Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook

In this charming introduction to a cuisine that fuses ``French finesse'' with German and Dutch country-cooking influences, Van Waerebeek, a Ghent native who teaches Belgian cooking in New York City, expands widely upon family recipes. In the anecdotal introduction, she describes Flemish food as ``still deeply rooted in medieval cookery,'' with centuries-old reliance on such ingredients as nutmeg, saffron, almonds and dried fruits. Appetizers include vegetable dishes that, like Gratin of Belgian Endives, are rich in cheese; more than 20 hearty soup recipes are offered. Recipes featuring mussels, leeks and herring abound. Poultry and meat chapters focus on traditional favorites such as Waterzooi of Chicken (``a confusion of a soup with a stew,'' chock-full of herbs and vegetables) and meat loaf made with veal. Beer, used even in desserts, earns its own chapter, as does the much-loved potato (``traditionally Belgian fries were fried in the rendered fat of beef kidneys''). The chapter ``Waffles and Pancakes'' supplies the secret of real Belgian waffles (they are yeast-raised). With numerous sidebars throughout, on subjects from cafe life to quiche, Van Waerebeek evokes this homey, bourgeois cuisine with care and enthusiasm. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Dec.)