Alsace’s “Flame Cakes”

Alsace, France: Flame Cakes, or Flammenkuchen

Alsace is a very special region in northeast France. Over the years it has been variously in French and German hands, and as a result has developed its own special culture and cuisine.

Colmar, in the middle of the Alsace Valley, is a great base for exploring the area. The old part of the city is not that big really—easily walkable— and is full of history.  Old timber-frame buildings, dark wooden beams with the plaster in between painted in different colors, line the narrow cobblestone streets, cluster around the massive pinkish-orange sandstone Cathedral St-Martin, and follow the river and small canals. The places along the water are really pretty, the thousands of bright flowers in pots and planters reflected in the water.

One of the famous regional specialities is tarte flambee (flammenkuchen).  It’s circular, almost like a very thin pizza, spread with cheese, onion, cream and a topping, and ideally cooked in an open wood fire oven. Favorite toppings are chevre (goat cheese), escargots (snails), crevettes (shrimp), and flambé au Nordique (with smoked salmon). Add a green salad, and a local beer (such as Binding, Franziskaner Weissbier, or Dorelei) and you have a wonderful, tasty meal. Prices are very reasonable, generally ranging from 9-15 Euros each.

 

Two good places to sample this delicacy in Colmar are both in the Little Venise area. We tried both and enjoyed them. Le Roesselmann (named after a local hero, who lost his life in 1261 fighting against the soldiers of the bishop of Strasbourg) is on Place des Six Montagnes Noires (Square of Six Black Mountains), just at the end of Rue Turenne.

At La Krutenau, on the canal just steps away (1, rue de la Poisonniere), you can watch the young girl prepare and cook the tarts in a wood oven. We found it very peaceful sitting right next to the water, perhaps with a gondola swishing quietly by, swallows circling above, and the sound of kids laughing. (However, I have heard from others that they were not so happy with the service here—we had no problems at all)