6 minute read
MILTENBERG
Meet the Aristocrats in MILTENBERG
Enjoy a cuppa with the local royalty in Gamburg Castle
Miltenberg, Germany is a town nestled within a bend in the Main River. As you gaze upon the township, there is a sense of wonder to Miltenberg’s romantic lanes and squares.
Viniculture, wine trade, river traffic, fishery, wood and stone industries were the most important trades and crafts in Miltenberg’s past. Urban development did not make it to the fringes of the ancient kingdoms, and so the medieval townscape was preserved and remains today, evidenced by the many halftimbered houses, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
Some of history’s most momentous figures have passed through Miltenberg, including two Holy Roman Emperors, Napoleon and even Elvis Presley.
Gamburg Castle is situated near Miltenberg on the Romantic Road. During the German Peasants' War, the imposing castle was one of the few to remain unscathed thanks to the intervention of the famous knight Gotz von Berlichingen (who is worth googling in his own right to learn about how he coined one of the world’s most famous phrases).
Gamburg Castle has been a private property, handed down through aristocratic families since 1546. Its oldest part, the keep, was transformed into a bunker to store the files on communist resistance groups during World War II. The castle is rumoured to be haunted by over 21 ghosts and is connected with ancient tales of a beautiful mermaid, Melusine.
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Today, Baron and Baroness von Mallinckrodt, the current owners of Gamburg Castle, preserve and maintain Gamburg Castle’s heritage and legacy.
The noble family, von Mallinckrodt descend from the Saxon knight Ludwig de Mesekenwerke. In 1346 the family took the name of their residence Mallinckrodt Castle, near the city of Dortmund. In the 15th century, members of the family held important positions within the crusader state of the Teutonic Order along the Baltic Sea. By the 16th century, a branch of the family had made its way into the ruling circles of Dortmund. In 1803, as Napoleon's troops entered Germany, Dortmund lost its free city status. The Mallinckrodts became established industrialists and publishers and in the 1830s, some family members relocated to Missouri to become American pioneers.
LET'S GO… See Miltenberg on our Jewels of Europe river cruise
In 1980, aged 75, Hans Georg von Mallinckrodt Sr., bought Gamburg Castle. During the very extensive and much needed restoration, his son, Hans Georg Jr., discovered the lavishly decorated Romanesque double arches and the oldest secular mural paintings north of the Alps. He also restored the baroque park, laid out on a terrace as an integral part of the castle and as such almost unique in Germany. His wife Nicole, née Princess of Moukbirian Khorkhoruni, was born in Paris after her family fled the Armenian Genocide. Today, both of them, as well as their son Goswin, support the preservation, study and vital continuity of Gamburg Castle, which has been opened to the public since 2009.
Scenic guests have the chance to meet the Baron and Baroness as a Scenic Freechoice activity on selected river cruise itineraries.
A B C D Miltenberg market square Family von Mallinckrodt Miltenberg Gamburg Castle
TASTING YOUR WAY THROUGHPARIS
As Virginia Woolf said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." So, the next time you are in Paris, take the time to discover some very Parisian dining venues as recommended by chef, Gabriel Gaté.
Gabriel Gaté is a French chef, cookbook author and TV presenter. Originally from the Loire Valley, Gabriel learned from some of France's finest chefs - working in two, 3 Michelin-star restaurants - before moving to Melbourne, Australia where he became one of the country's leading food and cooking personalties.
As a young man, Gabriel had the chance to learn to cook from some of the finest French chefs (he worked in two three Michelin-star restaurants) before coming to Australia in 1977 with his Melbourne-born wife, Angie. He has since established himself as one of the country’s leading communicators on food and cooking.
Bofinger - A Very Parisian Brasserie
I never cease to be thrilled by the great cultural richness of Paris with its amazing galleries and museums, great markets and excellent gastronomy.
At the end of a busy day experiencing the French joie de vivre I often dine in a brasserie to relax and enjoy typical French fare. In this type of restaurant you can order anything from a simple dish to a feast, comprising several dishes. There are always several set-price menus, as well as à la carte.
One of my favourite brasseries is Bofinger in the Bastille district. It is a local secret tucked away from the main streets a few hundred metres from Paris’ modern Bastille opera house.
When it was first opened in 1864 by Monsieur Frederic Bofinger, a native of Alsace, the tiny brasserie became popular as one of the first eating houses to serve draught beer. Today the stunning restaurant comprises several dining rooms spread over two floors. The extensive menu offers many popular French dishes, such as onion soup, charcuterie, snails, pepper steak, French fries and pâtisseries, such as Paris brest, profiteroles with a Valrhona chocolate sauce and vanilla millefeuilles.
There is also a large seafood section and may comprise several varieties of freshly shucked oysters, prawns, scampi, crab, lobster and more.
In honour of the original owner, Alsatian food is well featured with many types of sauerkraut, including traditional, duck and seafood.
The wine list features many superb Alsace wines, as well as other regional French wines and a good choice of wine and champagne by the glass.
Due to its wonderful Parisian atmosphere, a dinner at Bofinger is truly memorable.
Brasserie Bofinger, 5 to 7 rue de la Bastille, Paris 75004
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The Grand Véfour restaurant, housed on the edge of the beautiful Palais Royal gardens, is one of my favourite Parisian restaurants.
A lunch or dinner at this historic institution which first opened in 1794 is for me as memorable an occasion as a great concert or classic opera.
Guy Martin, a most loved and celebrated French chef, has been at the helm of the kitchen for almost thirty years and became the owner in 2011. Guy is an artist and his savoir faire and creativity are beautifully translated into stunning and delicious contemporary French dishes.
Restaurant Le Grand Véfour 17 Rue De Beaujolais Paris 75001 (Palais Royal district)
LET'S GO… Visit Paris on a selection of our France river cruises
I ALSO LIKE
The Grand Véfour - An Exquisite Parisian Restaurant.
The dining room is one of the most beautiful in Paris. Entering the stylish restaurant, you are taken back two hundred years in time by the superb carved wood panelling, mirrors and fine frescos in the neo-classical style.
Throughout the year Guy’s menu evolves using the finest seasonal European ingredients. His vegetables and fish dishes are outstanding and his most popular dishes include duck ravioli with a truffle emulsion cream, roast pigeon, and gâteau de Savoie that he bakes in his grandmother’s cake mould.
As a native of the alpine region of Savoie, the chef celebrates his origins with a large cheese board featuring the most delicious fromages of the Alps.
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Le Grand Colbert (pictured above), 2 rue Vivienne, Paris 75002 Brasserie Lipp, 151 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 75006
A Brasserie Bofinger B Baked scallops, with creamed mushroom and summer truffle risotto C Paris D The Grand Véfour
The wine list is lavish and comprises many of the finest French wines and, naturellement, champagne.
The pleasure of a lunch or dinner at the Grand Véfour is sure to linger forever in your memory.
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