, treasures, and places to explore, and with this blog I am hoping to share some of those with you.

Whenever someone thinks of Belgium, likely the first thing that comes to mind is beer. Of course, I will write plenty about beer, but I would like to dedicate this first post to my favorite… waffles. Everyone knows the Brussels waffle: the light, fluffy, square waffle that can be loaded up with strawberries, whipped cream, chocolate, powdered sugar, and really any topping that you can think of. But what I HIGHLY suggest to anyone that is going to be in Belgium is to try the Brussels waffle’s lesser known stepsister, the Luikse waffle.

While it is cheaper, less prestigious, and arguably more pedestrian, the Luikse waffle is in the running for my favorite food from anywhere I have travelled. These waffles are generally made in street stands or in small shop windows and the vendor will put one on the iron as you walk up. They come off the iron with a warm inside, and a crispy, semi-caramelized sugar outer crust. They are often half-dipped in chocolate (fantastic), but they are amazing plain as well. Wrapped in a napkin, these waffles are excellent walking companions.

The main difference between the Luikse waffles and the Brussels waffles are that Luikse waffles are denser, sweeter, and they are made with lumps of sugar mixed in the dough. These sugar lumps are actually pearlized sugar and can be bought here in the States, although recreating the Luikse waffle recipe State-side is incredibly difficult because of the differences in the properties of the ingredients (such as flour and sugar). With that said, the recipe from is the best replication that I have seen.

Luikse waffles can also be bought prepackaged at almost any store, gas station, or train station in Belgium. These are good, but are more like a dense cookie than the sugary greatness that can be bought from a street stand. Packaged Luikse waffles are also increasingly available in the states at specialty stores (such as Sahara Mart in Bloomington, IN).

So the next time you find yourself in Belgium, pay attention to the smells you are receiving from the street stands, and give in to the urge. Enjoy that Luikse waffle while you’re walking the streets, and know that you’re already one step ahead of the tourist group with matching hats trying to eat Brussels waffles with a fork while snapping photos of every cobblestoned street!