Scallops’ delicately sweet taste pairs brilliantly with fragrant French cider, particularly when said cider is reduced to a luscious glaze that clings to each bite. The scallops are placed atop a bed of spinach studded with crisp bacon and sauteed mushrooms, then generously napped with the unctuous sauce.
Tarte flambée is a well-known Alsatian specialty. It’s like pizza in that a thin crust of dough is baked in a very hot oven but its toppings are primarily crème fraîche, onions, and bacon. Like many traditional regional dishes, there are innumerable ways of preparing it. Here is one delicious example.
A quintessential French braise, with a luxurious, richly concentrated red wine sauce. Don’t be tempted to substitute canned or frozen pearl onions — made with fresh, the dish is incomparable. Serve with Pommes Noisettes*.