A networking dinner organised by Fresh From Belgium, the B2B foreign department of VLAM, brought together a gathering of UK traders, journalists, food bloggers and Belgian retailers on 22 November in London to get to know Belgian fruit and vegetables in a different way, VLAM reports.
The eye-catchers on the menu
The event at New Covent Garden's Food Exchange on 22 November brought together a select group of UK and Belgian organisations to sample the best Belgian fruit and vegetables available to the UK market this winter.
Flemish chef Bart Sablon took over Mission Kitchen's kitchen and cooked a range of dishes using fresh produce live. He was assisted by London-based chef and recipe developer Yvonne Poon. Guests could 
walk into the kitchen, watch the cooking and ask questions of the chef while the food was being prepared.
Each of the four courses, featuring Belgian parsnips, turnips, leeks, chicory, peppers, apples and pears, was expertly paired with a Belgian beer to enhance the flavours of the dish.
Sablon's four-course dinner featured fresh vegetables and fresh fruit from Belgium. The main course included Belgian pork cheeks and the dessert of white chocolate mousse was accompanied by a caviar of Belgian Jonagold apples.
For its UK customers, Belgium is betting this autumn on products such as leeks, chicory and hard fruit, including Conference pears.
For more information:
VLAM 
+32 02 552 80 32
liliane.driesen@vlam.be
www.vlam.be