Gourmet Museum and Library, Food museum and library in Hermalle-sous-Huy, Belgium.
The Gourmet Museum and Library is housed in 17th-century vaulted rooms and contains Belgium's largest collection of food and drink books. The space displays authentic culinary objects, paintings, and period furniture that document how gastronomy has changed through time.
This institution started in 1995 and brings together objects and documents about how European food culture developed over centuries. The founding reflected an interest in understanding how eating habits and cooking practices changed through different time periods.
The collection here reflects how Europeans, especially Belgians, thought about food and dining through their cookbooks and dining practices. You can see how these books show the traditions and habits that shaped the way people ate and gathered around tables.
Plan ahead and schedule a visit, especially if you want to access the book collection, since staff members are volunteers who assist by appointment. Contacting in advance helps ensure someone knowledgeable is available to help with your questions.
A tavern inside the museum cooks dishes based on historical recipes found in the library's books. This offers a rare chance to taste food prepared the way people did in the past.
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