Biggest Culinary Wins and Fails While in Dining in Europe 

Written by Lilian

November 22, 2022

One of my favorite ways to learn about different European cultures is the food. Since I have been in Europe, I have followed the mantra of trying cultural food regardless of how different the dishes sound. The following is a list of some of the biggest winners and losers I tried over my stay at GTE: 

Win: Cinnamon Rolls 

Reykjavik, Iceland 

These Cinnamon rolls were probably my favorite thing I ate while in Europe. They were super soft and moist; the powdered sugar which was generously dusted on top did not make the pastry dry. Every layer of the roll blended together perfectly. 10/10 would highly, highly recommend! I loved them so much I would fly back to Iceland just to get them again. 

Fail: Icelandic Fish Stew (Plokkfiskur) 

Reykjavik, Iceland 

Plokkfiskur is a traditional Icelandic fish stew made of fish, potatoes, onions, and bechamel sauce. The result is not a stew per-say, but a thick, rich, creamy chowder which tastes heavily of fish. It is usually served with a piece of sweet rye bread. While I am glad that I tried this staple dish while in Iceland, I was a little put off by the soft consistency of the dish, and could not get over the texture.  

Win: Pumpkin Everything 

Naples, Italy 

When I first got into Italy, the first dish I sampled was pasta– pumpkin filled ravioli, to be specific. It was probably the best pasta I have ever tasted. The next day, I continued my pumpkin tirade, this time with pizza. It was a pumpkin, prosciutto, walnuts, and fior de latte covered pizza which was surprisingly delicious. 

Fail: Pizza with Anchovies

Naples, Italy 

“Pizza Napoli” is a type of pizza which includes anchovies as the topping of choice. Anchovies are a type of saltwater forage fish which live in the Mediterranean Sea. Because of this, they are quite salty and can be a flavorful addition to pizza. However, I found the cheese and sauce drowned out the taste of them too much. They didn’t add anything to the pizza, and the entire meal tasted just like a normal margarita pizza. 

Win: French Onion Soup 

Paris, France 

I love French Onion Soup, so when I visited Paris, it was on the top of my list to try. It exceeded all my expectations; the soft bready croutons, the creamy cheese, and the richness of the onions perfectly combined for an amazing, iconic French dish. 

Fail: Squid Ink Risotto 

Nice, France 

I personally don’t think the squid ink added anything to the dish; the pasta was tasteless in my opinion except for the faint trace of salt. However, the overall look of the dish was very vibrant and distinctive. 

Win: Belgian Waffles 

Ghent, Belgium 

Belgian waffles were originally called Brussels waffles due to the origin of the dish. The name was changed in order to increase their popularity in the United States. The Belgian waffle is eaten with your hands with minimal toppings. The waffles are fluffy and dense, and you can find them in dessert shops and on every street corner in Belgium. 

Fail: Beef Tartar 

Bruges, Belgium 

Beef tartar, or raw ground beef, is one of France’s signature dishes. This steak tartar was served on bread with pesto and is considered a delicacy. I, however, did not like beef tartar that much; it was very bland. Also, to me, eating raw beef did not sit with me well. Even though multiple sources online tell me it is perfectly safe, I cannot get over the fact it is completely raw meat! 

Win: Dutch Pancake 

Utrecht, Netherlands 

Dutch pancakes, or pannenkoek, are large thin pancakes with a wide variety of topping ranging from sweet to savory. These pancakes are usually about a foot in diameter, covering the entire plate! I thought they were delicious and very different from the fluffy American pancake or the very thin French crepe to which I was accustomed. 

Fail: Liverwurst 

Amsterdam, Netherlands 

I will be perfectly honest: when I ordered this meal, I did not look at the menu too hard. I saw an entrée called “The Amsterdam”, and immediately thought “this must be a very traditional Dutch meal.” I did not expect to receive a plate of Liverwurst (which is a typical Dutch meal, just not what I was expecting). Liverwurst is a German sausage made from beef or pork liver, and let’s just say the waiter gave me a weird look when I ordered it which I only understood after I tried the sausage. Safe to say I will never order anything with liverwurst again. 

