Show f Ports Of Call Call I By EDWARD H. H SIMS SPECIAL TO CLIPPER If one enjoys fine food- food and most travelers do-Alsace do in France is probably a better better better bet bet- ter choice for the average American than Paris ALSACE is that province along the Rhine bordering Germany and reaching southward southward southward south south- ward to the Swiss border The scenery is more lovely the further south one goes and the food is unique in inmany inmany inmany many ways the best in France It is not overly expensive STRASBOURG the famous old Rhine port and capital of the Council of Europe is its biggest city city peo- peo and the most interesting interesting interesting interest interest- ing in many ways On a recent June night-a night good time for eastern France Francea a group of us enjoyed dinner dinner dinner din din- ner at Moulin de Wantzenau outside the city The restaurant restaurant restaurant rant is in an old palace where informality and good food are traditions IN THE TilE beautiful farm country surrounding the palace much of the fresh food served is grown For example to begin the dinner dinner dinner din din- ner waitresses came with large white dishes their tops the shape of a bunch of agus Inside were the excellent excellent excellent excel excel- lent long white European asparagus hot With vinaigrette or a special special special cial cheese sauce they are area a fine start The champagne as a dinner before cocktail for those who take it and the wines with dinner are very good THE ALSACE white wines are famous and while not as renowned as German whites rank with them This night we had rose wine with small pan fried hens plus salad and po po- po- po Then came fresh strawberries from the farm followed by the famous French cheese tray with dark and white bread and crackers then cognac and raspberry snaps a clear drink not for children ALL THE Frenchmen present present present pre pre- sent appreciated the cuisine including Madame Commissariat au of the province who sat next to me and explained the French philosophy of food Madame Oksana Willer Wilier our guide and MA M.A. and Patrick approved each course They know good French cooking ALL FOUR agree Alsace and nearby Champagne are provinces often overlooked by Americans visiting France France- concentrating on Paris Next day and driving and Madame Willer Wilier as guide the group was taken on one of Frances France's most picturesque drives down the wine road through Obernai Obernai Obernai Ober- Ober nai Ribeauville Riquewihr and to Colmar- Colmar another lovely city many Americans miss when visiting France This is a highly recommended recommended recommended rec rec- drive THERES THERE'S A special language a e ein in Alsace Frenchmen deny vigorously it is part German but obviously it is heavily mixed with German German as inhabitants inhabitants inhabitants in in- habitants are racially mixed with German stock Many have German names and of course Alsace was a apart apart apart part of Germany between 1870 and 1918 German architecture architecture architecture archi archi- can be seen in the cities and one can get by speaking German-as German the writer had to do GOETHE ONCE lived in Strasbourg and Albert Schweitzer Schweitzer Schweitzer Sch Sch- played the church organ in one of Strasbourg's largest churches are proud that few Protestants were murdered in m this city during the long period when the French government and church cooperating executed hundreds of thousands of Protestants some of them the leading thinkers from the best families of France Legend has it the free city manned the ramparts and defied the government on the question of persecutions |