My last entry provoked some responses, and I feel the need to clarify. A dear Belgian friend gently reminded me that perhaps Boursin is not the world's BEST cheese after all... I have to say, it is definitely to be held in high esteem, and I place it tops in one category [creamy/ brittle cheeses]. Of mild and sliceable yellow cheeses, best eaten on french ...er... Belgian? bread... the best I've found is Maredsous- a cheese made by monks in Belgium. My first experience with this cheese was during a picnic on a lovely wildflower-covered hillside, I believe in the Ardennes, with my friends and my sister. [Just before the picnic we picked wild blueberries. Just after the picnic we took a drive to Germany. I had never been to Germany and we were pretty close, so we just drove into the very tip, said hello, and on through Luxemburg back into Belgium. Unfortunately for my friend's car, in the course of one of the especially sharp curves that we encountered the box of hand-picked blueberries tipped and they went rolling all over the back seat. Hence, I spent most of the few minutes in Germany bent over picking up blueberries off the floorboard... Memories!]. Since that time, no visit to Belgium has been complete without eating some [a lot!] of that cheese! Of course no visit to Belgium is complete without eating a long list of delicious treats. Waffles [two mouthwatering types with variations of toppings-my favorite is Brussels waffel with whipped cream], chocolate [world's best, I can hardly eat other kinds... which is possibly better for my health... BIG THANKS to my "source" who unfailingly sends me a box of Neuhaus pralines for my birthday and other special occasions], spkeuloos, raclettes, seafood, fries... In Antwerp, my favorite spot to eat is De Pelgrom... a very cool restaurant with uniquely romantic ambiance and fabulous food. If it's winter, round off your meal with a hot chocolate! Must be the world's best... But... don't take my word for it. Go see for yourself! Delicious! Lekker!!! I am making myself want to get on a plane and go back... I think there is no end of culinary delights in Belgium. Food lover's paradise! [Not to mention it is full of beauty, charm, history, culture, and best of all, really nice people! But that is for another blog.]