Upcoming trip to Alsace [Travel]
2009 Mar 27
I'm so very jealous of you Tracinho! My favourite Alsatian food is a flammekueche, known in French as a tara flambee (en.wikipedia.org Alsace is also known for its sauerkraut.
To be honest, when I was there I mostly stayed with family friends, so I don't know really where to recommend, for restaurants, but food at a wine festivals (which are so very common)or in wine cellars is definitely a good idea.
Promise me, however, you'll get a tour of the Cathedral in Strasbourg. It has one of the most unique looking clocks that I have ever seen, that speaks to the relationship between religion and science in the middle ages. Totally worth a peak!
Also, could you bring me back a bottle of Riesling? Pretty please!
To be honest, when I was there I mostly stayed with family friends, so I don't know really where to recommend, for restaurants, but food at a wine festivals (which are so very common)or in wine cellars is definitely a good idea.
Promise me, however, you'll get a tour of the Cathedral in Strasbourg. It has one of the most unique looking clocks that I have ever seen, that speaks to the relationship between religion and science in the middle ages. Totally worth a peak!
Also, could you bring me back a bottle of Riesling? Pretty please!
2009 Mar 27
Aha! We did a unit when I was in cooking school on the different regions of Franc - so know a bit about it - but of course I've never BEEN...yet, so I have no specific recommendations of restaurants :(
Let's see; Alsace is near the German areas, so much of the cuisine there has some German influence (such as saurkraut as LWB pointed out). According to my notes, the region is known for smoking, pickling, pates, terrines, and sausages, so any of those on a menu would be a good choice. Breads specific to the region include "Pain de metier", which is a mixed corn bread, and bretzel (a pretzel like knotted bread). Every village in Alsace is said to have its own recipe for choucroute (saurkraut), so this dish is a must-try. Munster cheese is the best known cheese made in the region. Though we know it for Gewurtzerminer and Riesling wines mostly, Alsace ranks first compared to the other French provinces when it comes to beer brewing as well (makes sense - German influence and all) - the main brewing center is in Strasbourg (Schutzenberger is the oldest existing brewery in Alsace - founded in 1740). There is also a thumping shnapps trade - the most famous being kirsh.
Hope that helps!
Let's see; Alsace is near the German areas, so much of the cuisine there has some German influence (such as saurkraut as LWB pointed out). According to my notes, the region is known for smoking, pickling, pates, terrines, and sausages, so any of those on a menu would be a good choice. Breads specific to the region include "Pain de metier", which is a mixed corn bread, and bretzel (a pretzel like knotted bread). Every village in Alsace is said to have its own recipe for choucroute (saurkraut), so this dish is a must-try. Munster cheese is the best known cheese made in the region. Though we know it for Gewurtzerminer and Riesling wines mostly, Alsace ranks first compared to the other French provinces when it comes to beer brewing as well (makes sense - German influence and all) - the main brewing center is in Strasbourg (Schutzenberger is the oldest existing brewery in Alsace - founded in 1740). There is also a thumping shnapps trade - the most famous being kirsh.
Hope that helps!
2009 Mar 28
I'll second the flammenkuche- it's one of my favorites. It's kind of pizza like.
The saurkraut dish that Alsace is known for is Choucroute garni- which is of typically pork meats- pork belly, sausages, ham, cooked in a broth with potatoes, carrots, onions and then served on a bed of saurkraut. It looked so darn good that I had to try it- the meat and veggies were delicious but I just can't do saurkraut.
The saurkraut dish that Alsace is known for is Choucroute garni- which is of typically pork meats- pork belly, sausages, ham, cooked in a broth with potatoes, carrots, onions and then served on a bed of saurkraut. It looked so darn good that I had to try it- the meat and veggies were delicious but I just can't do saurkraut.
