"The go-to place for cheese" - Mia Stainsby, Vancouver Sun

“The city’s busiest cheese shop” Tim Pawsey, Where Magazine

"Vancouver's Best Food Store" - Urban Diner Awards 2008

Alsace - 2005 - Joe & Allison

We had the opportunity to visit a small cheese producer at the northern end of the Alsace who produced only goat's milk cheeses and goat sausages.  There are not so many goat's milk cheeses produced in the Alsace, but these cheeses were excellent, particularly a goat's milk version of Munster.

Ripened Goat Cheese

A lovely basket of ripened goats milk cheeses from the Alsace

Crazy birds

There were an unusually large amount of birds flying around.  It was kind of creepy...

Ripened Goat Cheese

 

Baby Goat

Allison petting a newborn baby goat that was one day old

Mature Goat Cheese 

 

Young Goat Cheese 

In Beblenheim we toured Maison A. fischer, a cheese affineur who only ages Munster.  This was a family owned company that also produces wines under the label of Fischer-Mauler.  They specialize in aging unpasteurized farm made Munster.

We've Arrived

The entrance sign to Munster.  Note the huge rosemary bush beside the road

Vale de Weiss

This maker produces some excellent Munster, along with a similar style cheeses brushed with beer, and one with marc de Gewurztraminer.

Munster Valley

The beautiful background is where cows actually graze, and a stunning view.

Cheese Shop

Yes I know...I can't go traveling and not take a picture of a cheese shop when I see one.

Young Munster

Very young Munster in the aging rooms

Munster Affineur

These cheeses were a little bit older

Fern Munster

Young Munster with a fern aging on it.  I was pleased with this picture when I looked back at it.

Hazelnut Dessert

This must have been a local dessert, as we saw it in many store windows throughout the area

In Strasbourg we stayed right downtown near the cathedral.  Highlights included dinner at Au Crocodile, great shopping and an awesome meal at Le Cloche a Fromage.  This place was packed on a weeknight.  We tried to eat without a reservation, but were turned away until 10:00 pm.  It was so worth the wait.  Many people were having traditional fondue or raclette, but we opted for some non-cheese starters and main courses, but our final course is what wowed us.  We had a whole Vacherin Mont d'Or (first of the season) baked like a fondue.

Vacherin Fondue

This was so good!  Click here for a recipe.

Le Cloche a Fromage

The restaurant also owns a cheese boutique across the street.

Bridge

A long bridge near Petit-France

There was lots of good eating and drinking while in the Alsace Highlights included dinners at Au Crocodile, Auberge de l'Il and Beurehiesel, and winery visits to Hugel and Dirler-Cade.

Tarte Flambe

What a great lunch this was.

Chocolates

These little chocolates look like small nugget potatoes. They had a bit of crispy wafer and chocolate inside.

Choucroute

You can't go to the Alsace and not eat this!

Mushroom Tart

It was chanterelle season and these mushrooms were on menus all through our trip. How lucky we were.

Fig Tree

Figs were also in season, and showing up on lots of menus.

Vineyards

With the seasons changing, all the vines were changing colour. The last of the grape harvest was happening.

Autumn Colors

Beautiful colors this time of year

Hops

 

As we were in the Alsace already, we took a drive across the Vosges to Nancy.  It was very scenic through the mountains.  We had lunch at the Brasserie l'Excelsior, which is a fine example of Art Nouveau architecture.  We also toured a great market with tons of charcuterie and fromages.

We stayed a couple of nights at Chateau d'Adomenil just outside of Nancy.  We had dinner at the restaurant on the property that turned out to have one Michelin star.  The theme of the menu was a contrast in textures.  Highlights included a very fine ginger wafer called a "Cat's Tongue" that had wasabi mascarpone, truffles and raw scallops.

Really Big Dog

This was the family dog that roamed the grounds of the property and seemed to be always sticking his nose in everything.  He was lots of fun and tore the place up.
 

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