While my culinary journey is far from over, I am thankful for all the food that I have been able to taste and enjoy. I always recommend future students to stretch your culinary appetite as I have done! While you may not love everything you try, I believe you will enjoy the vast majority of food you eat here and will almost certainly return home with a new favorite dish or two. 

Regional French Food Tour around Metz 

Written By Lillian

November 14th, 2022

*Disclaimer: Lily was not paid to endorse any of the businesses mentioned in this article, nor does Georgia Tech endorse any of these businesses.* 

One of the best things about France is the cuisine. France has a wide diversity of food found all over its 12 regions. Follow this food tour in downtown Metz to learn about food from four of these regions! 

For breakfast, stop by Boulanger Poulard for iconic French pastries. The shop is touted for the best croissants and most traditional baguettes in the Moselle region! This bakery also serves whole grain and white bread and other pastries in addition to the croissant and pain au croissant. Fun fact: the croissant did not originate in France, but in Vienna, Austria. Historians say that they were heavily inspired from the Austria pastry kipferl. In the 19th century, they were introduced to Paris at La Boulangerie Viennoise and were made flakier than the original. Parisians called them croissants due to their crescent shape! Another interesting fact is that a lot of bakeries are called “viennoiseries” which means they sell Austrian-style baked goods such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and chausson aux pommes.  

Look how beautiful those pain au chocolat and croissants are! 

For lunch, head to Creperie Le Saint Malo which serves both savory and dessert crepes. Buckwheat crepes originated from the Brittany region of France. Urban legend says a housewife accidentally dropped porridge onto a hot flat pan and created the first crepe. The Brittany region is in the northwestern part of France and includes towns such as Saint-Malo and Rennes and is known for milk and butter, two of the ingredients of crepes! 

This buckwheat crepe was filled with tomatoes, cheese, ham, mushrooms, a fried egg, and a pat of butter on top. The restaurant also had crepes with ice cream, Nutella, potatoes, smoked salmon and even escargot! 

After admiring the Metz Cathedral, stop by L’Ours Hardi for dinner to taste food from the Rhône Alps region of France. The Rhône Alps region is known for its natural beauty being located in the French Alps and includes cities like Lyon, Grenoble, and Chamonix. Most of the food in this region is cheese based, so of course L’Ours Hardi serves fondue— a pot of cheese to dip pieces of bread and meat into— and raclette, a giant wheel of cheese that is scraped on a bed of potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons.  

Fondue of Comté, Cantal, and French Emmental cheese with a plate of assorted charcuterie, and Spätzle. The cornichons are the little pickled cucumbers! 

After dinner, stop by Aux Merveilleux de Fred to try an iconic dessert originating from the French city Lille in the Hauts-de-France region. The Hauts-de-France region is located to the North of Paris and borders Belgium and includes cities such as Lille, Dunkirk, and Amiems. At Aux Merveilleaux de Fred, try a merveilleaux: a meringue-based cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.  

While I only covered four establishments in downtown Metz, a huge variety of places which serve other French foods are located in the area. It is amazing how diverse (and delicious) French dishes can be, even if you are just eating within Metz. Every region in France is known for completely different foods and cultures. One can even go on a tour of the regions just for cheese! There are also a ton of regional foods from the Grand-Est region which houses Metz such as Quiche Lorraine, Mirabelle plums, and Madeleines! While I only have a couple weeks left in Metz, I know that I will be spending it continuing to find new dishes which I can learn to cook and bring back with me to the States. 

A Weekend in Northern Italy

Written by Lillian

October 3, 2022

When I was younger, my mom took my sister and me on a trip to Italy to explore our Catholic heritage. One of the cities on our itineraries was Venice, Italy, the city of canals. However, our experience was anything but pleasant: we got most of our entire travel savings pick-pocketed on the Rialto Bridge! And so Venice was definitely not my favorite city after that incident. Now that I am a little older and wiser, I decided to revisit the city. My travel group woke up bright and early to catch the train to Luxembourg to board a plane to Venice on Friday morning. When we got into the city, we took the water taxi to travel to the island. 

