I’ve kept copies of menus from some of our favorite restaurants over the years. Last week I looked at one from our first trip to France’s Alsace region many years ago. While attending Heimtextil, the world’s largest textile trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Marla and I would often explore a nearby region beforehand to get used to the time change. The fair took place in January so it was not the best weather, but we did our best to adjust. For many years we drove to the Alsace region of France, about 3 hours from Frankfurt. The area has been in either French or German control for centuries. Gastronomically speaking, the area is not quite French and not quite German, therefore…quite interesting! Auberge-de-l’Ill, a 30-minute drive from our hotel in Kaysersberg, in the tiny town of Illhaeusern, was the first three-star Michelin restaurant we ever experienced. This was truly the beginning of our adventure in fine dining.

On our first few visits to the Alsace region we stayed in the quaint village of Kaysersberg, an hour drive from Strasbourg. This old postcard shows what it is like in the summer. We were always frozen during our January visits!

On our way to the 13th century castle on top of the hill in Kaysersberg. Built around 1200 to form a barrier to the routes coming from Lorraine, the village was an important strategic site in the war that opposed the Holy Roman Empire and the Dukes of Lorraine. 

It was chilly but the climb was worth it.

The view looking down on the half-timbered houses of Kaysersberg.

Our hotel obtained a last minute reservation for L’Auberge de l’Ill. The restaurant is now a two-star Michelin and has added beautiful hotel rooms as well. Dining in the summer should be sublime!

On an early trip to Alsace we wanted to explore. I saw a tiny backroad from Kayserberg to the town of Riquewihr on my Michelin map. As we drove up the hill the road became quite steep and went from gravel to mud. Snow started falling. We began to really worry about getting stuck or falling down the river gorge. Marla got out of the car in her fur coat in the mud and pushed the car as I turned the wheel. We were pretty panicked but somehow, we got the car turned around! No more tiny gravel roads! We did get to Riquewihr on a different road the next day and loved the ancient buildings and atmosphere! Marla is under an arch dated 1585.

Riquewihr looks today more or less as it did in the 16th century. It is located on the Route des Vins, the famous wine road in Alsace. The area is famous for delicious Riesling and other white wine varieties. I love the Pinot Gris wines from Trimbach in nearby Ribeauville. They have been making wines since 1626! Marla and I met Baron Trimbach at a wine dinner in Denver years ago.

After a hearty Alsatian lunch of Choucroute garnie and a beautiful Riesling we walked around the town. When I dine at the famous Brasserie Lipp in Paris I always have choucroute.

I’m in front of the Dolder medieval tower in Riquewihr.

Our last visit to Kayserberg we stayed at Hotel Residence & Restaurant Chambard. Sadly, this is where Anthony Bourdain stayed and died.

A postcard from our stay.

Our friends, Kathy and Philippe Auzas, joined us from Paris at Chambard.

A wine tasting in Riquewihr. Those cellars were cold in January!

We all bought many bottles of wine that day.

Colmar was a delightful spot for lunch.

We had lunch at Le Gruber while in Strasbourg.

One of our truly favorite dining experiences was at Au Crocodile in Strasbourg. It is located on a tiny lane just off Cathedral Square. At the time it was a three-star Michelin restaurant. When we arrived we were greeted by a staff of four. It was fabulous.

Au Crocodile’s decor today.

Exploring Strasbourg.

Chez Yvonne is on a tiny alley near the Strasbourg Cathedral. It has been on our dining itinerary on every Strasbourg trip. I always order 12 escargots!

We took a canal tour by boat and passed many interesting half-timbered houses.

There are outdoor markets even in winter! Can you imagine going outside on a freezing day to buy cheese rather than to a warm supermarket…I guess that is what I do when I go to Farmers Markets.

This was on a trip to Strasbourg in 1995. Marla had undergone a terribly difficult year before with a stem-cell transfer, high-dose chemotherapy, numerous surgeries, and radiation. In a way this was sort of a “saying goodbye tour” to colleagues and friends at the Heimtextil trade show in Frankfurt. We didn’t know what health issues we would face going forward. Marla’s hair is starting to grow back in this photo. We stayed and had dinner in the Kammerzell House, the brown building in the middle of the phot above.

The Kammerzell House was originally built in 1427.

I can tell Marla is very glad to be back in Strasbourg.

On one trip to the Strasbourg the weather was bitterly cold. Marla stayed in the hotel and looked down on me as I shopped for vintage maps and prints at a weekend street fair.

An old postcard for the Alsace region.

I found this large 18th century map of Alsace at an antique fair in Strasbourg.

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.