Mosselen-friet / Moules-frites / Mussels-fries

I miss Belgium already. Not really their fries (I know, I'm crazy, right?!) ...but rather, their abundance of cheap/tasty mussels!!! 2kg cost us 7€, ain't that nuts??! These particular mussels were from Zeeland, which is actually a province in the Netherlands that borders a part of Belgium. After purchasing a big ol' pack of Zeeland mussels (from I think it was Delhaize supermarket), we cooked 'em in onion-y white wine and gobbled 'em down on a rainy evening at some campground that I can't remember the name of.



Let's not get confused here. I did not eat these mussels and fries at the same time as I should've (it's a classic Belgian combination, so I've heard). We were sorta on the healthy tip during our trip and so we indulged in this greasy, calorific catastrophe above only once!

The Belgian Frituur/Friteries is basically equivalent to the German Dönerbude: fries joints can be found on any and every corner in Belgium! What makes Belgian fries unique is that they're double-fried (to ensure a crispy exterior and a moist/fluffy interior) and served with a kajillion different sauces to choose from. While I opted for the spicy Samurai sauce (mayo with harissa), Andre settled for plain ol' mayo. The verdict? I still prefer poutine. Why? Because #iamcanadian.

FitChips ― NOT all that & a bag of chips

Back home, they're referred to as fries. Here in Oz, fries are called chips. Whatever they're called, we all have our own definition of a mind-blowingly mm-mm-good chip. Shelley's ideal chip is 1. fresh-cut 2. crispy on the outside and 3. moist/soft on the inside. Simple as 1, 2, 3. FitChips are air-fried and therefore less greasy and considered healthy and blah blah blah, but they're just not worth writing home about. The worst thing about them is their mushy texture; 0% crispiness, ya'll! Blegh. My suggestion? Treat yourself every once in a while and shallow pan-fry your own chips at home --> click for pic!