The weather gods did their part: with almost summer temperatures and bright sunshine, Bailliage members and guests from the Bailliages of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) and Baden-Württemberg met on the festively decorated terrace of the Sybilla Stube in the Hotel-Restaurant Erbprinz at Ettlingen.

Because of the “break” forced by COVID-19, for a long time everyone had been waiting for this moment. Old friendships were celebrated and new contacts made over a glass of Champagne Mandois Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs to get in the mood.

After a short welcome by Bailli Gabriele Fürst, together with greetings from our host, Officier Maître Hôtelier Bernhard Zepf, followed by his Head Chef, Chef Rôtisseur Ralph Knebel, the top-class summer menu began.

The amuse bouche was followed by sweet and sour pickled asparagus - appropriate to the season - with an onsen tamago* and basil oil. This was followed by an elegantly created snow pea soup with shrimp. Selected with a sure hand by Sommelier Serge Schwentzel to partner these initial courses was a 2021 Pinot Blanc ‘Handwerk’ from the Axel Bauer winery in Ortenau.

[*Onsen tamago (lit. ‘hot spring egg') is a traditional Japanese low temperature egg which is slow cooked in the hot waters of onsen in Japan. The egg has a unique texture in that the white tastes like a delicate custard (milky and soft) and the yolk comes out firm, but retains the colour and creamy texture of an uncooked yolk.This special texture is the result of the egg yolk and egg white solidifying at different temperatures.]

The absolute highlight was the pink-roasted venison with polenta strudel, hispi (or sweetheart) cabbage and coffee oil, which was served with a wonderfully fitting 2020 Pinot Noir from the Männle winery in Ortenau.

The creatively-designed dessert with rhubarb tarte au gratin on vanilla ice cream rounded off the delicious menu.

The theme of the invitation was the programme for an intensely gastronomic menu suitable for the season and a reawakening of the culinary delights. All of which led to beaming eyes of all those present to have once again spent enjoyable hours in the company of like-minded people.

Saying goodbye was easy because everyone can now look forward to seeing each again soon at the next Bailliage of Baden-Schwarzwald event, according to the salutation: “Vive la Chaîne!”

Walter Steyer
Vice-Chancelier/Argentier

Photos courtesy of Walter Steyer

Hotel Restaurant Erbprinz
Rheinstrasse 1
76275 Ettlingen
Tel: +49 (0) 7243 322-0
Email: [email protected]
www.erbprinz.de