Alsatian cuisine

Alsatian cuisine is the traditional cooking of the Alsace region in northeastern France, on the border with Germany. It blends French and Germanic culinary traditions, with pork appearing in many forms, and it is closely tied to the region's wines and beers.

History

Alsatian cooking grew out of a region that passed back and forth between France and Germany several times, which explains the mix of recipes and vocabulary from both traditions. The local dialect, Alsatian, belongs to the southwestern German family of languages, and many dish names reflect this.

Among the historic dishes are choucroute, whose Alsatian name sûrkrût means "sour cabbage", and baeckeoffe, a slow-cooked casserole of potatoes, vegetables and three meats. The flammekueche, the local version of the tarte flambée, belongs to the same repertoire. According to the sources, foie gras has been produced in the region since the 17th century.

Baking shows the same links: kougelhopf, streusel and a German-style cheesecake sit alongside the bredala Christmas biscuits and the mannala baked for Saint Nicholas Day.

Culture

Alsatian food is most often enjoyed at family tables and during festivities. Generous portions are part of its identity, and a local saying captures regional pride by comparing the food of Germany and France with that of Alsace.

Choucroute is served with pork, sausages such as those from Morteau, Strasbourg or Montbéliard, and steamed potatoes. The charcuterie range is wide, from blood sausage to liver sausage. In the south, in the Sundgau, carp is part of local tradition.

Alsace is also France's main beer-producing region, with breweries in and around Strasbourg, and it is known for its mostly white wines, including dry rieslings and gewürztraminer, as well as crémant d'Alsace.