Greetings from Belgium!

[chameleon]

Hi everyone, I'm a transplanted Californian living with my Belgian (French-speaking) husband in a little village about an hour south of Brussels. I was brought here by my work, fell in love, went native and now I'm here for good.

I'm so glad to have found this community! I am a self-taught cook, I started taking classes with my mother in my twenties and continued the obsession with my husband, who also loves to cook. In my fantasies I think about quitting my boring consultant's job and becoming a real chef...and Googling brought me here so I can spy on you and decide if I want to fulfill my fantasies or not

The interesting thing about being here and cooking compared to the US is that many ingredients one would consider to be luxuries in the US are widely available and cheap. I love getting duck breast next to the chicken breast at the supermarket. And I remember the first time I bought a block of parmesan cheese over here and how cheap it was. On the other hand, I've been disappointed with the lack of stores with cooking equipment. I just found one near me after looking for a long time, and it doesn't really have the best or latest equipment. What I wouldn't give for a Williams-Sonoma...

Back to lurking with a spinach quiche in the oven! Looking forward to participating,
--chameleon

[aguynamedrobert]

Wow well it looks like you are having a grand ol' time...It is so interesting when traveling to different area's of the world and seeing all the differences. I have traveled mainly to South America and it is nice to meet the people, see the food, share experiences. Always a blast...


Robert
www.chocolateguild.com

[Mezzaluna]

Bienvenue, Chameleon! I'm green with envy of your markets, all right: real baguette, wonderful vegetables- everything fresh.

I think you're going to enjoy this community and this site very much. Check out the cooking articles, cookbook reviews and recipes as well as the forums.

Visit often to learn and share. We'll look forward to your participation!
Regards,
Mezzaluna

[daryllau]

Welcome to the community... wow... how I wish I can experience what you've been thru. Nevertheless, this is a great place to do some sharing and I personally am looking forward to more of your experiences.