The term Alsatian refers to a person of the Alsace, which is a region of France, Alsatian is also a language (“Alsation,”1998). This paper will focus on the history and foods of Alsace, which tends not to be found in any other region of France. Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France and the smallest region of metropolitan France (Styles, 1996). Alsace is located on France’s eastern border and on the west bank of the upper Rhine adjacent to Germany and Switzerland. Alsace is politically one of the most important regions in the European Union. The name “Alsace” comes from the German Ell-sass, meaning seated on the Rhine (“Alsace,”2009), a river in Alsace. Alsace actually was under France and German authority four different times in 75 years. The historical language of Alsace is Alsatian, a regional German language. Most Alsatians today speak French. Alsace is said to host the oldest Christmas market in France. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, and it is famous for its single-spiral cathedral, its parliament, its shops and restaurants, its superb museums, and its Christmas markets. The houses are of the medieval times. The markets were in the villages, but today they are on the outskirts of town. Strasbourg is a city for gourmets. The most famous dish of Strasbourg is the pate de foie gras en croute – a whole fattened goose liver encased in a farce and wrapped in pastry. We know of four star restaurants in the United States and that distinction is given to the best. In France the Alsace region is where many four star restaurants can be found. One of the ingredients that we use in Classical Cuisine, fresh asparagus, grows in Alsace, and when in season every restaurant serves different meals with asparagus. Alsace is a region known for firsts. In America and perhaps many other parts of the world, if you say the word brasserie many would think that you are referring to a bra. Not in France, a brasserie is a type of restaurant with a relaxed upscale setting (Brasserie,”2009). These restaurants will serve single dishes as well as other meals. In other words, what we think is an item of clothing for women, actually in France it is one of the finest dining experiences that you can enjoy. Professional service, printed menus, and white linen, are what you can expect from a brasserie. The Alsace region is said to have invented the brasserie, and what stands out about these restaurants is that they are open every day, and the menu is the same all day every day. What is so fascinating about Alsace is the German influence that is very much a part of everything about Alsace. The people, the language, the food and even the Alsatian dog which is named a German Shepherd are all a part of this influence. This region is surrounded by Germany on three sides, and as in other regions of France, it was the Romans who established the amazing cuisine and the fine wines of Alsace. The Romans introduced the vines that would produce fruit and vegetables that were unknown to this region. This allowed the Alsace region to have cherries also known as Kirsch, and cabbages also known as choucroute. Food in Alsace can be quite heavy, and rich and this can be attributed to the high use of pork. The pig in Alsace is known as le seigneur cochon. A type of stew called baeckeoffe is prepared at home with pork, mutton, beef, and vegetables. This dish is marinated in wine for a couple of days and then put between layers of potato and taken to the baker’s to be cooked. A concept that is dear to me and many is bread, and this region is famous for its bread. The culinary experience of baking on this campus has yet to envision bread being boiled. Yet in the Alsace region, baguettes are boiled down to various products. Flour derived from whole wheat, rye, and spelt (which is a primitive species of wheat) are mixed with white flour to produce various flavored loaves. Kougelhopf, which is a brioche-type, turban-shaped bread is topped with bacon and walnuts. This is unfamiliar cooking to many who have taken baking classes; we thought that bread is just baked and with nothing added except a glaze. This bread is usually eaten at breakfast time on Sunday and with café au lait (coffee with milk). It is also served in the afternoon with coffee or tea and at dinner as a dessert. Another favorite is Choucroute garnie, a mild sauerkraut cooked in white wine, beer, or cider and seasoned with juniper berries and black peppercorns. This dish is considered a national dish of Alsace. It is perhaps the topping that gives this dish distinction. It is topped with ham, bacon, sausages, whole carrots, and boiled potatoes. The Backeoffe as mentioned before, is said to be a stick-to-your ribs casserole made with layers of sliced potatoes and leeks with the three meats (beef, pork, lamb), and cooked together in white wine inside an earthenware dish sealed with strips of bread dough. Many of us love pizza and the Tarte flambee is the Alsatian pizza. It is made similar to our pizzas except in many instances our pizzas do not use sour cream, but the Alsatian pizza is layered with crème fraiche and fromage blanc, which is a fresh white cheese. This dish is baked in wood-fired ovens. Now this may throw you back, but to the Alsatian this is not a dish of an entrée or even an appetizer. No to the Alsatian this pizza dish is a pastry dish. Fruit tarts are high on the list of Alsatian fine cooking. They have a reputation as being, of course, excellent bakers of bread, but also their expertise in assembling cakes, tarts, and cookies are perhaps the best in France. Springtime is said to be a fine time to be in Alsace. The roads are free of traffic and the vineyards are just budding. Chefs are noted to be filing away their winter menus and welcoming back the menus of asparagus, rhubarb, and sorrel. In the summer the heat is stifling, and it is best to avoid the well known towns and the vineyards. In the autumn the colors of the vineyards are bright and are very similar to our foliage in the fall. Yet the harvest time is of plenty with the precious loads of grapes for the new wine, and the fields shiny round cabbage are cut for choucroute nouvelle. Alsatian wine is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white. These wines have a strong German influence and are produced as white, rose, and red wines. Along with Austria and Germany, Alsace produces some of the most noted dry Rieslings in the world. It is also noted for highly aromatic Gewurztraminer wines. Gewurztraminer is the most typical Alsatian wine. Guwurz means “spicy” in German. This wine was first grown in Alsace around the 19th century. The grapes now cover roughly 20% of the vineyards. The wine is delicious, fruity and with strong aromas. It is sweeter than Riesling, which is a dry wine. It is better served with sauerkraut, sausages, and the Alsatian cheese Munster, curry seasoned dishes, Chinese and Mexican cooking and other spiced dishes. It can be served as a dessert wine and it can last up to ten years. About 90% of the wine produced is white, and 25% of what is produced is exported. The United States is one the major destinations for this exported wine. Alsace is also known for its cheese, and the most typical cheese of Alsace is Munster cheese. Munster originated in the valley that gave it its name. Legend has it that it was invented by the monks of the Benedictine Abbey of Munster (“Alsace,” 2009). Munster is a round cheese: soft inside, with an orange skin. It has a smell all to itself and its taste is very sharp, but not overbearing. It can be eaten in many ways, but usually it is sprinkled with cumin seeds or bibelasskas, a white-cheese dish eaten with Munster and hot potatoes. Perhaps the most beautiful time to visit Alsace is around Christmas. The Vosge Mountains are a wonderful spot for skiing. The villages are beautifully decorated and the seasonal markets are in full swing. Christmas cake and biscuit baking reaches an amazing peak and many a foie gra have been stored for this time of the year. The biscuits are a specialty as they are anise flavored. They are made from a simple dough of flour, sugar, and eggs and highly seasoned with aniseed. The dough is rolled out to an even thickness and then left to dry. We have pretzels, but the Alsace has bretzels which are a delicious specialty of this region. They are chewy, with a shiny brown coat like bagels with little nuggets of coarse salt in the finished product. The forests and mountains have always been rich in game, and fish is another favorite. The rivers, streams, and ponds are well furnished with trout and carp. Today crayfish, eels, and even salmon are plentiful. Fish is cooked in several ways, and mainly with Riesling wine. Such dishes include matelote (river fish stew) and truiteau bleu (trout boiled briefly in Reisling, and served with a small amount of vinegar). My group members and I most certainly look forward to one day indulging ourselves in this region of Alsace with its fine food and charming countryside. Just reading about the wonders of this country makes one want to definitely visit at Christmas time and throughout the year.

References
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Alsatian. (1998). Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam Webster
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Brasserie. (2009). Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from http// encarta. msn. com Hudgins, S. (2009, May). Alsace: A Special Culinary Corner of France.: German Life p. 48-51.

Style, S. (1996). Alsace. Gastronomique. New York N.Y. :Abbeville Press.