After disembarking, I was on the hunt for tiramisu. Tiramisu is my all-time favorite dessert, so I was looking for the real deal, and fun fact, tiramisu was said to be invented about 20 miles from Venice in the city of Treviso! It was a lot easier than I expected as literally every restaurant was selling some. We zig-zagged around the labyrinth of thin alleys and large squares that filled the island. In Venice, the canals take precedent: the alleys funnel pedestrians across the few bridges that cross the canals. We decided to go sight-seeing in St. Mark’s Plaza as it started drizzling. Since the plaza is below sea level, elevated walkways were set up to allow pedestrians to avoid walking in a few centimeter-deep puddles. There were a couple of orchestras playing for local cafés that filled the square with classical music. That paired with the dozens of umbrellas, the misty haze, and peacefully empty plaza made for such a cinematic aesthetic: it felt like I was in a romance movie waiting for a cloaked figure to emerge from the heavy fog to sweep me off my feet.  

The canals of Venice from one of the bridges.  

It was pouring by the time we got back to our hostel, but we still needed to find dinner. We ended up walking around mainland Venice in search of pizza with sit down service. After finding our fourth location and when our shoes were completely soaked through, we finally stopped at a place that had whole personal pizzas for €6. I tried this interesting combination of kebab, lettuce, and tomatoes on a margarita pizza. 

The next day, we headed back out to the island. We stopped at a café for cappuccinos and pastries. After dining for a little bit, we headed to ride in a pair of gondolas. The gondola service in Venice is set at a standard price based on the time of day— €80 for daytime and €100 for nighttime— for a maximum of five people per every 30 minutes. The gondoliers are required to wear the iconic black, blue, or red stripes to denote that they are part of this service; all other gondoliers are private and may cost differently. We floated down the Grand Canal as our gondolier explained the sites and history of Venice. He also told us that he has served as a gondolier for the past 26 years! The biggest stand out were the rising water levels because of the rain. There was not a lot of height to go under the bridges, and oftentimes the water would spill over the pathways and plaza from the canals showing the impact of rising sea levels on the small canal city.  

We learned from our gondalier that the city of Venice is actually very green although you cannot see it when walking through the alleys. Most of the gardens are private for use only by the residential blocks. 

After our ride, we went sunset searching on the Western portion of the island. The sunset was gorgeous: the buildings were splashed with the orange glow of the sun as the sun slowly retreated below the horizon. Once the sun disappeared completely, the city changed: the alleyways became quiet and dark, only being lit by a handful of streetlights. The canals that were once a bustle of activity carried singular gondolas that slowly and calmly drifted through the water. We stopped for pizza at Birraria La Corte which was recommended by our gondolier— we even saw him dining there at dinner time. 

The next day, we trained to Milan for a quick layover as we headed back to Metz. I will admit, Milan was way different than what I was expecting. The city was becoming very modern with tons of construction happening around every corner to build large skyscrapers and office buildings. One of the only relics of its historic and medieval past is a castle at its heart where wild cats roam around in the dry moats. At the Sforzesco Castle there was a farmers’ market funded by the agricultural society. There were booths of farmers selling their cheeses, olive oils, and tomato sauces. Even better, the entire museum and festival was free! Afterwards, we got some gelato (I got tiramisu gelato of course), and it was some of the best that I have had in Europe! 

From the top left going clockwise: a mochaccino and croissant, tiramisu gelato in Milan, the real-deal Italian tiramisu, a wide selection of gelato flavors at a vendor ranging from Stracciatella (milk with chocolate shavings) to Nocciola (hazelnut), Pizza Capriccioso (prosciutto-mushroom-artichoke) from Birraria La Corte, and spaghetti carbonara. 

Overall, Venice surprised me. After getting pickpocketed there when I was younger, I always dismissed the city. The small pieces that I remember from my childhood were always looked down on with contempt. During this trip, I really focused on paying attention to my belongings and my surroundings: which were gorgeous! I did not remember Venice being so pretty and navigating through the maze of winding streets was an adventure as I stumbled upon empty narrow alleyways and ducked through some of the low entryways. When night fell on the city, the streetlights cast a romantic glow on the colorful worn buildings and made the canals shimmer.  

