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mitraillette

{{italic title}}

{{short description|Belgian sandwich}}

{{dmy|date=July 2020}}

{{Excessive citations|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox food

| name = Mitraillette

| image = Mitraillette (fast food).jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = A mitraillette

| alternate_name = Américain

| country = Belgium

| region = Brussels

| creator =

| course = fast food

| type = Sandwich

| served = hot (filling)

room temperature/ warmed (baguette)

| main_ingredient = Bread, meat, fries, various sauces

| variations =

| calories =

| other =

}}

A mitraillette ({{IPA|fr|mitʁajɛt}}, literally "submachine gun") is a type of sandwich in Belgium commonly served at friteries and cafés.{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D9DSMR100.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924041637/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D9DSMR100.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |publisher=Associated Press |first=Leslie |last=Patton |title=Belgium's Dutch and French-speakers unite on fries |date=15 February 2010 |access-date=22 April 2015 |url-access=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.westword.com/restaurants/mowed-down-by-the-mitraillette-sandwich-at-manneken-frites-6046323|title=Mowed down by the mitraillette sandwich at manneken frites|work=Westword|date=9 October 2014|access-date=16 September 2015 |archive-date=3 August 2015 |last=Antonation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150803231313/http://www.westword.com/restaurants/mowed-down-by-the-mitraillette-sandwich-at-manneken-frites-6046323 |url-status=live |first=Mark}}{{cite web|url=http://dc.eater.com/2015/9/9/9295975/early-word-the-airedale-in-columbia-heights-dc |title=The Early Word on The Airedale in Columbia Heights|access-date=16 September 2015|work=[eater.com]|first=Meredith|last=Bethune |date=9 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916142943/http://dc.eater.com/2015/9/9/9295975/early-word-the-airedale-in-columbia-heights-dc |archive-date=16 September 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=23 February 2012 |access-date=29 September 2016 |via=Newspapers.com |title=In Belgium with Craig LeBan |last=LeBan |first=Craig |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/199397423}}{{Cite web|archive-date=2022-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531172113/https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/belgium-on-a-budget |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/belgium-on-a-budget|title=10 ways to experience Belgium on a budget |website=Lonely Planet|url-status=live}} It is popular among students.{{cite web |url=http://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/visiter-bruxelles-sous-un-autre-angle-581662f3cd70958a9d5a407f |first=Sarah |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103135559/http://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/visiter-bruxelles-sous-un-autre-angle-581662f3cd70958a9d5a407f |access-date=3 November 2016 |last=Nuyens |archive-date=3 November 2016 |url-status=live |date=31 October 2016 |work=DHnet.be |title=Visiter Bruxelles sous un autre angle |language=fr |trans-title=See Brussels from a different angle}}

It is thought to have originated in Brussels, but is also popular in Flanders, Wallonia, and the Nord region of France, where it is also known as an "Américain" (literally an "American").{{cite web|first=Jamel|last=Daugherty|url=http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/gut-check/2010/07/02/the-american-sandwich/|title=The American Sandwich|publisher=Northern Virginia Magazine|date=2 July 2010|access-date=1 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629132957/http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/gut-check/2010/07/02/the-american-sandwich/|archive-date=29 June 2011|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A2-285e5403-1cea-42ae-9065-4f2f6a5a9c10.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043726/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A2-285e5403-1cea-42ae-9065-4f2f6a5a9c10.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |first=Geert |last=Vanden Wijngaert|publisher=Associated Press |title=Belgium Fries Forever |date=15 February 2010 |access-date=22 April 2015 |url-access=}}

