Eating Well in the Pfalz

Wine has a big influence on the cuisine here, turning up both in dishes and as an accompaniment to them. Weinkraut is sauerkraut braised in white wine; Dippe-Has' is hare and pork belly baked in red wine; and Backes Grumbeere is scalloped potatoes cooked with bacon, sour cream, white wine, and a layer of pork. Among the regional dishes well suited to wine is the Pfälzer Teller, a platter of bratwurst, Leberknödel (liver dumplings), and slices of Saumagen (a spicy meat-and-potato mixture cooked in a sow's stomach) with Kartoffelpüree (mashed potatoes) on the side. Seasonal favorites include Spargel (white asparagus), Wild (game), Maronen (chestnuts), and mushrooms, particularly Pfifferlinge (chanterelles) and Steinpilz (porcini). During the grape harvest, from September through November, try a slice of Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart) with a glass of Federweisser, fermenting young grape juice—just drink it slowly as it tastes nonalcoholic but can be very potent.