Discover Benelux | Culinary Profile of the Month | Bonbons à l’ancienne / Conserverie et Moutarderie Belge
SWEET MEMORIES:
Belgium’s iconic ‘old-style sweets’ If you could encapsulate an entire country in a single piece of confectionery, the cuberdon would be the best example. The cuberdon is a cone-shaped or nose-shaped sweet, made of gum arabic so that the outer shell is hard and crunchy while the centre is soft and gelatinous. It is one of the most characteristic and best-selling sweets in Belgium. There are various theories as to the origin of the sweet – possibly originally known as ‘cul de Bourdon’ or ‘chapeau de prêtre’ (priest’s hat). Christian Maenhout, director and artisan confectioner at Bonbons à l’Ancienne, explains more. “The world was created in seven
days, but to make a cuberdon takes time!” jokes Maenhout. “The first day is devoted to measuring ingredients and to mixing and boiling in copper cauldrons, then the syrup is poured into starch moulds.” There is a staggering number of flavours available, with Bonbons à l’Ancienne offering no fewer than 30 other options besides the original raspberry. Some of the rarer flavours include bergamot, champagne, kiwi, pistachio and speculoos biscuit, as well as more traditional choices like apple, cherry, orange and strawberry. Once the cuberdons are ‘ripe’ – over a week after pouring – the sweets are removed
Successful family business Conserverie et Moutarderie Belge is a specialist in mustards, sauces and ready meals. Its successful concept and tasty products have earned it the title of Family Business of the Year. Established in 1953 by Franz Schumacher, Conserverie et Moutarderie Belge first started its production with mustards. In 1983, son-inlaw Philippe Renson and his wife Elvira took over the business and extended its range with sauces and ready meals. In 2010, the third generation entered the company, giving it another wind of change. The range of products includes five prominent brands. Jefke The Belgian Chef is composed of vinaigrettes, mustards, cold sauces and mayonnaise. Yvalli consists of ready meals in larger packaging for wholesalers in the meat sector. La Délicieuse is the high-end product range. La vache qui regarde passer les trains is the organic brand created to meet the growing need for eco-friendly products. and finally, Filou 86 | Issue 57 | September 2018
TEXT: SIMON WILLMORE PHOTOS: BONBONS À L’ANCIENNE
Web: www.cuberdons.eu
TEXT: MALIN NORMAN PHOTOS: CONSERVERIE ET MOUTARDERIE BELGE
is the local brand. And the company is expanding its line-up even further, with salad dressings and spreads with new flavours such as mango curry and carrot ginger, as well as chutneys to go with foie gras. As the next project, a new factory will open its doors in order to handle larger volumes of production and the introduction of more new products. What makes Conserverie et Moutarderie Belge such a successful business? “Flexibility,” believes Renson. “We explore every possible venue for our clients, and our R&D department continuously develops products, recipes and packaging solutions. And even though we have grown over the years, we are still a typical family business.” As proof of its continuous success, the company has been named Family Business of the Year by Belgian business magazine Trends. This certainly is a promising business, and for generations to come. Web: www.moutarderie.be
from the moulds by hand and prepared for sale and savouring. Indeed, this savouring can be done on-site, as the factory-shop in Seraing, one hour east of Brussels, hosts guided visits that last an hour and a half. These tours show the production and hand-working of the confectionery – and there is more on offer than just cuberdons. Bonbons à l’Ancienne also makes boiled sweets, lollipops (whistle-shaped or round), sugar syrups for sauces, and gummy bears in four varieties: ‘oiled’, sour, sweet and ‘fried’.