I recently acquired a Belgian manuscript recipe book dated 1703 – there’s a long French section on varnishes, paints, fireworks (!), but the cookery section is all in Flemish and mijn Vlaamse zuigt, as they say in Flanders.

I’ll be poking through this when I get a chance, because I’d love to make some of the waffles, orgeat (a popular medieval beverage that turned into a syrup – not sure which this is, or if it’s transitional), almond milk, pillekens, poederkens, tarragon vinegar etc., but if anyone has a bored Dutch uncle who likes waffles, I’d welcome some help!