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Evenings On Strasbourg Piers

Used to live in Strasbourg: 9, Quai de Paris. The piers in that city Were on canals. Window flower boxes On Alsatian cafes, Choucroute garnie entres With onion tartes. Venders sell hot chestnuts In Orangerie park. I'd sight-see after dark La Petite France. Notes: Choucroute garnie is sauerkraut slow cooked with Riesling white wine, potatoes, ham, sausages, and cloves. Tarte a l’oignon is also an Alsatian specialty. La Petite France is the canal district that had many tanneries which now are tourist shops and high-end restaurants

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Joseph May

Date: 7/10/2014 6:54:00 AM

Very nicely penned Mark...good luck in the contest

Mark J. Halliday
Date: 7/17/2014 12:44:00 PM

Thanks for commenting. I loved living in Strasbourg. That mix between French and German made for interesting cuisine.

John Lawless

Date: 7/9/2014 6:55:00 PM

Very nice Mark. Now I must google french restaurants in search of one that has this recipe. Good luck in the contest.

Mark J. Halliday
Date: 7/17/2014 12:43:00 PM

Choucroute garnie is pretty much as described below the poem. I usually peel and boil potatoes first, and grill sausages. Put a few bottles of saurkraut in a large pot. Cut the potatoes, ham, and sausages into large chunks, and add to the pot with a few cloves and half a bottle of Reisling or white cooking wine (or even white grape juice if preferred non-alcoholic). Slow cook it for a while--the longer the better so the flavors blend. This is sort of an all-in-one dish, so you wouldn't need side dishes except maybe french bread and cheese.

Casarah Nance

Date: 7/9/2014 3:18:00 PM

Oh that is great! I would love to see that in person, but your words made me see it in my mind :) awesome :)

Mark J. Halliday
Date: 7/17/2014 12:36:00 PM

Thanks. Google has some nice images. Try "maison des tanneurs". The Orangerie was a nice place to stroll around, near one of the HQs of the council of Europe.