Bühlertal, Gourmet

Culinary pleasures are also accompanied by traditional Baden wines. Connoisseurs will appreciate the full flavour of the Gutedel, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Silvaner, Grau- und Weißburgunder, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Nobling, Muskateller, Kerner, Traminer and Blau Spätburgunder. Wine cellars invite guests to test both their best vintages and new specialities and wine festivals are celebrated throughout the entire summer and autumn. In Breisbach on the tip of the Kaiserstuhl, Europe's most significant wine cellar is to be found.

A proper "Vesper" is typical for the Black Forest region. In actual fact the Vesper is taken between meals and comprises hearty home made sausage, smoked trout and Black Forest ham with crusty farmer's bread. A real Vesper is always accompanied by a "Wässerli". Today, even the local residents of the Black Forest eat Vesper in place of their evening meal.

For breakfast or as a small snack - those are the occasions when Black Forest ham appears on the table. The discovery long ago of the ham both as a tasty ingredient in other dishes and as delicious culinary specialty in its own right is reflected in its use in many of the asparagus dishes of the region. The secret of "authentic" Black Forest ham: A long wait. The production process lasts around three months. Luckily every good chef in the Black Forest always has a good stock of the well matured ham.

Whether it's to round off the evening meal or after the Vesper, a "Wässerli" is tradition. High proof alcoholic fruit schnapps from cherries, plums, pears or greengages has been made in this region for generations. With more than 14,000 distilleries, the Black Forest has the highest density in the world. Even the more extravagant schapps like the "Zibärtle" from sloe plums is distilled here.

Where culinary pleasures stand so high on the list of priorities, the gourmet chefs are also to be found. 11 of the 100 best German chefs are to be found in restaurants in the Black Forest. Baiersbronn enjoys particular culinary success. The "Traube Tonbach" has 3 Michelin stars, the Hotel Bareiss has two and the Hotel Sackmann one.

For families and groups of friends the pleasures of food may result rather indirectly from some other attraction. Perhaps the knight's table in a fortress or the mill festival. Perhaps the ancient feast event, a culinary experience like it was 100 years ago - the kids certainly will enjoy that. Almost every holiday location in the Black Forest offers gastronomical highlights a la Black Forest.

Further information can be obtained directly from local hosts or from Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH (STG), Ludwigstr. 23, 79104 Freiburg, tel: +49 (0)1805/66 12 24, fax: 66 12 25 (12 cents/minute inside Germany)