Tag Archives: animals

Other European Eating Habits

Posted on
2

The Dutch drink alot of milk.  When I was there for a training, we had cheese sandwiches everyday and to drink they brought cartons and cartons of milk.  All of the Dutch drank glass after glass of cold milk, which to me, was a bit bizarre.  But I guess that explains why they are known for being so tall.

The Belgians like having rabbits for pets, but they also enjoy eating rabbit.  At a dinner, every Belgian told me a story about how:

1 – As a child, their rabbit went missing one day, and that night they ate rabbit.

2 – Their rabbit eats all of the clothes, cables, furniture, etc. and poops everywhere.

3 – They threaten their children to clean up after the pet rabbit, or it will go “in the pot”.

It is weird to eat your pets?  Am I the only one that thinks so? 

Finally, a British co-worker who has been living in Belgium for 5 years and has a pet rabbit, told me the rabbit buying secret.  At the butcher, a rabbit costs 27 euros.  However, he discovered when buying his child a pet rabbit that at a pet store, a rabbit costs only 12 euros.  And he doesn’t mind “doing the deed” himself.

The longer I stay here, the closer I am to becoming a vegetarian.

Are you going to love me or eat me?

Are you going to love me or eat me?

Bambi Pate

Posted on
3

Occasionally, when I am lucky, I recieve an invitation from the HR group at my work to join them for lunch.  And when I do join them, we go to a different deli than the one I go to normally.  They prefer the deli that is further away because it has a better selection and quality of meats.  For example, they have at least 5 different types of Filet Americain.

I know I have already mentioned once my horror at the raw meat eating phenomenon here, and my disbelief that people are still alive after consuming raw (cold) beef.  The shock has worn off a bit, but I am still slightly disgusted at a restaurant when someone orders a plate of cold raw meat with a raw egg.  But that is just me – if people want to eat that, it is their prerogative.

“Why are all the filet americains different colors?” I ask Christine, my lovely co-worker with endless patience for me and my questions.

“They are all different types of filet americain,” she responded.  And then she gave me the rundown.

For the true raw meat lover, there is the pure beef version. 

 Pure Beef

For those who want to mix up their sources of meat, there is the lighter version, with pork and maybe veal alongside beef.

filet-pork

For those who prefer a pureed style, with maybe some flavor, there is the curry or spicy filet americain.

filet-curry

All of these are smothered on a baguette. (or sometimes on a cracker)

filet-sandwich  filet-on-cracker

I saw one pureed, grayish looking mix sitting aside from all of the meats. 

deer-pate

“What about this one?” I asked. 

“Oh, that one.  That is not beef.  That is, how do you say, Bambi pate?”

bambi

Ah yes.  deer is also blended to perfection, thrown into a jar or can

pate-in-a-jar

before being spread with a knife on a baguette.  I believe deer pate is cooked, but need to confirm.

deer-pate-sandwich

I am curious on how deer tastes, but I will also add “bambi pate” to my list of things I will not eat here.

PS – As I was tempted to take pictures of the deli meats, I have lost my American edge and can’t do it.  These pictures are from the net.