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Stoemp avec saucisse or in English Stoemp with sausages is a Traditional Belgian dish made of mashed potato mixed with vegetables (the Stoemp portion) and served in this case with Belgian sausages. Quite a few different variations exist as it could be served with many kids of meat: Chicken, Duck, Rabbit, Carbonnade, steak, Pork cutlet or mixed with bacon. The version with Saussages is typically from Brussels but each has his favorite.

Photo of a Stoemp with sausages served in a Belgian restaurant

Here are the ingredients for a Stoemp:

• finely cut bacon cooked in some butter
• 4 potatoes
• 1 Carrot
• 1 chopped leek
• 2oz of butter
• Salt and pepper
• Meat of your choice

La Belgique Gourmande located on rue de la Colline (the street leading to the Grand place) is just one of the two thousands stores in the country selling chocolate. Wherever you may be in Brussels or Belgium you can be certain never to be far from one. Export numbers for these much in demand truffles and pralines amount around 200 000 tons yearly alone. PS: We do eat a lot of them ourselves as well

Handmade Belgian chocolate store

Close up on the pralines and truffles

Various kinds of chocolates

A Fountain of melted chocolate is seen just under the store sign