Composition

A typical mitraillette consists of:{{cite web |last=Van De Poel |first=Nana|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207190609/https://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/belgian-food-explained-the-mitraillette/ |archive-date=7 December 2016 |work=TheCultureTrip.com |date=1 December 2016 |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/belgian-food-explained-the-mitraillette/ |title=Belgian Food Explained, The Mitraillette |access-date=7 December 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Malhotra|first=Saira|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712212204/http://www.marcussamuelsson.com/recipe/la-mitraillette-belgian-machine-gun-sandwich-recipe|title=La Mitraillette (Belgian Machine Gun) Sandwich Recipe |url-status=dead |url=http://www.marcussamuelsson.com/recipe/la-mitraillette-belgian-machine-gun-sandwich-recipe |publisher=Marcus Samuelsson|access-date=11 March 2013|archive-date=12 July 2012}}{{cite news |archive-date=24 September 2015 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url-status=live|date=31 January 2010 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012803666.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924041637/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D9DSMR100.html|first=Teri |title=Your Vacation in Lights: Belgium's beer, chocolates and historical sites enliven Oakton couple's vacation |last=Housenger |access-date=9 July 2015}}{{cite news |date=18 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008201651/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-38768880.html|first=Maura |access-date=7 December 2015 |title=The Airedale scores, if you're a soccer fan or soft-serve aficionado |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/the-airedale-scores-if-youre-a-soccer-fan-or-soft-serve-aficionado/2015/09/17/e823bef0-5c9c-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |last=Judkis |url-status=live |url-access= |archive-date=8 October 2016 }}{{cite news|archive-date=24 October 2015 |date=18 March 2015 |last=Schrerer |first=Josh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024040939/http://www.lamag.com/digestblog/future-nosh-l-a-needs-the-belgian-submachine-gun-sandwich/ |title=Future Nosh: L.A. Needs the Belgian "Submachine Gun" Sandwich |url=http://www.lamag.com/digestblog/future-nosh-l-a-needs-the-belgian-submachine-gun-sandwich/ |work=Los Angeles Magazine |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=12 Best Sandwiches from around the World |first=Rachel |last=Hosie |access-date=13 June 2017

|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/best-sandwiches-around-world-chip-butty-mitraillette-kaya-toast-banh-mi-a7744401.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/best-sandwiches-around-world-chip-butty-mitraillette-kaya-toast-banh-mi-a7744401.html |archive-date=2022-05-15 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=19 May 2017}}{{cite news|last=Speer |first=Christine |title=Ale & Hearty |work=Indianapolis Monthly |year=2005 |volume=28 |issue=14 |pages=278–280 |id={{EBSCOhost|dbcode=f6h|17739222}} }}{{Cite web|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620162652/https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/06/20/have-no-fear-your-famous-belgian-fries-are-safe-from-any-ban-eu-tells-belgium.html |archive-date=2017-06-20 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/06/20/have-no-fear-your-famous-belgian-fries-are-safe-from-any-ban-eu-tells-belgium.html|title=Have no fear, your famous Belgian fries are safe from any ban, EU tells Belgium|date=June 20, 2017|website=thestar.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://thetakeout.com/17-carb-on-carb-sandwiches-that-understand-beauty-of-br-1848967654|archive-date=2022-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117000531/https://thetakeout.com/17-carb-on-carb-sandwiches-that-understand-beauty-of-br-1848967654/slides/10 |url-status=live|title=17 Carb-On-Carb Sandwiches That Understand the Beauty of Bread|date=May 27, 2022|website=The Takeout}}

  • Half a baguette (or sometimes a smaller version of a baguette).
  • Fries
  • Fried meat (such as sausage, burger, or steak). The type of meat available varies with the friterie.{{Cite web|archive-date=2019-02-19|url-status=live|website=Eater NY|first=Robert|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219234318/https://ny.eater.com/2019/2/19/18203993/benelux-mitraillette-french-fries-sandwich |title=Behold a Rich Roast Pork Sandwich Overstuffed with Fries in Bushwick |url=https://ny.eater.com/2019/2/19/18203993/benelux-mitraillette-french-fries-sandwich |last=Sietsema|date=February 19, 2019}}
  • Sauce, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, sauce andalouse, garlic sauce, bearnaise sauce.

