Zeeland mussels steamed in white wine, shallots and parsley then served in the cooking pot alongside double-fried Flemish frites with mayonnaise: the canonical Belgian brasserie dish available in Ghent from late July.
Zeeland mussels arrive at Ghent's Groentenmarkt fishmongers from late July when the first harvest comes in from the Zealand beds in the Netherlands. Mosselen met friet is the Belgian national brasserie dish; in Ghent it is most closely associated with the Pakhuis brasserie at the Schuurkenstraat, which serves it as its headline seasonal dish. The combination of steamed mussels and double-fried frites dates to mid-20th century Belgian brasserie culture, when Zeeland mussels became reliably available to inland Flemish cities by rail.