A GTL Student’s Cultural Guide to Oktoberfest

Written by Lillian

September 12th, 2022

Oktoberfest is a local German festival held in Bavaria, Germany. The festival origins come from a celebration of the marriage between King Louis I and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. While many regional festivals happen throughout the state, the main Oktoberfest happens in Munich at the end of September and early October. I had the opportunity to be guided through a regional Oktoberfest in Regensburg, Germany this past weekend by a native German. I will share some tips and tricks to make the most out of your time there!

Traditional Clothing

The most recognizable Oktoberfest tradition is the clothing. For men, one must dawn lederhosen (translates to leather pants) and a button up checkered shirt. Vests are also very common with plain button up shirts. Wool socks that stretch over the calves are common too!

For women, dirndls are the traditional women’s dress which consists of a blouse, dress, and apron. I will give a warning, quality dirndls will cost on the order of €100-200! In Munich, there are a couple of clothing stores that will sell lower quality ones or rent a much nicer one for €50. If you attend a smaller regional Oktoberfest, there will not be options for lower quality ones. You also don’t have to wear one if you are uncomfortable with it; women wearing lederhosen is perfectly acceptable too! 

Finally, you may see people walking around with clothespins on their shirts and blouses. These custom clips, called “Glubbal”, are engraved with sayings or nicknames of the wearer. They can be made and purchased at stores near the festivals. 

German Language in Bavaria 

In Germany, you greet someone by saying “Hallo” or “Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend”; however, in Bavaria, you greet someone using “Servus!”

Bavaria, Germany in German is “Bayern, Deutschland”. Bavaria is located in the south-east corner of Germany and is the largest German state by land mass. One of the major cities in Bavaria is Munich or “München” in German. 

Music

One of the main festivities of Oktoberfest are the Tents: large tents with live music and drinks. Upon entering a tent, locate an empty table. When the band starts, stand up on the benches: this will be your place for the next hour as you sing and dance along to the music. 

Traditional Oktoberfest music is played poka-style; with accordions, trumpets, electric guitars, and drums. Spot the lederhosen too!

While most of the songs that played were completely in German, including the Oktoberfest hit “Bayern, Des Samma Mia” (translates to “Bavarians, That’s What We Are”), usually the bands will interlace English songs as well. Some examples include “Don’t Stop Believing”, the “Cotton Eye Joe”, and even “I’m Blue”!

In Bavaria, FC Bayern is the most popular football club. Often times, the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” starts getting sung on stage and FC Bayern’s football chants get started in the crowd. It really is a sight to be seen, and is a cool connection to sports culture all around the world.

Food

A giant pretzel in front of the Ferris Wheel.

Some of the most iconic foods you can find at Oktoberfest are pretzels, gingerbread, and meat. Gingerbreads are usually sold in a heart shape with sayings such as “Ich liebe dich” (translates to “I love you”). These gingerbreads are bought for your significant other to wear around their neck for the entirety of the festival. They can also last quite a while after; most people keep them as souvenirs instead of eating them! You can also find a lot of meat at festivals such as bratwurst and schnitzel. The menus tend to offer portions of some animal (i.e 1/2 a chicken, 1/4 of a duck, etc.), so vegans and vegetarians beware!

The leg of a pig and a Kartoffelklöße (potato dumpling). In Germany, dumplings are not filled with anything, and instead are giant gnocchi like spheres.

Overall, my time in Germany was one to remember. I highly recommend you try and attend a local festival since they are much more rich with German culture, less touristy, and cheaper than the main festival in Munich. The one I went to was filled with college aged students too! Overall, it was very fun to experience a small snippet of German culture at Oktoberfest, and I recommend the experience for anyone coming to GTL in the Fall!

