The Potential Reason Belgium Tops Its Frites With Mayo - Tasting Table (2024)

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The Potential Reason Belgium Tops Its Frites With Mayo - Tasting Table? ›

Having the mayonnaise, with its natural eggy flavor and a hint of acidity, elevates the starch and salt in the frites.

Amazing Belgium says that mayo is the country's favored fry condiment because its richness and light acidity complements the fries, while ketchup can make them too soggy and tart.

Belgian mayonnaise has traditionally been richer, more full-textured, and more intensely flavoured than mayonnaise in other countries—a qualitative element enshrined in law in the form of decrees signed by the King of Belgium. But another of the reasons mayonnaise is so popular is because of Belgium's frituur culture.

What we recognize today as Belgian frites or friets is thought to come from the region of Meuse in 1680. The poor inhabitants of the Meuse valley area subsisted mainly on fish. But when the River Meuse froze in 1680, potatoes were cut into the shape of fish, fried, and used as a substitute for their main staple.

Fries with mayonnaise or one of a wide variety of other typical Belgian sauces is a fast food classic in Belgium, often eaten without any side orders.

Not only is mayonnaise the sauce most asked for in the culinary cornerstone that is the Belgian frituur, but it's the basis of almost all other sauces that make the frituur experience what it is.

According to a recent study by Takeaway.com, mayonnaise was found to be (by far) the preferred condiment among Belgians, with 52% of respondents naming it their first choice. Carbonnade sauce (21%), otherwise known as stoofvleessaus (a sauce derived from one of Belgium's most iconic dishes) was a distant second.

Mayonnaise is a French cuisine appellation that seems to have appeared for the first time in 1806. The hypotheses invoked over time as to the origin(s) of mayonnaise have been numerous and contradictory. Most hypotheses do however agree on the geographical origin of the sauce, Mahón, in Menorca, Spain.

There is quite a big difference between French, Belgian and Dutch mayonnaise. The French one has a strong mustard taste, the Dutch one is quite sweet, and the Belgian one is slightly sour. I personally really dislike mustard so the French one was never my thing, and the Dutch one simply is too sweet.

HELLMANN'S: The world's favorite mayo.

What makes Belgian fries special? ›

It must not only be cooked in beef white, but also go through two successive baths to be heavenly crispy: the first to blanch it and the second to cook it. This double cooking is crucial, since it is the original Belgian technique, which gives good golden and crispy fries.

In Belgium, fries are traditionally served in a paper cone with a dollop of mayonnaise on pinnacle. that is known as a “cornet” and is a famous avenue meal. Dutch fries, however, are typically served in a paper cone with a preference of sauces on the side, which include mayonnaise, ketchup, curry, and peanut sauce.

Fries are very popular in Belgium, where they are known as frieten (in Flemish) or frites (in Belgian French), and the Netherlands, where among the working classes they are known as patat in the north and, in the south, friet(en).

Most Americans will understand why we, mainly Belgians and Dutchies, eat fries with mayo once you tasted our mayo. It's a lot more acidic and less creamy than American style mayo, so it fills the same flavor requirement as ketchup.

Quebec was the birthplace of heavenly poutine while France/Belgium discovered the sheer pleasure of eating fries with mayonnaise.

The restaurant actually responded to a query posed by Cosmopolitan, which wondered why mayo was not included as a dipping option for French fries in locations throughout the U.K. A spokesperson at the chain replied, "What we offer in our restaurants is based on customer demand.

Not only in the Netherlands but also in Belgium and France mayonnnaise is used in combination with fries. There are many types of sauces available in combination with fries, mayonnaise is just one of them.

Mayonnaise on French fries: It's called pommes rot-weiß, French fries served with a dollop of ketchup and mayonnaise, and it's the only way to eat French fries, really.

Mayonnaise is actually the traditional French fry dipping sauce. If you venture to Belgium or France and order fries from a street vendor, you'll likely find that a dollop of mayo accompanies most orders.