A Sea of Taste

…A SEA OF TASTE Enjoying gastronomy with the taste of the sea

Tasting the best the sea has to offer… You can still find various typical spots at the coast, like ‘t Werftje and het Pakhuis in Zeebrugge, but also at the Oesterput in Blankenberge and the ‘De Peerdevisscher’ inn in Oostduinkerke you can enjoy some wonderful food.

The Belgian coast can boast no fewer than 8 Michelin-star restaurants: Le Fox ** in De Panne, Ten Bogaerde * in Koksijde-Oostduinkerke, Philippe Nuyens * in Blankenberge, Jardin Tropical *, Bartholomeus *, Sel Gris * and De Oosthoek * and Cuines 33* in Knokke-Heist.

Wonderful fresh fish… at the fishmongers on the coast you can buy live fresh fish or ‘levende vèsche vis’, as they say. Tasty grey shrimps, sole, plaice, oysters, mussels, etc.

You can for example find cosy fishmongers at the fishing port in Nieuwpoort, but there are also many in Zeebrugge.

Experience that fishermen’s atmosphere at the Vistrap in Ostend. Visit it early in the morning. You’ll see the rough fishermen come to the shore and unload their fresh fish. Their wives will then prepare for the sale. And then the fish selling show begins…

More great tips and tricks!

How do you really shell a shrimp? Very easily: 1. Take the head and tail between your thumb and your index finger. Pull the shrimp straight.

2. Push the tail part slightly forward and make slight turning movements.

3. Now, the back part should come loose and you can carefully pull it back.

4. Pull off the head.

‘t Vismijntje, Zeebrugge’s oldest and most authentic fishmonger, and the Mare Nostrum fishmonger in Koksijde are also sights for sore eyes!

True or False?

Mussels are only good to eat in months with an R in them!

The expression originates from an era when there was no cooled transport.

Transporting mussels was more difficult in warmer months, because they are so prone to temperature!

At De Oesterput in Ostend, you can learn more about the cultivation of ‘Belgian Oysters’!

The story of fishermen and their wives, of fishing boats and catches…

In the fishing port you can both figuratively and literally sample the atmosphere.

Enrol for a guided tour of the fishing port of Nieuwpoort.

The maritime theme park Seafront in Zeebrugge introduces the sea to you in all its guises!

The Amandine in Ostend, Belgium’s last Iceland vessel. The exhibition shows you how rough life on board the ship was. ‘t Zeehuis, too, teaches you everything about the sea, beach and the riches of the dunes.

Navigo, the national fishery museum in Koksijde-Oostduinkerke shows its visitors the Belgian coast’s rich fishing history.

Hail…

Life at sea is pretty dangerous. In the fishing chapels, such as O.L.V. Ter Duinen (Our Lady of the Dunes) in Bredene, fishing families pray for their fishermen’s successful trip and safe return.

Fishing life inspired many an artist.

Unique in the world‌ Together with their horses, shrimp fishers go into the water to return to land a little later with a net full of shrimps.

You can still see mounted shrimp fishers hard at work in Kosijde-Oostduinkerke.

Feel like becoming a rugged fisherman on the ocean wave?

Embark on a real fishing adventure: you can for example jump on board the Crangon shrimp fishing boat in Ostend, but you can also take a trip on other fishing boats and do some fishing at sea: on the Marcella II, the Albatros and the Franlis. In Nieuwpoort, you can board the Albatrosseafishing, the Jonathan I and II, or the Liberty Sportfishing.

Or cast your own fishing rod and net?

There are several spots for some sea-fishing at the coast. You can cast your own line from several platforms, or take your fishing net and go shrimping at the beach.

Nowhere else can you find such tasty shrimp croquettes than at the coast…

Want to try it yourself? Here is an idea from lekkervanbijons.be •

Ingredients – – – – – – – – –

•

300g shelled North Sea shrimps 1/2 l stock made of shrimp heads or bisque 50g butter 100g plain flour 2 leaves of gelatine 50g grated cheese 2 egg whites bread crumbs some deep-fried parsley

Preparation

Make a roux of the butter and flour, pour the cold stock of the shrimp heads on top. Let this boil for 10 minutes to remove the taste of the flour. Take the pan off the hob and add the gelatine, the shelled shrimps and the grated cheese. Put the mixture into a piping bag and squirt it in long pieces onto a tray. Let it cool in the fridge.

Cut the pieces in small sections of about 2 cm and roll them in bread crumbs (first in the egg white and then in the bread crumbs).

Fry the croquettes for approximately 3 minutes until golden in a deep fat fryer at 180°C. Serve with some deep-fried parsley.

Top chefs at the Belgian coast and local produce Bart, why did you become a chef?

The feeling you get from putting nice food in front of people is enormous. Each day, you learn something new or get to know someone new. On top of that, it is great to work with local seasonal produce by preparing them in a nice way and being creative with them.

BART DESMIDT, OF MICHEL-STAR RESTAURANT BARTHOLOMEUS, “IT IS WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH LOCAL SEASONAL PRODUCE.”

What is your ‘style’?

I love working with produce from my own region and keeping the taste of it recognisable for people and letting that take precedence. Making everything in house as much as possible is my motto.

Why does the Belgian coast score so highly when it comes to gastronomy?

The determination of the chefs along the coast makes sure that our region is well-known in terms of gastronomy.

On top of that, we can work very well with sea produce, which can just swim onto our plates, as it were.

Sea fruit‌ made of wonderful chocolate You can find artisanal chocolate seafood everywhere along the coast. Just pop into a chocolate shop and treat your taste buds a little.

It’s great to stay overnight after you’ve enjoyed the tastes of the sea. Sleeping with the rushing of the sea in the background and waking up with your feet lodged in the sand!

You can book your room directly at your favourite hotel or B&B via www.belgiancoast.co.uk.