A Bientot aux Grants

Sunday was the last day of the Grants' stay here.  For dinner, we returned to the Auberge Roettele Schützestuebl for another tarte flambee dinner.  Unlike the last time we were here, this evening the restaurant was packed.  We were glad we arrived just after 6 pm; too much later and we would haven't been able to get in.  As it was, later when people were lining up or hoping to share a table with someone, we offered the other seats at our table to a couple from Kappel-Grafenhausen, which is just across the Rhine in Germany.  It was a holiday weekend here (Pfingsten in German - Pentecost, I think, in English).  So, it was no wonder the place was hopping,  As an aside, the Germans have celebrate 5 holidays in May, usually around a weekend.  Anyway, the couple was very friendly and fun but spoke only a little English and no French.  Somehow, we still managed to communicate.

I don't think I explained what tarte flambee is in the other post I wrote.  Basically, it is a kind of Alsatian pizza.  The crust is paper thin.  While the toppings can vary a little, some things don't change:  crème fraiche is spread on the crust and that is topped with thinly sliced onions, and lardons (small chunks of bacon).  The "gratinee" version includes shredded Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese. When sliced mushrooms are included, Forestiere is added to the name.  The flambee part of the title comes from the way the dessert version is served.  Crème fraiche is still spread on the base but, in place of savoury ingredients, there are thinly sliced apples sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and then flamed with brandy.  The flames are still burning when it is brought to the table!  We weren't quick enough with our cameras to capture that, however!

Monday morning, I dropped Eileen and Doug at the Orschweier train station and they headed to Mannheim to reconnect with Emmy and then the train to Paris.  I am hoping to see them when we are all in London later next week. 

In the meantime, I will spend the rest of the week here and then go to Switzerland on Friday.  I am not sure if I will have anything interesting to blog about in that time but, if something of interest comes up, I will be posting it.