2009 Mar 28
Hi there--I lived in Alsace for three years and know the area very well. Strasbourg itself is an interesting blend of German and French history, language and cuisine. You're in for a treat. The cathedral is a must-see since it is one of the most stunning in Europe. Also be sure to stroll through l'Orangerie, a huge park across from the European Parliament--it will be magnificent in June.
Food wise--here are a few thoughts. I'm not a huge fan of heavy Germanic fare such as choucroute but I think it's important to try it while there. For very traditional Alsatian fare, the best restaurant is Le Clou on one of the sidestreets near the cathedral. As already mentioned, the tarte flambee is great and considered a specialty of the area. A slice of that with a glass of wine at a cafe overlooking the canal is highly recommended. Another "must" is the chocolatier "Gilman" right on the banks of the canal--they make an extraordinary cake called Feuille d'automne which is absolutely out of this world. I believe you can buy single pieces of it--it is an amazing creation of mousse and thin layers of cake and layers and layers of "leaves" of fine chocolate of the top."Au Crocodile" on rue Outre is considered one of the finest restaurants in France--I have never dined there but I have many French friends who have and say it is outstanding.
If you have a passion for bread, you'll be in heaven. There is a huge selection of baguettes--my personal favorite is the "baguette farinee" (farinee is supposed to have an accent on it).
Hope this helps!
Food wise--here are a few thoughts. I'm not a huge fan of heavy Germanic fare such as choucroute but I think it's important to try it while there. For very traditional Alsatian fare, the best restaurant is Le Clou on one of the sidestreets near the cathedral. As already mentioned, the tarte flambee is great and considered a specialty of the area. A slice of that with a glass of wine at a cafe overlooking the canal is highly recommended. Another "must" is the chocolatier "Gilman" right on the banks of the canal--they make an extraordinary cake called Feuille d'automne which is absolutely out of this world. I believe you can buy single pieces of it--it is an amazing creation of mousse and thin layers of cake and layers and layers of "leaves" of fine chocolate of the top."Au Crocodile" on rue Outre is considered one of the finest restaurants in France--I have never dined there but I have many French friends who have and say it is outstanding.
If you have a passion for bread, you'll be in heaven. There is a huge selection of baguettes--my personal favorite is the "baguette farinee" (farinee is supposed to have an accent on it).
Hope this helps!
2009 Mar 28
Oops--one other thing. There used to be a small restaurant called La Coccinelle--can't remember the street name but it definitely was off the beaten track a bit in town. It specialized in different preparations of "poulain" which is, disturbingly enough for our North American palates--colt, or baby horsies. Don't know how you feel about that but I had a very nice little steak there and it was very tasty.
2009 Jun 30
Hi guys; I am on the halfway point of a French holiday and just finished a 7 day tour in Alsace...I was centered in Wildenstein (a tiny hamlet in at the end of a mountain valley near the Lorraine border) and spent time in Colmar, Mulhouse and Strasbourg.
I didn't eat in a lot of restaurants (thankfully) and it was one great food experience after another, some highlights included:
Wild straberries were coming on so I spent quite a bit of time collecting them for jams, tarts etc. As you may know, they are tiny and take a lot of work to collect enough for any recipe...similar to the times I spent collecting pine nuts, I now understand why any wild strawberry products are so expensive!
Munster cheese; if there is a stronger cheese, I can't think of it and most meals in Alsace are ended with a yellow, runny, soggy slice of Munster smeared on some fresh bagette. I tried it many times, I am beginning to enjoy it but to say that it is an acquired taste would be understatement.
In Strasbourg I tried some excellent ambre� beers; the white wines are absolutely to die for and I was constantly snacking on pretzels when the opportunity presented. I desparetely wanted to try a choucroute, and despite being told constantly "ce n'est pas le saison", I had to try one. I settled on a personal favourite; a braised ham hock on sauerkraut with boiled potatoes and a really strong mustard. It was amazing and totally worth eating out of season ;)
My best restaurant experience however was a hilltop auberge which served a family style lunch of crudites (grated cucumber, celery root, carrots, beets, maybe a light vinaigrette), a simple potato vegetable soup, a tourte of veal and pork (similar to our tourtiere just thicker and a bit richer), a really strong terrine of pork, and then a choice of either braised rabbit and fresh spaetzle (which is what i had) or a german style dish of long cooked mashed potatoes and slices of smoked pork "collet". Everything was just fantastic and it was even better to look out over the valley surrounded by mixed tables of middle aged alsatian hikers.
