A fertile green land where every potato you eat, no matter how modest the establishment, tastes as though it has just been pulled from the earth. Inspiring chefs, who turn out ethereal mousses and shiny sauces, bring new honor to the art of gelatin-making, remind us of the luxurious splendor of brioche. Many of the chefs who are at the top of their profession began their careers in the nouvelle cuisine days of the 1970s.
French cooking is certainly their main inspiration, but from there, the chefs weave their own magic.
And magic it was at the table of Harald Wohlfahrt, deep in the Black Forest, at the small, sun-filled Restaurant Schwarzwaldstube . The restaurant was elevated to the top Michelin three-star rating in 1992, after having held on to two stars for the previous 12 years. Wohlfahrt displays a sense of perfection, technique and maturity, as well as pure and clean style. Wohlfahrt encases turbot and langoustines in flaky phyllo dough, laced in a light saffron sauce, and serves basmati rice alongside. I had all of Germany wrapped up in a few well-flavored bites.