Stuttgart Festive Sparkle

With impressive car museums featuring Mercedes-Benz and Porsche too, these are probably the main attractions for many visitors to Stuttgart, but in December the allure is definitely the wonderful Christmas markets.  With the accolade of 'one of the biggest and most beautiful Christmas Markets in Europe' I went for a short Advent break to discover this appealing German city.

An efficient train link connects Stuttgart airport to the city centre.  The journey only takes half an hour before you then emerge at the top end of the wide pedestrian-only shopping street.  Based on positive reviews and central location, I'd booked the charming and comfortable, luxury Althoff Hotel Am Schlossgarten, which was a wonderful haven with truly fabulous staff.

First stop a restorative coffee and poppy seed pastry (half) before exploring further afield.  

With the delicious smell of mulled wine in the air, browsing the stalls laden with tempting festive treats was such a pleasure.  I had to remember to keep looking up at the surrounding architecture, which really set the scene for the stalls.  There's an annual competition for the best decorated wooden cabin.  Pine branches, nativity scenes, baubles and angels abound.

Keen to enjoy traditional German cooking, dinner each evening was at wine cellar restaurants featuring rustic decor such as at the Stuttgarter Staeffele below and excellent wines from the region.  

Here, the signature house dish on the menu especially for Advent, is Spaetzle (little pasta like dumplings made with saffron) with fillet of beef / pork and a mushroom sauce.  Served with a side order of sauerkraut cabbage and a salad to lighten the hearty fare.  Wine is served in glass mugs and 'TL' or Trollinger Lemburger is the popular red wine.  Most wine produced in Germany is white, but the Baden-Wurttemberg region grows mainly red grapes.

Best of all was dessert and this apple fritter generously dusted with cinnamon sugar, served with homemade vanilla ice cream was the star of the show.

I'd like to think all the miles walked would burn off the calories, but a few days' indulgence was definitely a lovely experience.  With festive music, carols and mulled wine, shopping pre-Christmas in Stuttgart definitely provided a seasonal treat.  

Fine Dining in the New Forest

Originally named by William the Conqueror in 1079, the New Forest in Hampshire enjoys a wonderful location in the south of England.  With each season bringing the glory of nature's changing colours the area is a pleasure to visit at any time of year and particularly so in Autumn with all the beautiful foliage.  Since childhood I have been fortunate to make many trips to this lovely part of the country and have just returned from an overnight stay at the privately run four-star Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst.  Relaxed and welcoming it's always a pleasure to be a guest there and I think the award-winning SenSpa has the best Thai therapists this side of Bangkok.  An authentic traditional Thai massage is worth the journey alone.  

A special highlight of my recent visit was to have dinner in Cambium, the fine dining restaurant with three AA rosettes, where Alistair Craig is Head Chef.  The setting is stylish and spacious, with decor inspired by the surrounding New Forest itself.  Alistair's cooking is described on the menu as using 'local ingredients in a worldly way' and presentation is an art form.  Working closely with passionate producers based within a close radius, ingredients in the dishes I chose included rabbit served as a light terrine with a tarragon granita and grilled pineapple, followed by delicious cod with saffron potatoes and sea-fresh samphire.  My dessert was a moreish Leche frita with apple, blackberry and served with cinnamon ice cream.  The Sommelier ensured ideal wine pairings accompanied each course. 

As well as championing the best of New Forest produce, the choice of pre-dinner drinks in the bar includes Pothecary gin made in Dorset with distinctive botanicals featuring lavender and mulberries along with the more expected juniper and lemon.  Fittingly the New Forest Food & Drink Festival runs from 31st October - 6th November to showcase the fabulous variety of delectable treats in the region.  Perhaps a return trip to Careys Manor is in order sooner than expected...