Crudités may be included (grated carrot, fresh lettuce, tomato slices), as well as cheese{{Cite web|title=Daily Delivery Tour: Take a Bite of France with these Waimai Options|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512102155/https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2022/05/12/daily-delivery-tour-take-bite-france-these-waimai-options|date=May 12, 2022 |website=TheBeijinger.com |url=https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2022/05/12/daily-delivery-tour-take-bite-france-these-waimai-options |archive-date=2022-05-12}} and cabbage.{{Cite news |last=Musgrave |first=Sarah |date=21 July 2020 |title=Mitraillette takes comfort food to a new level |language=en |work=Montreal Gazette |publication-date=28 November 2012 |url=http://newspapers.com/clip/55800091/mitraillette-takes-comfort-food-to-a/ |access-date=2020-07-21 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web |title=La 1ère Mitraillette sur le Web! |url=http://www.frites.be/v4/index.cfm?context=article&ContentID=764 |publisher=Frites.be |access-date=11 March 2013 |date=10 October 1998 |first=Hugues |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004131717/http://www.frites.be/v4/index.cfm?context=article&ContentID=764 |archive-date=4 October 2008 |trans-title=The 1st Mitraillette on the Web! |language=fr |last=Henry}}

Originally mitraillettes contained only a sausage or sliced meat. Alternatives quickly became available.

In popular culture

After the Brussels bombings in March 2016, images of the sandwich were shared across social media in Belgium and abroad as a sign of friendship and humour.{{cite web |access-date=8 November 2019 |archive-date=8 November 2019 |first1=Alan

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108111116/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alanwhite/belgians-are-breaking-out-these-machine-guns-to-mock-terrori |first2=Adrien |last2=Sénécat |location=France |date=22 March 2016 |last1=White |url-status=live |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alanwhite/belgians-are-breaking-out-these-machine-guns-to-mock-terrori |website=BuzzFeedNews.com |title=Belgians Are Breaking Out These "Machine Guns" To Mock Terrorists}}

In December 2020, former Top Chef (France) contestant Jean-Philippe Watteyne opened a pop-up mitraillette restaurant in Mons.{{Cite web |title=Un ancien candidat de Top Chef ouvre le premier restaurant de mitraillettes au monde |trans-title=Former 'Top Chef' Contestant Opens World's first Mitraillette Restaurant |url=https://sosoir.lesoir.be/un-ancien-candidat-de-top-chef-ouvre-le-premier-restaurant-de-mitraillettes-au-monde |access-date=2021-02-10 |website=So Soir |language=fr |archive-date=2021-02-10 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20210210205741/http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://sosoir.lesoir.be/un-ancien-candidat-de-top-chef-ouvre-le-premier-restaurant-de-mitraillettes-au-monde |date=2020-10-10 |url-status=live}}

In November 2021, DH Les Sports + reported that a friterie in Etterbeek sells Belgium's longest mitraillette, measuring {{convert|130|cm|in}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/la-plus-grande-mitraillette-de-belgique-est-etterbeekoise-les-gens-viennent-de-tres-loin-assure-le-jeune-frituriste-bruxellois-6197c5007b50a648b2d63060|title=La plus grande mitraillette de Belgique est etterbeekoise! "Les gens viennent de très loin", assure le jeune frituriste bruxellois|first=Ro. |last=Ma. |date=November 20, 2021|website=DH Les Sports + |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-01-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120073432/https://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/la-plus-grande-mitraillette-de-belgique-est-etterbeekoise-les-gens-viennent-de-tres-loin-assure-le-jeune-frituriste-bruxellois-6197c5007b50a648b2d63060 |trans-title=Belgium's biggest mitraillette is from Etterbeek! "People come from afar", swears the young Brussels chipper". |lang=fr |archive-date=2021-11-20}}

In 2025, BetUS.com reported extended queues for a AUS$27 (€{{To EUR|27|Australia}}) steak mitraillette at the Australian Open.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-22 |title=There's a $27 Sandwich Taking Over the Australian Open |url=https://www.betus.com.pa/locker-room-raw/more-sports/theres-a-27-sandwich-taking-over-the-australian-open-1-22-2025/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122203616/https://www.betus.com.pa/locker-room-raw/more-sports/theres-a-27-sandwich-taking-over-the-australian-open-1-22-2025/ |archive-date=2025-01-22 |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=BetUS.com}}

See also

{{Portal bar|Belgium}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Mitraillette}}

{{Sandwiches}}{{Potato dishes}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Belgian sandwiches

Category:French sandwiches

Category:Fast food

Category:French fries