Hotel Abbaye de Talloires

Chemin des Moines, 74290 Talloires, France

32 rooms. Singles: €175; Doubles: €230 to €380. All major credit cards accepted.

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Tel: 011-33-4-50-60-77-33

Fax: 011-33-4-50-60-78-81

E-mail: abbaye@abbaye-talloires.com

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Report Card

The Hotel: A

Housed in a 17th century Benedictine abbey, the Hotel Abbaye de Talloires is about as atmospheric as you could want. From vine-covered walls, to the gardens leading down to the shore of the lake, it’s a charmer.

The Location: B

It loses points as a base for exploring Annecy, since it’s located in the village of Talloires, about 6 miles away. A quiet, charming locale in its own right, though, with beautiful views of the lakes and alps.

The Rooms: A/A/A (Ambiance/Cleanliness/Maintenance)

All of the rooms are unique and nicely decorated. The classic rooms are small, and basic, while the superior rooms have much more charm and are a bit larger.

The Staff: A

Friendly, smiling and generally helpful.

Tags: Annecy, Hotels

This onion pie is traditionally served with Federweisse, a fizzy, half-fermented, unfiltered white wine that has the crisp, sweet taste of apple cider. It can also be served with new wine, preferably a half-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer. Combined with a small salad, Zwiebelkuchen makes a great afternoon snack or a light dinner.

In the lingering, last days of summer, just before the first crisp evenings of fall arrive and the leaves begin to change, Zwiebelkuchen (TSVEE-bull-koo-ken) appears on menus throughout western Germany and the Alsace region of France. At this time of year wine makers open their cellar doors to the public and serve their house wines and light meals, including hearty soups, sausages, bread and Zwiebelkuchen. To signal that they are open to the public, the Strausswirtschaft will hang a wreath, usually made of straw, out in front of the winery.

Zweibelkuchen (onion pie)

Filling

• 2 cups white or yellow onions, chopped
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 medium eggs
• Pastry for one pie, unbaked (homemade or store bought -- Marie Calendars makes a good crust, available in the freezer section of most stores).

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Cook the diced bacon in a skillet, then drain and set aside.

Sauté the onions until translucent, or a little longer. I like mine just starting to turn a bit golden. I use the bacon fat for sautéing the onions, but you could just use a little butter or oil.

Remove from heat.

Put the bacon back into the onions, then add the salt and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add in the sour cream, heavy cream and flour. Mix well.

Add the onion and bacon mixture to the egg mixture and stir thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the pie shell, cover with aluminum foil, and back for 30 to 45 minutes (filling should be firm, and the edges just turning golden brown).

Tags: Zwiebelkuchen