L’Auberge Saint Walfrid, Sarreguemines, France

HÔTEL DE CHARME **** RESTAURANT GASTRONOMIQUE EN LORRAINE

I recently returned from a quick 10 day trip to Germany’s Saarland and the adjoining areas of France. My husband’s family originates from this area with many remaining here. After my husband’s grandmother passed away last spring there has been a great deal of unfinished business to be done there. My mother-in-law had come up from South Africa to take care of some of the issues. She requested my being there to help make some decisions. We need to upgrade the family home. It had not had any repairs or upgrades in many years and the bathroom has been a sight for years.

I saw this with my own grandmother, whom we moved out of her house when she was in her 90′s. She went kicking and screaming, but the fact was that she was no longer able to keep up with the work and was much happier, though she would never admit so, living amongst others in a retirement community. Her mentality was that the roof would last another year or two, she, at the time, was in her 80′s and would be dead soon so why spend the money. Well, she is still living and will be 97 in a few weeks.

To make a long story bearable, I went. I was the chauffeur. My mother-in-law and her sisters either do not, or are afraid to drive. I missed Halloween with my boys, instead celebrating it in the new French way. Trick-or-treating with Sergej, the adorable and lively son of my husband’s cousin. He and his friends took the small village of Hambach by storm. While his mother Kikka and I walked along with other mothers to keep the kids safe or the more likely to keep the neighborhood safe.

The following day was All Saint’s Day. This is the day that everyone, or at least everyone of a certain generation, travels a carefully planned route which encompasses all the cemeteries that are now the residence of family members and friends who have passed from this life. The family members have spent the past weeks preparing the grave sites for this occasion. There are candles burning and it is nice to see the tradition. Along with this tradition brings a day when all shops are closed and there is no business to be done. However, I was pleased to spend the day with Christian, my husband’s cousin, and his wife Kikka and son Sergej and leave the elder’s to their fun.

Kikka made a reservation for a lovely proper French meal for us. They were really too generous to treat me to such an event. I was so amazed and pleased at how a 10 year old boy could conduct himself in such a “proper” setting. He joked with the waiter about the wine and comfortably ordered like an adult. Duck liver for a starter, veal with truffles for main and a Framboise dessert that the waiter tamed down for him. He ate with gusto and turned up his nose at nothing.

Below are some of the dishes that we ordered and all photos were taken with my iPhone, some by me and some by Sergej. Please excuse the shaky hand of the photographers