Moeder Babelutte

Moeder Babelutte is a Belgian chain of candy and praline shops, named after Rosalie Desmedt, a 19th-century confectioner from Heist who became known as 'Moeder Babelutte'. The brand's signature product is the babelutte, a sweet made from candy syrup and butter, closely related to the Zeeland butter babbelaar. The modern business was restarted in 1970 by Mireille Maenhoudt and her husband Gino Roelens, who rediscovered the original recipe and named their shop 'Moeder Babelutte'. From Heist, their son Christophe Roelens and his wife Mieke Rappé expanded into a small chain of candy and praline shops along the Belgian coast, in Bruges, and in Sluis, Netherlands. The shops offer a wide range of chocolate, pralines, candy, and refined gift items. In 2019, under the impetus of the next generation, Michiel Roelens, the first 'Moeder Babelutte Café' opened in Heist, serving breakfast, lunch, and aperitifs, and a fine-dining restaurant called 'Restaurant bablut.' The company remains family-owned and emphasizes personal service across its various locations.

The history of Moeder Babelutte begins with Rosalie Desmedt (also spelled Desmidt), who according to local tradition was born in Heyst in 1841. She lived in a small house in the dunes with her first husband Joseph Cobbaert and two children. After being widowed, she remarried Jacobus De Meulenaere. Rosalie decided to make candy from candy syrup and butter from the polders, a recipe she learned from her mother: boterbabbelaars. Originally, these were shapeless lumps made by fishermen's wives in copper kettles for their seamen during long voyages, to mask the salty sea air and provide extra energy. Rosalie wrapped the candies in simple butter paper and sold them at the market to the children of French-speaking beachgoers, telling a little story each time. Her gaze, friendly demeanor, and motherly advice earned her the nickname 'mère' (mother). The children corrupted the Flemish word for 'caramels au beurre babbelaar' into 'babelutte' and called Rosalie 'Mère Babelutte' or 'Moeder Babelutte' in Flemish. With the money earned, Rosalie opened her own shop in the Kursaalstraat under the name 'Rosalie Babelutte'. She probably died in February 1912. Her shop was continued by Joseph Verheecke, a baker's assistant known in Heist as the 'roste spekkenbakker'. There was another Rosalie in Heist who also became famous for her own spécialité de bonbon babeluttes: Rosalie Savels, born in Heyst and known as 'Tutte Machiels'. She was from a well-known local fishing family, a young unmarried woman, and around 1920 had her own shop 'Chez Moeder Babelutte', which was also taken over by the same 'roste spekkenbakker' at the end of the 1930s. In the 1950s business began to decline and sometime in the 1960s it was finally closed. In 1968, the owner of the Maenhoudt butcher shop on the corner of Kursaalstraat and Vlamingstraat bought the dilapidated building. In 1970, the shop was restarted by his daughter Mireille Maenhoudt and her husband Gino Roelens, a baker's son. They rediscovered the original recipe of Mother Rosalie Babelutte and named their business 'Moeder Babelutte'. From Heist, their son Christophe Roelens and his wife Mieke Rappé built a small chain of candy and praline shops, located in various coastal municipalities, Bruges, and Sluis in the Netherlands. Under the impetus of the next generation, Michiel Roelens, the first 'Moeder Babelutte Café' opened in Heist in 2019, where one can enjoy coffee with pastry. Babelutten are closely related to the butter babbelaar from Zeeland.

• 2019

  First 'Moeder Babelutte Café' opened in Heist.

• 1970

  The shop was restarted by Mireille Maenhoudt and Gino Roelens, named 'Moeder Babelutte'.

• 1968

  The owner of butcher shop Maenhoudt bought the dilapidated building.

• 1960

  The shop closed sometime in the 1960s.

• 1920

  Rosalie Savels had her own shop 'Chez Moeder Babelutte'.

• 1912

  Rosalie Desmedt probably died in February.

• 1850

  According to one version, Rosalie Desmedt came to live in Heyst.

• 1841

  Rosalie Desmedt (Desmidt) born in Heyst, according to local tradition.

Traditional Belgian confectionery and gift shop chain with a focus on personal service and heritage recipes.

• babelutten

  Candy made from candy syrup and butter.

• chocolate

  Wide assortment of chocolate.

• pralines

  Belgian pralines.

• candy

  Various candies.

• gift items

  Refined gift items.

1. 1Home Moeder Babeluttemoederbabelutte.be
2. 2Moeder Babeluttewikidata.org
3. 3Moeder Babeluttenl.wikipedia.org