A Day in Alsace France

WISSEMBOURG IN MAY
Salut

today was a beautiful day to go ona short trip to France which is about 45 min from my home... To Wissembourg...
i love to go there especially on a nice

sunny day as the drive along the German Winestreet is just wonderfull - everythings blooms right now and in those little villages along the way they sell fresh strawberries, white asparagus, their own wines, schnaps and homemade jams, sausages, etc... great...

Today was the pentacost festival in France - they already started and the whole city center of was filled whith booths, people and music... there was a brass band on a little train driving around and playing it was a hoot..

Anyway i had a blast and enjoyed a terribly yummy vanilla eclair in a patisserie.

and after i was mellowed down with chocolate
i went into the local supermarche and got a bit wild on the cheeses and patés...

The Alsace is very famous for its Gugelhupf... here is a pic of some in a bakery in Wissembourg - Alissa

Gugelhupf

There are five traditional ways to spell the name of this cake and it may appear on menus as kouglof, gugelhopf or kugelhopf or gouglehopf. This recipe is by Giles Vonderscher, owner and chef of the Caveau d'Eguisheim, an unpretentious restaurant (3 place du Chateau-St-Leon, Equisheim, about 4 km south- west of Colmar, where the choucroute garni is famous for miles around, his tarte a l'onion is the envy of far more famous chefs and the gugelhopf is absolutely perfect. Daniel Rogov

30 grams dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup warm milk
4 cups flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup raisins
6 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds
1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar as required

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar with « cup each of the warm milk and flour. Mix gently, let stand for 30 minutes and then resift the remaining flour and salt into the bowl. Beat in the eggs and butter, alternating with the remaining milk, and mix well.

Resift the remaining flour and salt into the dough. Beat in the eggs and butter, alternatively with the milk, mixing well. Add the raisins, almonds, lemon rind, and vanilla extract. Using a wooden spoon, beat the batter until it is elastic and until it no longer sticks to the spon. Spread the surface of the dough lightly with butter, cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a tall, fluted mold (may also use a savarin or baba mold) and let stand for 30 minutes. Bake in a oven that has been preheated to 180 degrees Celsius until the cake has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 1 hour). Dust with confectioners' sugar. (Serves 6 - 8). The cake may be served fresh or, after 2 or 3 days will be excellent if sliced and lightly toasted. If served this way, each slice should be sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.