The Week of Belgian Fries is a red-letter week for all Belgian friturists, proprietors of Belgian chippies. Gurbet Cetinkaya, who runs ‘De Lange Friet’ (The Long Belgian Fry) in Ghent is one of their number. She has been eating fries every day for 30 years now. "I used to do it twice a day with lots of salt and mayonnaise! Preferably with Flemish stew or with vegetarian bitter balls, crunchy deep-fried balls" she tells VRT.
It’s the ‘Week of Belgian Fries’: “Chips twice a day. It’s my guilty pleasure!"
Colin Clapson
Published:
This week, the Flemish Centre for Agro and Fisheries Marketing (VLAM) is organising the ‘Week of Belgian Fries’ to put chips in the spotlight. For Gurbet Cetinkaya from Ghent, this is an important week for two reasons: she runs a chip shop herself and she has also been eating fries every day for 30 years. "With lots of salt and mayonnaise and preferably with stew or with vegetarian bitter balls to go with it," she tells VRT.
For over 30 years
Gurbet discovered her love for Belgian fries at an early age. "I remember as a nine-year-old childeating chips every day. I was a difficult eater and my mother would rather give me chips than let me starve."
Later in life, she even ate two servings of chips a day. "But my children didn't think that was healthy, so they asked me to cut down" she says, although Gurbet doubts that the chips are actually affecting her health. "I am almost 40 and hardly ever go to the doctor. I have also had myself examined and there is nothing to suggest that the daily serving of chips is bad for me. Besides, I don't smoke or drink. One serving of chips a day is my guilty pleasure."
Does she never get tired of fries? "Not at all. Every day the portion tastes differently. Just thinking about that soft mash in a crispy jacket makes my mouth water."