A Sugar Rush in Belgium

August 28, 2022

Written by Lillian

We woke up at 4:30 A.M. on Saturday to catch a 6:00 A.M. train to Ghent, Belgium: a quaint, culture-filled town recommended to us by a graduate student. Traveling is so meticulous, especially when each train relies on one another to get you on each of your connections, and unfortunately, we ended up missing one of our connections because we hopped on the wrong train, so when we finally got to Ghent, we were all starving because of the mishaps and delays to the trip. But before we could stop to get something to eat, I spotted a thrift store near downtown Ghent. The thrift store organized its clothes into four categories: intellectuals (for professional and dark academia styles), strangers (for off-the-beaten path and one-of-a-kind statement pieces), flower child (for florals and cute styles), and rockers (for edgier and punk rock looks). We spent the next hour thrifting in Ghent’s neighborhoods in the various stores we stumbled upon; I was surprised at how many good items I could find! 

Thrift store in Ghent – such a wide range of clothes 

Finally, we stopped by a Portuguese Bakery to cure our hunger. We got Pastel de Natas, an egg custard tart pastry, which was super delicious. We also stopped to get Belgian fries loaded with beef, onions, mayonnaise, and gravy. We strolled a little further and stopped at a waffle shop. I dined on a Belgian waffle with Nutella and whipped cream. There was so much good food around every corner we turned, we couldn’t help but try it all.

When we finally got into downtown Ghent after our many diversions, we stumbled upon a couple of different local events: a Pokémon Go Festival, an Alice in Wonderland App & Cosplay Festival, an annual regatta, and a music festival. The city was teeming with life, and everyone that we saw was either dressed as the Mad Hatter, glued to their phone in search of Pokémon, or disembarking from their canoes. We decided to join the canoer’s on the water and take a boat tour of the city, and our captain spoke three different languages on the tour: English, French, and Dutch. He would repeat everything three times in the different languages for all of the patrons to understand. It was very impressive. We also learned that Ghent has the most number of universities in the county of Belgium; it makes sense why the thrifting scene was so good!

The river Lys that runs through the whole city. Anyone can use the river, so it is filled with boaters, kayakers, and paddle boarders.

We dined on more authentic Belgian cuisine: cuberdon or Gentse neus  (“Ghent noses”). These noses are made of Arabic gum candy in the shape of a nose, and within its hard crust lies a soft and gelatinous filling. These candies originated from Ghent, and the two cart merchants from which you can buy the noses have a history of fierce rivalry which spans fist fights, merchant bans, and hefty fines.

Colorful Ghent Noses with an equally colorful history

Early the next day, we hopped on a train to Bruges, a town in Northwest Belgium. We spent the first couple of hours sightseeing and taking photos before the town woke up. This ended up being a good plan for us because midday brought so many tourists. It’s so interesting to see a city light up with people after having it to ourselves all morning. We decided to rent bikes and explore the river which encircles the city instead of getting caught up in the downtown crowds.

Bruges was inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. These gorgeous views definitely helped.

Then, we ate lunch in downtown Bruges. One thing that I found interesting was that it was really hard to find authentic Belgian cuisine. I found the same issue in Luxembourg too. Most of the food was French or interestingly enough–American! We did find many Belgian chocolatiers though— pralines were invented in Belgium and include a chocolate shell filled with softer fillings such as caramel, coffee, cream, and marzipan. These pralines can last about three months uneaten while plain, unfilled chocolates can last six; however, I fully know that these will barely last a week in my dorm!

Chocolatier in Bruges: there were tons of them in Belgium, at least two on every street!

Overall, it was very obvious to see and taste why Belgium is known for so many different foods. Over the course of these two days, I had a sugar overload from feasting on waffles, chocolates, and noses. I absolutely loved walking through the city of Ghent; it has all the charm of Bruges, but with a younger demographic, more lively social scene, and less tourists. In Bruges, I loved biking through the cobblestone roads, dodging the horse drawn carriages, and darting over the many picturesque bridges. My first weekend abroad was a success, and while I may still need more time getting used to the train system, I am looking forward to a more smooth sailing next weekend as I gain more skills on how to live and travel in Europe!

