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Gourmet lexicon

La gastronomie alsacienne est fortement imprégnée des traditions culinaires allemandes et est riche en spécificités locales.

Si les recettes régionales ne sont pas aisément adaptables aux goûts courants actuels, beaucoup de grands cuisiniers étoilés s'en inspirent pourtant pour les ré-inventer. Et l'Alsace, si présente dans les guides gastronomiques, est  fière de ses Winstub, de ses vastes bistrots à flammekueche (tarte flambée) et de ses restaurants au décor pittoresque.

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ALSACE

Quetsche

Dark plum typical of Alsace, used to make tarts and jam, or distilled as eau de vie.

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ALSACE

Matelote

A fish stew with a selection of freshwater fish steaks served with a creamy Riesling sauce and noodles.

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ALSACE

Tourte

Meat pie called the "winegrower’s pie" with flaky pastry and thinly sliced or minced meat. The more finely minced pie from Munster valley is an absolute must for the farm meals served in the farmhouse inns.

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ALSACE

Oie

Goose is cooked in many ways - Roasted for St. Martins' Day (11th November) with cabbage and sweet chestnuts (als. Martinsgans) - Stuffed neck of goose served either hot or cold - Soup made from goose giblets and vegetables prepared in winter when...

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ALSACE

Foie gras (Ganslewer)

Foie gras comes in loaves, terrines and more rarely in pie form, which earned the Strasbourg version of foie gras its reputation at the end of the 18th century thanks to Jean-Pierre Clause, the chef and pastry cook of Maréchal de Contades. In fact,...

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ALSACE

Pot-au-feu (Suppefleisch)

After choucroute, pot au feu (beef stew) is one of the oldest dishes in Alsace. This typical Sunday lunch is sometimes served with horseradish sauce and raw vegetable salads. The first bowl consists of just the broth with tiny bone-marrow dumplings...

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ALSACE

Tomme 'Prés du Ried'

Hard cheese from the Ried plain, only recently created to help preserve the meadows in the flood basin of the river Ill.

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ALSACE

Streussel

Cake made with leavened dough, sprinkled with a mixture of curdled butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon.

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ALSACE

Flammekueche (Tarte flambée)

A dish with a dough base topped with a mixture of cream, soft white cheese, bacon chunks and onions. You eat it with your fingers! Baked in a baker's oven, it was traditionally made on the days when bread was baked at the farms. You can also try the...

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ALSACE

Linzertorte

Linzer torte of Austrian origin filled with raspberry jam and topped with strips of pastry.

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ALSACE

Condiments

Some condiments are specific to Alsace, such as the sweet Melfor vinegar (infused with plants and flavoured with honey), horseradish sauce (als. Meeretisch), Alsace mustard and pickled gherkins that are sometimes slightly sweet.

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ALSACE

Männele

Brioche shaped like a little man traditionally eaten on St Nicholas' Day (6th December).

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ALSACE

Strudel

Apple strudel made from rolled-out pastry with a filling of apples, dried raisins, almonds and spices - another dish inherited from Austria (cf. Linzertorte).

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ALSACE

Bäckeoffe

Casserole with potatoes and three different types of meat marinated in white wine and traditionally baked in a terrine in the baker’s oven.

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ALSACE

Langhopf

Leavened dough with spices and dried fruit, shaped like a fluted cylinder and sprinkled with caster sugar.

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ALSACE

Tartes

Bilberry tart, Käsküche (cheese cake) rhubarb tart (with or without French custard or meringue), Quetschelkueche (plum tart sprinkled with cinnamon).

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ALSACE

Kougelhopf

Leavened dough shaped in a special cake mould – a ribbed and scalloped conical form which is hollow at the top end and is the symbol of Alsace. The ingredients for the sweet version include dried raisins and whole almonds, while bacon chunks and...

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ALSACE

Bretzel

Pretzel made of bread in the shape of crossed arms dating back to the 12th century. The crust is sprinkled with cooking salt. It is the symbol used for Alsatian bakeries and the shape is symbolic in itself as you can see the sun 3 times through it.

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ALSACE

Harengs

Rolled herring filets (rollmops) fried in a vinegar or cream sauce and served with potatoes (see: Matjes).

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ALSACE

Quenelles

See Lewerknepfle (liver quenelles), Griesknepfle (semolina quenelles), Grumbeereknepfle (potato quenelles), pot-au-feu, Pflüte.

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ALSACE

Bibeleskäs

Soft white cheese garnished with herbs and served with sauté potatoes or jacket potatoes.

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ALSACE

Asperge (Sparichle)

Asparagus has been cultivated in Alsace since the 16th century. Traditionally served with 3 sauces (mayonnaise, French dressing and hollandaise) and ham, asparagus is eaten with your fingers in April and May in the company of family and friends !

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ALSACE

Choucroute (Sürkrüt)

This form of pickled cabbage is finely sliced and fermented. 75% of French production comes from Alsace. "Choucroute garnie" is sauerkraut cooked in white wine with a selection of salted and smoked meats, pork meats and potatoes. Pork is the most...