The pic below is from a ruined castle where the strawberries were everywhere...
I didn't eat in a lot of restaurants (thankfully) and it was one great food experience after another, some highlights included:
Wild straberries were coming on so I spent quite a bit of time collecting them for jams, tarts etc. As you may know, they are tiny and take a lot of work to collect enough for any recipe...similar to the times I spent collecting pine nuts, I now understand why any wild strawberry products are so expensive!
Munster cheese; if there is a stronger cheese, I can't think of it and most meals in Alsace are ended with a yellow, runny, soggy slice of Munster smeared on some fresh bagette. I tried it many times, I am beginning to enjoy it but to say that it is an acquired taste would be understatement.
In Strasbourg I tried some excellent ambre� beers; the white wines are absolutely to die for and I was constantly snacking on pretzels when the opportunity presented. I desparetely wanted to try a choucroute, and despite being told constantly "ce n'est pas le saison", I had to try one. I settled on a personal favourite; a braised ham hock on sauerkraut with boiled potatoes and a really strong mustard. It was amazing and totally worth eating out of season ;)
My best restaurant experience however was a hilltop auberge which served a family style lunch of crudites (grated cucumber, celery root, carrots, beets, maybe a light vinaigrette), a simple potato vegetable soup, a tourte of veal and pork (similar to our tourtiere just thicker and a bit richer), a really strong terrine of pork, and then a choice of either braised rabbit and fresh spaetzle (which is what i had) or a german style dish of long cooked mashed potatoes and slices of smoked pork "collet". Everything was just fantastic and it was even better to look out over the valley surrounded by mixed tables of middle aged alsatian hikers.
The pic below is from a ruined castle where the strawberries were everywhere...
2009 Jun 30
Man, I am totally jealous!!
Don't forget to try the flammenkuche- super yummy. Yeah, I recall Choucroute garni at the Christmas markets being made in huge vats. I guess it is more of a winter comfort food. I'm surprised that they wouldn't have it on the menu for tourists.
On the other hand, I'm not. The french are true foodies and wouldn't sell-out something, sacrificing taste to make a buck.- Except maybe in Paris.
Don't forget to try the flammenkuche- super yummy. Yeah, I recall Choucroute garni at the Christmas markets being made in huge vats. I guess it is more of a winter comfort food. I'm surprised that they wouldn't have it on the menu for tourists.
On the other hand, I'm not. The french are true foodies and wouldn't sell-out something, sacrificing taste to make a buck.- Except maybe in Paris.
2009 Jun 30
Pan Bagnat you reminded me...
One evening a neighbour brought over a portable pizza-type oven where we made Alsatian tartes all evening accompanied by fantastic Rieslings and Gewurtztrammer's. It's kinda like the Franco-German cousin of a pizza, thin, thin crust smeared with creme fraiche (thickened with flour) and then topped with a variable combination of onions, lardons, gruyere, and munster. It was needless to say a filling evening!
The oven was a pretty awesome prefab job made just for this purpose; the Alsatian equivalent of a BBQ!
One evening a neighbour brought over a portable pizza-type oven where we made Alsatian tartes all evening accompanied by fantastic Rieslings and Gewurtztrammer's. It's kinda like the Franco-German cousin of a pizza, thin, thin crust smeared with creme fraiche (thickened with flour) and then topped with a variable combination of onions, lardons, gruyere, and munster. It was needless to say a filling evening!
The oven was a pretty awesome prefab job made just for this purpose; the Alsatian equivalent of a BBQ!
Tracinho