Perhaps you enjoy fine dining, and you’re looking for a nice place to eat while in Alsace. Your choice should not be difficult, simply throw a rock and you will be sure to hit a wonderful restaurant. However, if you happen to be searching for the meal of a lifetime, one sure to provide stories with which to regale your friends and family for years… and (this part is important) you happen to be feeling plush in the wallet, then I have a tip for you.

 

First, some brief background. My wife Samantha and I were on our honeymoon in France. As we are foodies, it had been our stated intention to eat our way through the country. In two weeks of Untouring, we had done exactly that. As we neared the end of our trip, we decided we would splurge on a meal for the ages and called to make reservations at the restaurant most enthusiastically recommended by the Untour staff.

 

Enter L’Auberge de l’Ill. Opened after World War II by Paul Haeberlin and run as a family affair ever since --today son, Marc is head chef, the Auberge is a national institution in France. It has held three Michelin stars continuously since 1967, and was rated the sixth-best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine in 2002. The sommelier, who presides over a phone-book thick wine list, was once ranked best in the world. It hosts a clientele of, quite literally, Prime Ministers, Kings and Queens...as well as American newlyweds.

 

Upon entering the restaurant, Samantha and I were swarmed upon by the smiling, gallant staff. We were escorted to a lovely patio overlooking the peaceful Ill River. Elegant guests murmured softly over apéritifs as a graceful stork artfully rose from the river into the warm summer twilight. We were offered a lovely glass of champagne flavored with woodruff syrup, an interesting twist which added an aromatic, floral sweetness to the bubbly.

 

Soon after, our waiter appeared with menus. We each decided on the seven-course Prix Fixe, and when confronted with the legendary wine list, happily accepted the wine steward’s tactful recommendations. Soon, we were invited to enter the restaurant and take our table, and the feast began.

 

The Auberge serves the purest essence of Haute Cuisine. Pristine, perfectly prepared ingredients are drizzled with classic sauces of demi-glace, butter or cream. Our more memorable courses included lobster and seafood flan; minced frog legs and sweetbreads; and a stellar mix of pigeon, foie gras and truffle rolled up in crispy pigeon skin. Our bottle of muscular Gigondas was the perfect complement to the rich flavors of the meal. A wonderful cheese course topped things off which was then topped off by a stunning dessert (topped in beauty only, I assure you, by my bride!).

 

Following our meal, we were invited back to the patio, where torches now lit the night air. We sipped coffee and marveled at the depth of experience we had just encountered. As we left the restaurant, an elderly gentleman bade us ‘au revoir’. I only now realize it was Monsieur Haeberlin himself.

 

Samantha wisely thought to request a copy of the day’s menu which now hangs in a frame in our kitchen today, a testament to the grand heights of cuisine, and a constant reminder of our desire to someday return to the Auberge for another taste of greatness.

 

 

Have you ever had a meal so fantastic that you will remember it for years to come?   Help us build another delectable issue for the delight of other Eurozine readers; click here to tell us about your favorite restaurant in Europe.

 

Recently travelers have been chatting about what to bring with them to Europe to make the most of their Untour kitchens like the one above in Provence. See what fellow chatters had to say. To sign up for Idyllchat or check our archives, click here.

 

A question for those who have been on the Untours - If you like to cook, are there any kitchen tools you need to pack from home? I don't plan to spend a lot of our Untour time cooking, but would like to have what I need when I do. We are heading to the Bavarian Castle in April - any insights would be appreciated.

Dianna in Houston

 

For containing items, small zip lock bags are great. In many large cities there are "container" stores where you can buy almost any container you can imagine. I always find it handy to stock up on small (i.e. 2 x 3 in.) such bags for a myriad of uses. Slightly larger sizes are also available.

I always take an assortment of spices & dried herbs in little film canisters: Basil, oregano, tarragon, marjoram, some bay leaves, seasoned pepper and seasoned salt, plus some garlic salt...I usually just pack enough for 3 weeks and leave the leftovers behind for the next Untourists.

If you use those little film canisters, make sure you use the opaque white ones. The black ones will impart an off flavor to your herbs and spices that you won't like.

The kitchens I have stayed in so far have exceeded my equipment requirements. I do agree with taking

baggies.

 

I love foreign grocery stores from CH to China, buy stuff, and cook in a lot. I know lots of Idyllers do not want to do that, but gee, everyone can live without "home foods". If you can find an Asiatic grocery, you have peanut butter. Migros in CH have some great zip bags and in the same section, plastic bags that you fill with water and freeze, with small cubes coming out as you wish them. Lots of other things here too.

2 pounds (6 medium) potatoes, washed and peeled

Salt

4 tart apples, cored, peeled, and quartered

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Pinch of sugar

Freshly ground pepper

¼ pound bacon, chopped and cooked

In a medium saucepan cook the potatoes in boiling salted water over medium high heat for 15 minutes. Drain off most of the water. Add apples; cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; turn potatoes and apples into a large bowl. Mash. Add butter and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cooked bacon. 4 servings.

Recipe, reprinted with permission, from All Along the Rhine, by Kay Shaw Nelson

 

Are you known for your bouillabaisse? Does your Linzer Torte receive rave reviews? If you have a favorite ethnic recipe and you would like to have it published in a future Eurozine, send us an email. 

 

Think you know your chaussons aux pommes from your tartes tatins? Take this food quiz to find out!

 

1. In Spain, if you order a tortilla what will you be eating?

A. A soft-shelled taco

B. A wrap filled with melted cheese

C. A potato omelet

D. A deep-fried pastry stuffed with chorizo

 

2. What is a palačinka?  

A. A very small palace  

B. A tasty Hungarian dish made with sausages, potatoes, and a mixture of aromatic spices

C. A Czech pancake filled with ice cream and fruit 

D. A typical café in Prague

 

3. Which of the following statements about olive oil is FALSE?

A. Olives used for olive oil are picked between the months of October and December.

B. Olive oil improves with age; the longer you store it, the better.

C. Spain is the world’s largest producer of olive oil.

D. Olives are fruit.

 

4. What are grifoni, famigliole, and galletti?

A. Farm cheeses

B. Pasta dishes

C. Ice cream (gelato) flavors

D. Italian mushrooms

 

5. Which of the following lists of ingredients characterizes cuisine in Provence?

A. Olive oil, garlic, and fish

B. Cream and butter

C. Sausages, rice, and onions

D. Beef and potatoes

 

 

By the way, a chausson aux pommes is a flaky French pastry filled with apples and translates to ‘apple slipper’ in English. A tarte tatin is a sort of upside-down apple tart; the apples are on the bottom and caramelize during the baking process.