Page 69 - Book-TradiAliCulture-Belgium

Its geographical origin:

The Waterzooï is a dish originating from Ghent in Belgium. This name comes
from the Dutch words “Water” and “Zooï” deriving from an old verb “Zieden”
meaning “to boil”. Literally that means thus “boiling water” in Dutch. It’s a dish

combination of chicken or more precisely of chicken accompanied by vegetables and
potatoes. All of this soaking in a broth.

As you can note on the map here above, Ghent is a town not far from the
North Sea side, more precisely in the province of Eastern Flanders in Belgium. Some
big cities near Ghent are Bruges, Antwerp and a bit further, Brussells.

Its history:

In the middle Ages were built the harbours and waterways of Bruges and
Ghent, in Eastern Flanders, as we still know them today.

In the Renaissance, meat was quite rare while fish was more than abundant.
These canals were for the peasants a free and easy source of food. The freshwater
fishes that they were fishing here (eel, carp, pike, trout, pike perch, perch, …)
associated with local vegetables like celery, carrot, leek and potatoes cooked
together in water composed a broth to which they added some cream. This soup was
even substantial than a main dish. The “Waterzooï” was born.

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