Sentimental Appliances

Breakfast in Belgium isn’t a cereal affair. Belgians believe that Kellogg’s has it all wrong because cereal isn’t a substantial enough breakfast. How on earth can cornflakes sustain you through a morning?

For Belgians, breakfast means pastries or bread. Those are the things that feed you and keep you going until lunch. I however do like my cereal but do indulge in a Belgian breakfast on the weekends.

There’s a weird, special place in my heart for the appliances in the picture here. I think it’s because of what they symbolize. When I wake up in the morning and use them, it means my family and I are in Belgium and the hazy dreams and vague thoughts we had so long ago are now real. I can have a breakfast of toast and coffee knowing that we’re safe and sound in Belgium, far from the concerns and life we used to be stuck in.

My loved appliances: the NY cab yellow toaster and the coffee machine.

In that way they’re more than appliances because they represent a complete shift in life, attitude and outlook!

The variety of breads here is something to behold. It comes in all different shapes, sizes and consistencies. We finally found a lovely “normal” brown bread which my daughter and I will be having for breakfast. Her favorite is “cheesy on toast” while mine is liver pate on toast followed with a dessert slice of toast with Speculoos spread.

The liver pate is something I picked up at our local market held on Saturday mornings a few blocks from our place. It's gorgeous and creamy, served by a man with the biggest fingers and forearms I've ever seen (he looks like a butcher should) and with the nicest disposition.

Ever heard of speculoos? It’s in everything here. Originally it’s a combination of warm spices that was put in cookies here for the wintery Christmas season. It comforts and sooths the soul through those dark, cold winter nights and makes life luxurious. In modern times (where we currently live) it’s crept into everything and is pretty much the national flavour.

The Speculoos cult.

If you’ve been to Belgium, chances are there’s traces of speculoos on everything and in everything you had with you – including you!

The days are getting longer here again and the temperatures are improving significantly. Spring, I think, is making it’s entrance. I’m going to miss winter but I will not lie, I am looking forward to summer.

Later, we plan to go to Antwerp "om een wandel te maken" - to take a walk around, if the weather permits of course.

Ciao for now.