Travelling through France, Alsace

Travelling through France, Alsace
Alsazia
Magazine: August 2007

Alsace? A border town that is open to world but clinging to its roots

Travelling through France, Alsace
Alsace, a region steeped in art, culture and tradition. Famed also for its gourmet produce: its renowned white wines, foie gras and spiced bread. Similar to Germany, but with a milder climate. In the towns, the history of centuries of wars fortunately hasn’t left any too visible scars. Alsace is a border town; part French with German traits and part Swiss with French infl uences: fortunately harmony reigns in the style of the trellised houses and the winding wine trails. In Strasburg, wander along picturesque canals and the narrow streets of the ancient Petite France or visit the Palace of Nations stopping off in the wine cellar of the Hospices Civils. Colmar proudly offers the Maison des Vins and the Bartholdi temple, the creator of the famous statue of liberty. Mulhouse is sheer bliss for all collectors: in addition to the Musée National de l’Automobile, the Musée de l’Impression sur Étoffes is a must for all textile lovers with its vast displays of fabric printing blocks.

And so to eat...
In Alsace the aromatic white wines are accompanied by generous quantities of the local cheeses. The most famous of these is Munster, a soft cheese with a “washed” rind. We also have the traditional choucroute (derived from German) a base of pork and sauerkraut. The cabbage is chopped and fermented for weeks before being cooked. Another speciality is baeckeoffe, stewed meat and vegetables cooked in a ceramic casserole. Above all, Alsace is the land of foie gras; a home produced delicacy made from the white goose from Alsace, grey from Tolosa or duck from the Atlantic coast. One of the best is made by Marco and Marianne Willmann at the Liesel Shop in Ribeauvillé. They offer a vintage foie gras over 200 years old. Tradition says that the delicacy was created here in 1780 by Jean Pierre Clause, who then opened the Boutique du gourmet in Strasburg where they still sell foie gras cooked in a bread crust. Also in Strasburg is the restaurant Chambard, in the centre of Kaysersberg where the chef Olivier Nasti sells fois gras to any customers that request it.

Sweet delights
For breakfast, Christine’s products are the perfect choice. Kougelhopf a light crown shaped bread with raisins or the pain d’épices with cardamom, ginger, sesame and aniseed mixed with rye fl our and honey. Also highly appreciated are the tarte fl ambée, onion focaccia and belly pork. Famous in this region are the Alsaciens, salty cracker sticks loved worldwide. The best place to sample these delights is the Rouffach restaurant run by Philippe Borher

La route des vins
The Alsacian wines are amongst the most aromatic in the world. Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. Also Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. On the subject of denomination, the AOC Alsace (Appelation d’Origine Controlée) is a newcomer together with the Alsace Grand Cru, that includes 50 precisely regulated vines: cultivated in a limited number of hectors and with a maximum production limit of 70 hectolitres and only 4 types of wine eligible to boast the label Grand Cru (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat). Another novelty, and monitored during production by repeated and costly controls from the regional technical commission are the denomination Vendange Tardive Selection des Grains Nobles. These are the pride and joy of the Alsacian wine making industry and make it unique in the world. At Soultzmatt, the volcanic wine cellar is irresistible, where the highly competent Seppi Landmann is the connoisseur of Pinot Nero. Seppi studied in Borgogna and his enthusiasm is overwhelming. In the Grand Cru Zinnkoepfl é produces miracles from only 2 hectares, the rest comes from 4 hectares near the Bollenberg vine fi elds.

Foto Maison de la France
Copyright Civa - Dumoulin
Copyright Civa - Zvardon
Copyright Sopexa
Foto Comitato Regionale del Turismo d'Alsazia

The landscape, The wine trail, The treasures of the cuisine