Ondenval trout, fresh or smoked in the Fens country

Local food can come from water too

In the village of Ondenval, in Waimes and the district of Verviers, trout offers a counterpoint to the region's cheeses and pastries. The Waimes tourist office introduces Nicolas Marichal and Lionel Nailis and their work with trout raised in spring water.

This connection with specific water and a particular workshop matters more than a very old history added to decorate the article. The product tells the story of a present-day artisan activity. Raising a fish and then preparing it involve different stages: the flavour reaching the plate depends on both the raw material and the processing techniques.

Fresh and smoked, two readings of the same fish

Fresh trout lets the flesh and cooking speak most clearly. A smoked version brings another texture and an aroma that accompanies the fish rather than turning it into a mere vehicle for smoke. Ask the producer which preparation you are buying: a ready-to-serve smoked fillet and a whole trout to cook are not used in the same way.

For a simple meal, fresh trout can be served with potatoes and vegetables, with restrained seasoning. Smoked trout can work on bread, in a salad or with a fresh-cheese preparation. These suggestions are serving ideas, not exclusive recipes claimed by the Ondenval workshop.

Know-how in a real village

The tourism portrait of Ondenval connects the discovery with the Amblève landscape, stone houses and the Vennbahn RAVeL route. You can thus plan an outing in which the product becomes one stop without reducing the village to a shop. Here, the area's food identity meets its walking routes.

A small local story concerns a village millstone: legend attributes it to the Sotais, little woodland beings. This tale does not explain the trout's origin, and the two should not be confused. It simply shows that discovering an artisan can lead into the stories of the place where they work.

Plan your purchase and meal

Before travelling, check visiting arrangements, sales and available products using the producer's contact details or the tourist office. Fish farming and processing do not mean visitors can enter the ponds or workshop freely. A purchase can be planned without promising a technical tour that has not been advertised.

Follow the label for storage and ask for advice about the preparation you choose. The photograph shows an idea for smoked trout canapés with fromage blanc, made elsewhere; it illustrates one way of serving this type of fish, not an identified Ondenval product. To establish the origin of something you buy, refer to the producer and its accompanying information.

Photos and credits

Photo 1 — Smoked trout and fromage blanc canapés: a serving idea photographed in 2012, with no claim that the fish comes from Ondenval. DC (DocteurCosmos) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source.