Taste of
the Town

Delicious -to-prepare "The Pride of This City" from the corner of the street where UNIQLO is located.

Episode 01:
Meatloaf with Sweet Cherries

Country:

Belgium Antwerp

Photography by Alex Salinas Coordination by Masae Takanaka
Text by UNIQLO

In 2015, the first UNIQLO in Belgium opened in Antwerp, the stomping grounds of such renowned designers as Dries Van Noten and Martin Margiela. The store breathed new life into Meir, the city’s boulevard of fashion, and remains a favorite among modish students and residents of Antwerp who love high-quality goods.

An Antwerp native, born and bred, chef Céleste Verhoeven showed us a recipe for meatloaf glazed with cherry sauce. In Belgian households, this dish is a harbinger of fall and a sign that “cold weather is here.” Cherries are freshest in early summer, but this sauce uses canned cherries, packed fresh at the start of the season. Rather than thickening the sauce using vanilla pudding powder, Céleste prefers to boost the aroma with cinnamon sticks and a small amount of butter.

Known in Belgium as “meat bread,” this meatloaf has a texture much like hamburger. Aside from ground pork and beef, it uses only eggs and bread crumbs. Once the mixture has set up, you simply place it in the oven. Locals like to make a little extra, so that they can eat it the first day with the sweet and sour cherry sauce, then enjoy the leftovers the next day with spicy mustard. Instead of wine or liqueur, this dish pairs best with Belgian beer.

For an added touch of Antwerp, set the table in plain white. In this town, white is the color of everything from the bread down to the plates and tablecloth and napkins. And not just because this is the homeland of Margiela—to the people of Antwerp, white symbolizes elegance. Céleste’s kitchen and the Uniqlo U shirt dress and apron that she’s wearing today are all white. The brilliant red of the slow-simmered cherry sauce adds a charming touch of color to this iconically Antwerpian scene.

For an added touch of Antwerp, set the table in plain white. In this town, white is the color of everything from the bread down to the plates and tablecloth and napkins. And not just because this is the homeland of Margiela—to the people of Antwerp, white symbolizes elegance. Céleste’s kitchen and the Uniqlo U shirt dress and apron that she’s wearing today are all white. The brilliant red of the slow-simmered cherry sauce adds a charming touch of color to this iconically Antwerpian scene.

Striped Long Sleeve Shirt Dress(Uniqlo U)

Céleste Verhoeven

Founder of Celeste Catering

Born in 1974 in Antwerp. While managing restaurants and coffee bars, she started her own catering business in 1999. She is a favorite of the fashion world, counting Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester among her admirers.

Ingredients (Serves Four)

[ Meatloaf ] Ground meat : 1.5kg 　Egg : 2　Bread crumbs : 200g　Thyme : 3sprigs *alternatively, bay leaf or other herbs Coarse salt : 1pinch

[ Cherry Sauce ] Sauce Dark cherries : 1can (300g), jarred or canned, pitted, no stems
*apricots or peaches can be used instead
Cinnamon : 1 or 2sticks　Butter : 1pat (10g)

Instructions
40 min

Mix the ground meat, eggs and bread crumbs until the mixture sticks together, then transfer to a terrine dish or other oven-safe pan.
Sprinkle with thyme and coarse salt, then cook for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 170°C.
Use this time to make the sauce. Pour canned cherries into a pot, then add the cinnamon and butter and heat over a medium flame. Once mixture bubbles, lower to a simmer, skim off any foam, and stir occasionally for five minutes, before turning off the heat.
Test the meatloaf with a skewer. As long as it comes out clean, remove loaf from oven and cut into 1.5 cm slices. Serve on plates with cherry sauce and a side of bread.

*Leftover cherry sauce is delicious on ice cream.