Report to the Ministry

As you all know, every quarter we're supposed to report back to the Belgian Ministry of Culinary Affairs. They want to have a view on progress made in NYC, whether we're on track with improving wafel quality and especially, if we're not doing too many strange things like bacon waffles etc. The wafel subsidies for the NYC program are being decided after the review, so it's a pretty big deal.

This quarter we actually have to travel back in person to go in front of parliament and have a wafel hearing. We're leaving tomorrow (me and the wafel-lady, that is) and returning on the 25th. I don't know if it's true but I heared the King may be sending a spy to the hearing. Everyone in Belgium knows that this is an issue close to the King's heart, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's true.

Anyways, we just won the Vendy's so overall I think we have a little more slack in deviating from Belgian waffle-orthodoxy. Plus we should be earning extra points for adding the apple-cider and raspberry or apricot jams dinges. My guess is they will let the bacon-wafel slip through. Just don't go to travel to Belgium and ask for a bacon wafel - please...

Other stuff that's on our agenda:

• Visit to our wafel-iron maker guy (repairs + new purchases)
• Visit to a few dough makers to refresh our skills in making Liege dough
• Visit to the cycling museum in Roeselare
• A presentation to a European MBA program (ha, never got to do that when working for IBM!!)
  
• Meeting with a local artisanal spekuloos maker
• And of course...status report presentation to the Belgium parliament (and to the King's spies)
  

Yes, we will eat waffles while in Belgium.
Yes, also french fries with mayonnaise.
And drink lot's of beer.