Strasbourg -- Strassburg
STRASBOURG - FRANCE
It's one of my favorite places to feast and sit around in street cafes to peoplewatch: Strasbourg/Strassburg in the Alsace/im Elsass. It's where France and Germany collide and make for a rather interesting mix of culture. I just read a website on it and largely agree with what they have to say:
Some local cuisine experiences you shouldn't miss include:
*** Visiting a local "winstub" for the ultimate France/German experience. The wines that are most popular here are white, light and tart, such as Reislings and Gewurztraminers. The Alsatian beers are also wonderful. {I'll pass on the beer}
*** Sampling the local "eau de vie." Literally meaning "water of life", this is fruit liquor to the extreme. Unlike American liquors that are typically made with sugar, the Alsatian eau de vie is sweetened entirely by fruit.
*** Filling up on "baeckoffe" and "Coq au Reisling", some of the fabulous local specialties. Baeckoffe consists of a stew of meats, potatoes and spices. Coq au Riesling is much like the better-known coq au vin, but is made with Riesling (and, in my opinion, tastier). It is usually served over fresh-made spaetzle, a German noodle. The Alsatian desserts are among the world's best! {LOVE the Coq and love anything spaetzle + the pastries and desserts in general...}
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It's been a ritual for us to go feast in Strasbourg for a day or two after visiting Aunt and Uncle in the Black Forest. It's so close, just a half hour drive with the typical pines, river & valley views all around. It's really beautiful, must seem fairytale-like for those visiting from abroad. I've often heard people describe it that way. No wonder though, fairytale kings The Grimm Brothers were German after all. I wonder if Americans realize that 90% of their classic childhood fairytales actually come from Germany... Probably not, heh.
I really enjoy the cultural mix in Strasbourg, it's quite unique and there's a true sense of history -- you can just picture how it must have been 100, 200, 500, even 2000 years prior when the Romans established it as a military outpost. Best time to go is spring or summer.
Good Wiki entry with images: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourg