Schwartzwald
We just got back from a little jaunt in the Black Forest, known here as Schwarzwald. We decided to take the scenic route all the way around the mountain to the hotel, instead of the Autobahn. Very good decision. You absolutely must check out Stephan’s blog for pictures he took. We stopped often to take photos of the breathtaking scenery.
We stayed, literally, in the middle of nowhere. That was exactly what we wanted. The hotel, Waldsagmuhle, was wonderful. Its a tiny (30 room) hotel, but the service is beyond impeccable. I also think it was the cleanest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. Fabulous, simply fabulous.
Our original plan was to eat dinner in nearby Baiersbronn, as there are not one, but THREE Michelin starred restaurants there, some of the best in Germany. When I saw the menu at our tiny hotel, I knew I had to try it instead. The giant spoon and whisk at the entrance also helped make my decision to try the fare there instead. Another good decision we made! The food was wonderful. Although they had my favorite fish (Angler fish) on the menu, I decided to try the regional specialty, Maultaschen or Swebian Pockets. It is a house-made pasta filled with herb infused veal, served with a red wine sauce. AMAZING! I always like to try the regional specialties, as they must be good and you really can’t get it elsewhere.
And yes, of course, I had a nice big piece of Black Forest Gateau from a small bakery. Unfortunately, it was so good, I didn’t think of taking a picture until I was almost finished eating it. Oh well… You’ll just have to believe me that it was the best piece of Black Forest Cake I have ever had!
On the way home, we stopped in Heidelberg, and for you South Floridians, no, not the restaurant in Ft Lauderdale! :P It was such a great city, right on the side of a mountain. We walked the city, and stopped in a little cafe for Flammkuchen. This dish is the specialty of the French Alsace region, which is right on the German/France Border. It resembles a very thin pizza, but has creme fraiche instead of tomato sauce, and is as thin as a tortilla or crepe. I had the traditional topping for the region, which was ham and cheese. Good stuff!
That’s One Spicy Meataballa!
Before we left for Germany, we had our annual Holiday Party for Stephan’s photography studio. We decided on Cafe Martarano for some Italian fare. The food there is among the best I’ve had in South Florida, and I’ve eaten at some great restaurants. We’ve eaten there a handful of times, but only for special occasions, as its quite pricey. Cafe Martoranos is known for its loud music, punctuated by loud “whacking scenes” from whatever mob movie or Soproanos episode is playing. Its true Italian in that it is served family style.
We started with the famous meatballs. So good, that Gourmet Magazine has written about these meatballs. Next, we had the giant shrimp scampi, which are the size of small lobsters. Another fantastic choice. Our main courses were both chicken, and my absolutely favorite pasta dish… the white bean and kale with sausage. Amazing, simply amazing. By the time we got our main courses were were all completely full, so most of it came home in a doggy bag. We also forgot to keep taking photos, as we had 3 bottles of wine for 4 people. :p As for dessert… what can I say? We were being gluttons!
Hope everyone has a safe and very happy New Year! See you in 2008!
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Weihnachtsmarkt
I’d love to see how everyone pronounces that word! We traveled to Colmar France to attend the Weihnachtsmarkt, which is German for Christmas Market. Colmar is close to the German/French border (on the French side) and is just beautiful. It has a lovely blend of French and German architecture, as it was once a part of Germany. At the Christmas Market, we drank Gluhwein, which is a curious mixture of red wine, honey and spices, and is served hot. Its the absolutely best thing to warm you when you’re in cold weather. Everyone is walking around with a cup of gluhwein and breads, pastry and everything else you can imagine at Christmas. Colmar has several Christmas Markets, so we walked from one to another while sampling the gluhwein and goodies.
How do you like my hat? Every time I put it on, I immediately speak with a Swedish accent and think my name is Helga. hehe. Its not easy for a South Floridian to spend time in a cold climate, as “cold” for me is when it dips down into the low 60’s.
Pierre’s Restaurant, Islamorada
Its been a crazy week for us…Weddings, photo shoots, plus I auditioned for something (which I can’t really talk about now!) So I haven’t had the time to cook as much as usual. Today my post is about the food at Pierre’s Restaurant in Islamorada, Florida. Stephan and I photographed an amazing wedding and dined on some absolutely fabulous food. We always eat wonderful food at weddings, but this was so good and unexpected I felt the need to blog about it and spread the word. I had no idea that there was a fine dining restaurant in Islamorada, as most of the restaurants are old school diner style and quite casual. Next time you’re there, definitely check out Pierre’s Restaurant, you will not be disappointed.
Stephan had the Filet Mignon that was served with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, demi-glas and bernaise Sauce.
I had perfectly seasoned Mahi Mahi served over chive mashed potatoes, haricot verts and a pepper coulis.
Captive Audience
When we got to Captiva, we decided not to stray far from the resort. That left just a handful of restaurants in Captiva. Our first night there, we ate at The Green Flash, a beautiful restaurant on the water. I had the Venetian Platter, which was very good. It had 2 giant prawns, two sea scallops, a small piece of both salmon and sword fish, and a decadent piece of pan fried polenta. Yes…. I ate like a linebacker that night…
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