After meeting as volunteers on an earthquake reconstruction project in Peru in 2010, Elisa and I set up a home together in Ghent in 2013, using the cultural juggernauts of beer and chocolate to navigate the fascinating heritage of Belgium. It was an important exercise for me in making sense of my new home.
This blog has seen us travel all around the country, from camping and reporting on local beer festivals in Wallonia to interviewing wholesalers of chocolatier equipment in Flanders, meeting a diverse range of people along the way. We’ve been proud to have been recognised for our work: by Saveur Magazine at their Blog Awards; by both the British and North American Guild of Beer Writers in their annual awards; and by national Belgian magazines such as Knack Weekend.
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Recently, our posts have become less frequent. Both of our jobs have become more demanding and dramatic changes in our personal circumstances have forced us to reassess the way we spend our time.
As a result, we’re making some changes around here. Although Belgian chocolate and Belgian food culture will still be important to the site and to us personally, Belgian Smaak will now focus only on exploring the world of Belgian beer.
Belgian Smaak will now mostly feature resources (such as Belgian beer festival guides), seasonal news updates (take a look through our Summer 2018 and Autumn 2018 round-ups) and a podcast featuring in-depth interviews with high-profile people in the world of Belgian beer (check out all the previous guests). Elisa will continue to be heavily involved.
The amount of email subscribers primarily interested in Belgian chocolate is in no way small and we want to be honest with them about the future direction of the site. Chocolate recipes and resources already published will remain online for reference. We hope readers understand and for those interested in the subject, continue to support us in our ongoing journey of exploring Belgian beer.
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In February 2019, Belgian Smaak will have been in existence for five years. We have previously thrown birthday parties involving bespoke collaborations between Belgian and foreign breweries and unique offerings from chocolatiers, bakers and food personalities. For the fifth birthday—#SMAAKDOWN19—we’re doing something a little different.
On 30 March 2018, we’re hosting a live podcast in the Tinnenpot theatre in Ghent. Attendance will be by ticket only, with a part of each ticket being donated to the children’s cancer fund (kinderkanderfonds) at UZ hospital in Ghent and the rest covering the costs of running the event. The interviews will be recorded and published at a later date on the Belgian Smaak podcast.
The guests for the live podcast will include Kris Herteleer of De Dolle Brouwers, Raf Souvereyns of Bokkereyder, Pierre Tilquin of Gueuzerie Tilquin and Tom Jacobs of Antidoot Wilde Fermenten.
Full information on tickets can be found here.
Finally, we’d like to thank everyone who has followed the site, supported us on our events or initiatives, shared our stories and reached out to offer words of support to us during the last five or so years. This journey—with a course slightly altered—continues into 2019 for the two of us, and we hope, for you too.
