Foie gras is Alsace’s greatest gift to gastronomy
Strasbourg, the capitol of Alsace, has been the site
of Europe’s oldest outdoor Christmas market for nearly 500 years. While there are many Christmas markets in Europe,
the one in Strasbourg is regarded as one of the very best. I’ve
been to Strasbourg, as well as the surrounding idyllic Hansel and Gretel Alsatian
villages many times, but I have never visited this Eastern part of France
during the holidays. The reason for my
entire journey is this Marché de Noel---it’s
been on my bucket list for some years.
The Christmas market in Strasbourg is spread out over
the heart of this riverside town in eleven different squares. There’s a mind-boggling assortment of
hand-crafted items for the yuletide season, including everything one could ever
dream of in which to decorate a Christmas tree, or to deck the halls. For the food-lover, however, it’s a gastronomic
Disneyland; Santa’s elves could
seriously eat their way across Strasbourg.
Alsace has been passed back and forth between France
and Germany several times during the last hundreds of years. The Strasbourg Christmas market is reflective
of this duality. In many ways it’s the
best of the two countries prettily packaged into a festively wrapped yuletide gift
featuring a large culinary bow.
Paying homage to its French roots, the market is
replete with vendors selling foie gras. This
outrageously decadent delicacy is gorgeously coiffed in regal packaging that would
even impress Coco Chanel. Foie gras in this
region is serious business. While Perigord in southwest France produces more
foie gras today, during the 18th century Alsace was the epicenter
for this delicacy.
Kougelhoft comes in multiple shapes for the Holidays
There are
beaucoup stands at the market selling Alsace’s iconic Kougelhoft, an ethereal yeast-based
cake baked in a tall decorative bundt pans.
A traditional Germanic recipe, Kougelhofts are featured in miniature single
servings, as well as gigantic ones that could serve a family of 20 for
Christmas dinner. There are even stalls
selling the brightly-colored Kougelhoft ceramic pans which are hand-painted.
Flammekueche
is sublime snack in Stasbourg’s market extraordinaire. An Alsatian version of pizza, this one has a
paper-thin crust. The French DNA of the
dish reflects France’s love affair with cheese.
In this case, it’s topped with the area’s famous Munster cheese and/or crème
fraiche. And for the other chromosome
from Germany, the traditional version includes small pieces of ham or bacon.
The market serves up several possibilities of the pain d’epices. “Spice bread,” a classical
dessert that is Germanic in its culinary roots, is Alsace’s rendition of
gingerbread. Although it has no ginger
in it, it is chocked full of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and other spices. At the Christmas market, spice bread is also made as a cookie in all of the shapes of the yuletide season. These spicy sweet delights pair perfectly with Alsace’s warm
yuletide drink, vin chaud, a
concoction similar to hot-mulled wine.
Speaking of wine, this region is a treasure for
gorgeous white wines. Yesterday we visited one
of my favorite producers, Albert Mann.
The wines from Domaine Weinbach and Trimbach are also noteworthy.
Alsace, an often overlooked area of France, is a special culinary gem. Other than
the center of Paris, Alsace has more Michelin star restaurants per square mile
than any other place on the plant. Regardless
of the time of year, it’s a gastronomic treasure- trove and a wonder-filled wine experience you don’t want to
miss.
Joyeux Noël & FrÖhliche Weihnacten!
