Last weekend, even though it was nearly -4°F (-20°C), we headed northeast along the banks of the St. Laurent to Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area to get some fresh air. The wildlife area is primarily known as a critical habitat for snow geese during their annual fall and spring migrations. In April and October, tens of thousands of snow geese stop over to refuel before continuing on the rest of their journey. In the winter, things are much calmer, but there are still plenty of birds to see. We saw various woodpeckers, chickadees, mourning doves, a blue jay and several other species that we couldn’t identify. The reserve consists of about 6km of walking trails through different habitats, with bird feeders at frequent intervals. We found the trails to be very well maintained and clearly marked. There’s even a sugar shack where you can stop in for a complimentary hot chocolate on weekends in the winter months. All in all, it turned out to be a fantastic day-trip from Québec City, and a great way to discover some of the region’s wildlife. We’ll definitely be going back in the other seasons.

Prices to enter the reserve are 4 CAD per person in the winter, and 6 CAD the rest of the year. http://www.captourmente.com/

The târte al djote is a specialty of the Walloon town of Nivelles. The primary ingredients are Swiss chard, la bètchéye, a special fermented cows cheese produced in the area, and butter. Lots of butter. It’s served piping hot, with a plate of salted butter on the side and should be accompanied by a Jean de Nivelles. One might think a dish containing so many leafy greens would be healthy, but the layer of butterfat that floats on top hints otherwise. Don’t be put off by that! This is comfort food, and it’s truly delicious.

If you’re tempted to try it, you’ll have to make the trip to Nivelles. It’s not found anywhere else in Belgium. The târtes are sold in the town’s restaurants and bakeries which have passed annual taste testing by the confrérie de la târte al djote. This group serves to protect and promote this culinary specialty, which is thought to date back to as early as the year 1218. So if you find yourself in Nivelles, be sure to look for their label, which will tell you how they rate each establishment’s târtes.

For more information, as well as a recipe (en français), you can consult the confrérie’s website: http://www.djote.be.

Damme, Belgium

To say I’ve gotten behind in blogging would be quite an understatement, but I’m sure you’ll all forgive me, right? The past year has been quite a busy time for us with our wedding in September and our move to Québec in October. Needless to say, I’ve been a bit distracted!

Leaving Belgium was bittersweet. Though we were excited at the prospect of our new adventure in Canada, Brussels had become our home. During our 3 years there, we’d fallen head over heels in love with this tiny, quirky country and the warm, friendly people who inhabit it. I still have so many stories and photos that haven’t made their way onto the blog yet, so I’ll continue to visit Belgium from time to time when I’m feeling a bit homesick.