Time not only shapes our daily activities but also influences our culinary preferences: while traditional summer dishes such as salads, barbecues and seasonal fruits are currently losing their appeal, heartier dishes such as raclette and tartiflette are making a strong comeback.
As temperatures drop, the grey and rainy weather is driving customers to seek comfort in warm, nourishing dishes. Many find joy in rediscovering autumn-inspired favourites, finding them truly comforting during these gloomy, summer days.
The demand for both minced meat and meat for roasts has surged by 50% compared to the same period last year at Noël Frippart butchery-cheese factory in Gerpinnes (Hainaut), and they also sell five raclette trays every week.
At Noël Frippart's shop, the manager would usually be preparing skewers of meat for barbecues during this season. However, due to the current climate and customer preferences, demand has shifted to preparing other dishes such as the famously delicious tartiflette.
At a fruit and vegetable shop in Farciennes, customers are also abandoning traditional summer produce such as salads, melons, and watermelons. Instead, they opt for winter vegetables as they prepare heartwarming soups and gratin dishes, even incorporating food items that are not necessarily in season.
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However, this change in demand has its challenges for food sellers. The fruit and vegetable shop in Farciennes has had to reorganise its inventory due to a drastic drop in sales of seasonal fruits. They now face the task of selling off the remaining stock, which has resulted in putting these items on sale and losing profit.
Meanwhile, for those longing for a touch of sunshine on their table, this presents an opportunity to enjoy these fruits at a more affordable price.