GTL Newcomer’s Guide: Food Review

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 | Written by Claire

As a new student at GTL, you may wonder where the best places to get food around campus are. Without an official meal plan, it sometimes can get monotonous eating pizza or Carbonara pasta from Crous everyday, and cooking for yourself is also no easy task. Metz has a few notable and reasonable places to help you get adjusted to life in France. Here are my favorites. 

Cora: 10/10

This is the biggest market in Metz and its definitely one you can’t miss. Basically a Walmart and Target combined into a Costco sized warehouse, Cora is the place to find anything you ever need. There are huge selections of housewares, clothing, pastries, meats, and drinks of all sorts. While prices are not much cheaper than those back in Atlanta, it depends on the meats, fruits, and veggies you end up buying. Tropical fruits, such as strawberries, grapes, and mangos are very expensive, almost 1.5 the price than we usually see at home. Meat cuts include parts from all parts of cows, pigs, and chicken, but the one thing you want to keep in mind when selecting cheaper meat is the date of consumption. Many times, the meats must be eaten within the next 1-3 days, so if you’re traveling on the weekend, it’s best to buy the groceries after you return. Overall, Cora scores a 10/10 on the scale. It has almost everything I ever needed and while it’s a 30-minute walk from Lafayette, with the metro pass, you can get there in a matter of minutes. 

Auchan 8/10 

Auchan is a smaller chain supermarket that is closer to Lafayette than Cora. It sells mostly the same things and brands, but overall, Auchan has higher quality pastries and good budget food items. While the veggies selection is not as diverse, it specializes in lot of bio or organic produce that are slightly cheaper than the ones at Cora. From my experience, it is best to go to Auchan earlier in the day when things have been stocked up and when the bakeries just restock on their fresh breads. It scores brownie points for its convenient location and accessibility to Lafayette. Finally, most French groceries stores are highly plastic conscious, so you’ll have to bring your own bags! 

Pauls 7/10

For new French pastry connoisseurs, Paul’s is the perfect place to start exploring. Located just 5 minutes away from GTL, Paul’s has a huge collection of coffees, breads, tarts, and ready-made food just for your convenience. For my first time at Paul’s, I tried their pain au chocolat, a classic French delicacy with chocolate folded into crispy, buttery goodness. Their tarts are amazing with fresh berries and a glaze that isn’t too sweet but also not too sour. Their freshly made baguettes in the morning are perfect for cheese and jam. Overall, the prices are comparable to those in Cora, so you might as well try out what they have and expand your horizons. There are also many tables set up inside for you to get your work done, in an ambient, cozy environment with your favorite pastries. While taste is good, the waiter experience was slightly awkward when we first visited there. If you do not know French, you might want to touch up on some of your basic French phrases before heading over. 

Mamma Mia Pizza 9/10

Funny enough, Mamma Mia Pizza was my first meal I had in Metz when I arrived. It is located right next to Paul’s and it has a massive selection of specialty pizzas and pastas for a reasonable price. The maxi size is enough for two and they are often loaded with toppings. My recommendation would be the Pizzaiolo, which comes with ham, peppers, mushroom, and chorizo. It is the best bang for your buck and it quite filling as a pizza itself. Mamma Mia specializes in thin crust pizzas, which are a nice crunchy and light comparison to the traditional American pizzas. It is also open all 7 days a week, which comes in clutch when stores are closed on Sundays. 

Seafood in Spain

Monday, February 21, 2022 | Written by Claire

For spring break, I had the opportunity to hit numerous cities in Spain and Portugal. Other than the welcoming warmth of the sun, the beautifully adorned architecture, and the serene natural beauty on the coast, the food was also worth the lengthy travel time. If you’re a seafood lover, then you’re in luck!

