Visiting Alsace isn’t only about the picturesque towns with Christmas atmosphere. It’s also about trying the tasty food of Alsace that this beautiful region offers. Alsace is a treat for both the eyes and the palate.
Hereby today we are going to introduce you the best food of Alsace that can’t be missed out:
The food of Alsace you need to try out:
The sauerkraut
Surely the best-known dish that comes up when Alsace is mentioned is sauerkraut (Sauerkraut in German, or also known as cabbage) consists of cabbage, potatoes and several pork options (most often is served with smoked bacon, ham and sausages). This dish should be on your top list when visiting Alsace.
The Pretzel
Everyone knows the pretzel. However, the pretzel in Alsace has nothing to be with those that can be found in the supermarket to mix with your appetizers. Indeed, the typical Alsace pretzel is a brioche of poached paste in baking soda. It looks like a knot that simply needs to be covered with sea salt in order to delight the gourmands’ stomach.
The flammkuchen (Tarte flambée)
The flammkuchen, a kind of “Alsatian pizza” is also called “flambé pie”. As its name suggests, the flammkuchen is cooked in a flame. This delicious dish consists of a very thin dough covered with cream and/or cottage cheese in addition to bacon and onions. Flammkuchen is the secret of a successful meal when with friends!
Spätzles
Spätzles is pasta made from flour, cream and eggs before being fried in butter. Some people prefer spätzles with cheese or bacon. Fact: spätzle comes from the German word “spatzen” which means sparrow. The dish uses the name of a bird because once is ready it looks like a bird’s nest.
Munster
In Alsace, the most typical cheese is none other than the Munster. It is a town located south side of Colmar where the famous cow’s cheese comes from. You will find Munster as an ingredient in many Alsatian dishes, such as in the fondue for example.
Fried carp
The fried carp is one of the most popular specialties in the South of Alsace. There are 30 restaurants that take part in the Fried carp Route that you can follow! The dish consists of carp steaks covered with semolina before being fried and served with potatoes or fries.
The baeckeoffe (bake oven)
This is the dish that we recommend to any meat lover. Indeed, its recipe includes a mixture of 3 different types of meat (pork, lamb and beef) with vegetables (lots of potatoes!) combined with white wine and herbs. The baeckeoffe must be cooked to a slow simmer for several hours before being served. There are myths that in the past, Alsatians went to the bakery to use the oven and cook their own baeckeoffe.
The knacks
Knack is the real sausage of Strasbourg, its name comes from the noise it produces when it breaks into two (Knack!). It consists of pork, beef and sometimes veal seasoned with salt and spices. The knack is an important specialty in Alsace, so you will find it in every village festival.
The best desserts and pastries to try in Alsace:
The Gugelhupf
It can be found salted (with nuts and lardons), but in general, the Gugelhupf is prepared as a sweet. This brioche has the shape of a canelé, it is garnished with almonds and raisins soaked in kirsch or rum.
Gingerbread
The gingerbread, nowadays is famous throughout the whole of France, is a great culinary tradition of Alsace. The gingerbreads come in several tastes and shapes, soft or dry, with fruit or spices, they will delight all palates!
The Stollen
The stollen is presented on the table around Christmas time. This cake with almonds and grapes usually is in an angel shape to remind us of the beauty of the Christmas season. However, this dessert is so delicious that we recommend you to taste it at any time of the year!
The gingerbread cookies
When the Saint-Nicolas comes (December 6th), it is time to try out these little cookies men covered with chocolate chips.
Here are our suggestions for food of Alsace to try out during your stay in the region. Alsace isn’t only popular for its food but for the drinks too. Therefore, don’t hesitate to complement your dishes with a delicious kirsch, an Alsatian white wine or a good craft beer from the region! Alsace is a fairytale at this time of the year, so don’t miss out our post about the most beautiful Christmas markets in Alsace. ?
