Chapter Fifteen: Adventures in Eating Out

Dining out in a foreign country can be a fun experience. It is rewarding to try new foods and every region usually has its own unique delicacies. I was always willing to try new things but often had help with menu translation from locals who spoke some English, from German friends or even from American friends who had lived in Germany longer than I and thus knew more vocabulary.

One memorable evening dining out was with girlfriends in the region of Alsace, France. A dozen or so of us had a weekend Mom’s retreat together and stayed in the elegant Hotel Arnold located along the Route des Vins (wine route) in the town of Itterswiller. We drove over from Germany on Friday and that evening decided to dine together in nearby Ribeauville . We ended up at a small restaurant within the old, city wall. It was a warm, inviting place and the restaurant graciously offered us a large table upstairs all to ourselves. All my companions were ordering familiar foods such as Quiche Lorraine or Escargot so I thought I would be brave and blindly order something unfamiliar. I don’t recall the actual menu item name but what I was served was actually a bowl of sour cream with a side of roasted potatoes and a small slice of French cheese. Now, I like sour cream but I don’t usually eat it by the bowl full and while I also happen to love cheese, I think that particular slice is the richest, most expensive that I’ve ever eaten.

When the dessert menu was passed around, I, still being hungry, was willing to try something else. So I again randomly picked something unfamiliar as I had already eaten crème brulee on previous occasions. And thus, my desert was set before me; the smell of hard liquor preceding the actual plate of food. It looked to be an apple dessert on a pizza crust but it had been thoroughly drenched in liquors. I did try a few bites but it was strong and a few bites were all I could tolerate. A couple of other brave souls also tried a bite or two but when we paid the bill, left the tip and departed, more than 3/4ths of it was left behind. What a memorable meal and a wonderful weekend with friends!