Paella in Barcelona

One of the dishes I was most excited to try when traveling to Spain was their famous Paella. Having never tried or even seen the dish before, I could feel my mouth watering when I smelled the sizzling scent of seafood and rice at the door of the restaurant. The most popular Paella style is the one topped with shrimp, prawns, mussels, clams, and various vegetables such as bell peppers and onions. After being baked at high temperatures, the drizzle of oil and seafood soup on a fine layer of rice makes the perfect afternoon lunch along the beach with the cooling ocean breeze. Most of the time, since Paella is made in larger batches in a large pan, the food is to be shared amongst a few people. While the pan might look huge, don’t be fooled, it’s just the right amount to fill you up! You can even save some room for some extra tapas or dessert. 

Pulpo and Boatellas Tapas in Valencia

Another famous Spanish delicacy is the Pulpo or octopus with potatoes. Usually, they are served in smaller portions sprinkled with red spices and then drizzled in olive oil. With such neutral and little flavoring on the octopus slices, the natural taste of fresh octopus is brought out, paired with the tender, bouncy texture of pure octopus meat. Depending on the place you go, the meat has a drier texture with which you could bite chunks off easily while others have a chewier texture that is gummy in your mouth. The potatoes are also another story… While they are slightly sweet to the taste, they have a springy feel. Instead of becoming mush like a normal baked potato, these special Spanish potatos break off into smaller, chewier pieces, with incredible tenderness at the surface. 

Cuttlefish

If you happen to visit many of the traditional street markets, you will often find them selling mountains of fresh cuttlefish, squid, and prawns, so fresh that they’re often still twitching on the ice. At this one tapas bar, I ordered a plate of small cuttlefish for about 14 euros. It was literally the best dish I have tasted on all my trips thus far. As a seafood fanatic, I couldn’t help but to sink my teeth into the delicious, tender cuttlefish flesh. While most of the time, if you order the traditional fried squid, or calamari, the meat is usually pre-cut into rings. This dish however came with the full head, filled with tentacles as well. The garnish on top with lemon zest and olive oil added an extra seafood zing. It was one of the most tender and juiciest squid dishes I have ever had. If you find yourself in Sevilla, definitely pay a visit to La Tradicionale for big portions with reasonable prices.

Schnitzels and Sausages: Germany at a Glance

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 | Written by Claire

Our journey to Germany was hectic to say the least. For our first weekend at GTL, my friends and I decided to venture into the rustic German towns of Freiburg and Heidelberg, well known for their authentic foods and traditional architecture. The journey was a mere four hours away from Metz and a quick transit in several smaller stations along the way. After a quick dinner, we were bundled up and ready to face the blistering winter night. We expected nothing but smooth travels… Sike.

From the first leg of the journey to the very end when we arrived in Freiburg, we encountered numerous obstacles on the way. With the first train delayed 15 minutes and our next train having a transfer time of merely 12 minutes, we had little hope of staying on schedule. As we sat anxiously in our seats, legs bouncing and fingers furiously swiping across our phones every few minutes or so to check the clock, the train miraculously started to make up lost time. Somehow, we made it to the station on Platform 2 with four minutes to spare. Right as we were about to heave a deep breath of relief, we looked up at the departure board in dismay. There, shining brightly in the dark winter night, was a large 24….Platform 24. Time seemed to freeze for a split second. Then, as if we all knew what to do, all eight of us, sprinted down the dark corridor, backpacks slapping against our backs and boots thudding against the ground. We were a sight to see. Eight Americans running top speed across a small local train station to the furthest platform where we saw a small, local train paused on the tracks. Out of breath and sweating bullets, we managed to plow through the snow, collapsing into our seats right at the last second. I’d give us a pat on the back for that one.

 After a few more hours, we made it to the outskirts of Freiburg where we checked into a quaint, modern-looking hotel that seemed to be in the middle of a construction site. It was 11 PM and the streets were dead. Not a single soul or restaurant light graced the streets. It seemed quite eerie, but after a long journey, we were famished. There were multiple restaurants and pubs that were opened according to Google maps, so we decided to try our luck. To keep the story short, turns out there was a 10:30 PM curfew and we ended up with a jar of pickled hot dogs and a bag of chips in our hotel room, courtesy of the hotel concessions. A great first meal in Germany indeed…

