(pic: Junkanoo street parade celebration in Nassau, Wikimedia Commons)

Today in Independence Day for the people of The Bahamas. If asked about this country, most of us would have a mental picture of beaches and luxury villas, sunshine and surf. And although the place is not hard to find on the map, how much do you know about the country's food?

BAHAMAS

CAPITAL: Nassau

ETHNIC INFLUENCES: USA, Africa, Greek immigrants 

POPULAR RESTAURANTS: A wide range available

BREAKFAST: Boiled fish and cornmeal grits.

SNACKS: fresh conch doused with lime juice, served with onion and hot chilli in a plastic bag. 

BREAD: Johnny cake - pan-cooked bread. 

POPULAR DISHES: Boiled grouper (a white fish), Bahamian fish stew. 

OTHER DISHES: Crawfish peas and rice, coconut and pineapple tart, bread pudding. More recipes.

LOCAL DRINKS: Switcha a sweet homemade lime or lemonade, Kalik beer, rum, Nassau Royale liqueur.

PRODUCE: Seafood: crawfish (rock lobster), land crab, conch, fish; tropical fruit: pineapples, papaya, coconut, bananas, guava.

NEED TO KNOW: Many Bahamian dishes are hot and spicy.

UNUSUAL FOODS: Conch (a large shellfish) with firm white meat, served raw or cooked.

FESTIVAL FOOD: on July 10, guava duff (a steamed fruit pudding) is served.

HEALTHY EATING: Many dishes are very rich and sweet. 

Want to add anything? What is YOUR favourite dish or place to eat in this country? 

BELGIUM

CAPITAL: Brussels

ETHNIC INFLUENCES: France, Germany

POPULAR RESTAURANTS: see Guide Michelin 

BREAKFAST: Bread, cheeses and jams, coffee.

SNACKS: Gaufres, Belgian waffles, Potato chips and frikandel, like a minced hot dog.

BREAD: White or wholemeal bread, raisin bread

CHEESE: More than 300 varieties of cheese are made in Belgium including limburger (a washed rind cheese).

POPULAR DISHES: Moules-frites, mussels with frites, Carbonade, a beef stew cooked in beer, Stoemp like bubble-and-squeak, steak and fried with salad. 

OTHER DISHES: rabbit cooked in beer, Waterzooi: a rich stew/soup of chicken and vegetables.

LOCAL DRINKS: Over 500 varieties of beers, also wines.

PRODUCE: Beer, chocolate, eels, charcuterie.

FESTIVAL FOODS: Christmas cougnou a sweet bread baked to resemble baby Jesus.

UNUSUAL FOODS: Horsemeat is used in steak tartare. It is also smoked, and served as steak in some restaurants in Vilvoorde. Horse-sausage is a specialty of Lokeren. 

Want to add anything? What is YOUR favourite dish or place to eat in this country?

BURKINA FASO

CAPITAL: Ouagadougou 'Ivoire and Senegal 

POPULAR RESTAURANTS: Le Gondwana, Le Bistrot Lyonnais 

SNACKS: Street food includes benga, beans, rice and sauce, t�, spaghetti and sometimes meat soup or atchi�k�.

POPULAR DISHES: T� (Saghbo in Moor�), a bitter crushed cooked millet, sorghum or corn dough mixed with a tomato and vegetable sauce perhaps with mutton or goat.

OTHER DISHES: Fufu, Poulet Bicyclette, a grilled chicken, Ragout d'Igname, Riz gras, rice with onions and tomatoes, Sauce gombo, Brochettes

LOCAL DRINKS: Bissap/Bisap, sweetened sour-tasting drink made from dried hibiscus or roselle (Bissap) flowers, D�lo, a beer made from pearl millet or sorghum, To�do, baobab fruit, Yamoku, ginger, Zoomkoom, a soft drink made from millet flour, ginger, lemon juice and tamarind.

PRODUCE: mutton, goat, beef and fish; sorghum, millet, rice, maize, peanuts, potatoes, beans, yams and okra; bananas, avocados, grapefruits, mangos, papayas, coconut and plantains; eggplant, maize, okra, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, turnip, yam 

FESTIVE FOODS: Family meals on Sundays include yam and nere (black seeds) and most families feast on August 4.

UNUSUAL FOODS: The fruit of the African baobab tree possibly has more vitamin C than oranges, and exceeds the calcium content of cow's milk. The dry fruit pulp can be mixed into porridge or milk, and is also known as "sour gourd" or "monkey's bread".

HEALTHY EATING: Visitors should drink bottled water. 

Want to add anything? What is YOUR favourite dish or place to eat in this country?