PARIS - STRASBOURG
The Forêt Noire, sharing the border with France's Alsace region, is not all hiking, Schnaps fountains in the woods, vineyards, and half-timbered hamlets. With pop-up market stalls everywhere touting colorful seasonal vegetables from surrounding farms, we knew that wholesome meals couldn't be far. But on this trip we were especially on the lookout for Salate.
Living in Paris spoiled by a great variety of beautiful salads in restaurants and even modest cafés, we didn't suspect that if we veered off the beaten German potato-wurst-red cabbage-salads trail, exciting creations would be waiting to be discovered. On menus - and it wasn't obvious unless we asked - leafy giant Salate bursting with nuts, fresh herbs and fruits, piled high and tossed with light hazelnut oil vinaigrettes, quietly kept their distance from the Schnitzel and Schweinshaxen on the facing page. A "chicken salad" turned out to be an entire skinless breast poached in broth then served sliced atop a vibrant mix of at least ten different crisp veggies and fruits.
Returning to Paris inspired, we made a beeline for our local markets, ready to craft our own salads and bring some of that Black Forest magic to our Montmartre table. - BPJ
October newsletter
Below: French village in Alsace
Gemütlichkeit among the vines.
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Ahead of Montmartre's own Fête des Vendanges that begins next week - and to avoid Oktoberfest madness - as an apéritif we decided to head to Germany's Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to savor regional wines (including seasonal Federweisser*) and local dishes, hike through forests and vineyards (ran into "Schnaps fountains" on trails and organized "Schnaps hikes"!) while getting in a bit of Gemütlichkeit surrounded by flower-draped Fachwerkhäuser, half-timbered houses. - BPJ
October newsletter
