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The wines of Alsace have a long history, the Alsatian grapes were planted before the arrival of the Romans.
It has never been clearly understood where they originated and unlike other French wines, these depend
more on grape type than soil or processing. Almost exclusively white with a fruity and dry flavour,
they make an excellent accompaniment to the local food. Beer also goes well with Alsatian food, and as
might be expected, good beer is brewed in both the Alsace and the Lorraine areas. There are famous
and popular mineral water sources in Contréxeville and Vittel (also a spa town). They were well
known and appreciated by the Romans and today are the most popular in France.
One of the food specialities of Alsace is truite bleue, blue trout, which is simply boiled so fresh as
to be almost alive when tossed into the water. The swift rivers provide gamey trout and they can be
fished by visitors if permits are obtained at any city hall. The cooking is peppery and hearty
and quite unlike that of any other French region.
Munster, a strong winter cheese, is usually served with caraway seeds. Lorraine and Alsatian tarts
are made with the excellent local fruits: mirabelles (small, yellow plums), cherries, pears, and so on.
Each of these fruits also makes a world-renowned eau-de-vie, a strong white alcohol liqueur
drunk as a digestive after a heavy meal.
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