A Tavola Con Ellynne in Italia (At the Table With Ellynne in Italy)
(Auf Deutsch: Am Tisch Mit Ellynne in Deutschland)
From Bacharach to St. Goar and Bachagain!
After having spent two weeks being pampered by culinary expert extraordinaire Marika Seguso and her staff at the luxury Bed and Breakfast Villa Ines on Lido in Venezia, Italy, we eagerly anticipated breakfast at the Restaurant-Pension Bei-der-Post in Bacharach-on-the-Rhine, Germany.
The buffet breakfast table boasted yogurt, granola cereal, a plate of ham, salami and cheese, another plate filled with slices of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, a basketful of bread, plus pitchers of orange juice and water. Hot coffee and tea were available in the dining area. But the biggest treat of all was Becky Crosby’s prepared-to-order “Toasted Soldiers”.
We had 4-minute eggs which were served in an egg cup. Our instructions were to tap off and remove the top of the egg and then to dip slices of bread into the yolk. In England (according to Becky, who is a native of Great Britain, along with her husband, Gary) folks toast the bread first, then slice the toast into strips onto their plate, lining up the strips like “soldiers”. We loved this method as well as the story, and delighted in ordering our “toasted soldiers” each morning of the four days we spent at Bei-der-Post. On our last full day in town, I even purchased two porcelain egg cups bearing the Bacharach logo from the Rick Steves’ recommended gift shop on the main street so that I would be able to try “toasted soldiers” at home. (This was the Jost German Gift Store on the main square, offering a 10% discount to Rick Steves’ readers paying cash).
After breakfast we set out to explore the area. Bacharach itself is dedicated to Bacchus, the God of Wine. Indeed, Bacharach, dating to the year 1356, is famous for its vineyards and wine trade with vines having been planted here since Roman times. Bacharach is known for its wine taverns and cellars, and for its sparkling wines. Indeed, the wine we drank in town was grown in the vineyards on the slopes above. Almost every building we passed seemed to be a wine cellar or restaurant featuring its own signature wine.
On our first full day in Germany, we set off on the Rhine River for a short cruise to Rheinfels Castle
