Wednesday, May 9, 2007

OK, you want the truth???

Here it is...I'm a cheater. Fruits, veggies and whole grains do not completely make up my diet. I have a weakness for cookies. When you live in a land that is known for their tasty treats, it is hard - even for me - to be a good girl.

AND when the cookies come nicely packaged like this one, it is very hard to resist, again even for me - the queen of resistance to temptation. The packaging just screams EAT ME!!!

I got this delectable number - a speculaas (vegan, of course), to be specific - with my coffee at a random cafe named Orient located in the infamous oude markt - the world's longest cafe. Photo of oude markt is from here.

Every coffee in Belgium (and in the surrounding countries based on my personal experience) comes with a cookie or a piece of chocolate. I was told that it started with the top hotels as a way to keep their clients from spending their money inside the hotel. But soon enough the surrounding cafes started doing it to lure the customers. Some places like my favorite cafe located on Parijsstraat in Leuven even offer both a chocolate AND cookie.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mmmmm... coffee... and chocolate!

gewilli said...

Coffee...

mmmmm

norcalcyclingnews.com said...

why, that sounds like heaven!

Chris said...

I'm not an addict. I can quit them any time I want!

X Bunny said...

i can't see how cookies can be considered cheating

ntw said...

I, too, have a pretty intense cookie habit.


It's bad... but so delicious.

Have you tried Biscoff cookies? They are made in Belgium. I got them on my flight last weekend...mmm

ntw said...

Nevermind... Lotus is part of the Biscoff brand.

Delicious!

PEANUT said...

The coffee is soooooo good here - rich, full of body. Yum! The cookies vary, though, from speculaas to those cheepy bland slabs with vanilla filling. BUT my favorite is the chocolate at my regular cafe. Dark chocolate that comes in different varieties such as mint, cinnamon, etc.

Anonymous said...

The cookies are even better if you go to Amsterdam first! Philip

PEANUT said...

If i am to travel all the way to amsterdam, it better be for more than just a speculaas. Actually, they have really good spice bread. But even that is not worth the trek up there. Philip, you're from VT? You are lucky to have treats of your own there - Maple candy and maple syrup!! Yum!!