 The next morning, we woke up to a nice dusting of snow on the ground and a delicious egg and turkey sandwich topped with pretzel bread from a famous German bakery. As we started to travel further downtown, the snow started to fall faster, painting a beautiful winter wonderland before our very eyes. The first stop was the Freiburg Cathedral, an ornate masterpiece made of marble and stone, decorated with huge windows of stained glass. The silence within the Cathedral itself added to the sheer beauty and divinity of the structure, creating a haven for those worshiping there. The most notable detail, however, was a map that showed the aftermath of the bombing in 1944. All of the buildings surrounding the Cathedral were completely obliterated but somehow, the Cathedral stood, unscathed. It was as if God had shielded the place from danger, a thought enough to bring goosebumps on my arms. Truly unbelievable.

As we exited the Cathedral, we stumbled upon a large outdoor market, filled with stands of vegetables and spices. What really caught my attention was the mouth-watering smell and satisfying sizzle of the sausage cooking right before our eyes. There, we found the gem of our entire trip. We all ordered a sausage topped with either mustard or curry and then we all ordered another, minutes after we devoured the first. The German Sausages, known as Bratwursts, were nothing like the usual American hot dog. My favorite was the Weisswurst. It was a white sausage, speckled with herbs and other spices inside. Every bite came with a mouthful of tender, juicy meat that had a springy yet crisp texture, unlike anything else I’ve tasted before. The most surprising was the variety of flavor it offered: it was savory yet sweet with its caramelized coating, mildly spicy yet zesty with lemon, and firm yet tender with grease. In fact, my mouth is watering at the thought of it at this very moment.

The rest of the Freiburg trip was filled with hikes and other scenic views. Right as we were heading towards Heidelberg, we were greeted with hordes among hordes of people chanting, waving flags, and beating drums. It was a full-blown protest as people held up huge anti-vax flags every few feet or so. The trams were completely shut down and roads were blocked. The beat of the drums and the thunderous chants made the streets vibrate of angry fervor, heated with political drive. It was massive. The rows of people stretched further than the eye could see, and the crowd didn’t pass until we were almost out of the downtown district.

We were now on to our next destination: Heidelberg. As the sun began to set, we could feel our stomachs gnawing itself in hunger. The streets at night were also emptier than expected in a large city. Yet somehow, we stumbled upon a Schnitzel restaurant, where all eight of us crowded into one giant table. Having never even heard of “Schnitzel,”, I was appalled when the menu had nothing but Schnitzels… Nonetheless, I ordered the traditional Jagerschnitzel and a bowl of fries just to give it a try. Best decision ever. The Jagerschnitzel came out on a huge plate with two slabs of pork doused in savory gravy. The meat was tender, melting away in my mouth. It was breaded to perfection and the gravy paired magnificently with the fries. On the side was a crisp German salad. Alternating between a bite of warm gravy, a tender slice of Schnitzel, and some cold salad, my mouth was experiencing an explosion of flavors. To add to the mood, the restaurant owner was highly accommodating, entertaining us with hilarious stories and even recommending some other places to eat in Heidelberg. If I could, I would definitely go back there to try another one of their delicious Schnitzels in a heartbeat.

Finally, to end our trip, we visited the Heidelberg Castle, a huge structure detailed with intricate carvings that also survived multiple bombings in the past. It sat upon a hill next to the city, granting us a beautiful overlook of the city below. The view can be better  conveyed in pictures than in words.

If you ever find yourself looking for a convenient place to go for a weekend, definitely hit up Freiburg and Heidelberg. Although the journey there was a bit chaotic, the experiences and delicious foods we tried in Germany were unforgettable. Overall, a 10/10 way to start my semester at GTL.

Stay tuned for other travel stories soon!

 

Crous

Monday, November 29, 2021 | Written by Mira

While we don’t get a meal plan during the fall and spring semesters at GTL, we do have access to a local student cafeteria “Crous” open during lunch and dinner. Crous offers meals for 3.30 euros for us GTL students, which makes for a convenient and inexpensive option for meals when you don’t feel like cooking, getting the same things from Paul (the bakery between GTL and Lafayette), or going downtown. The menu at Crous rotates, so you get some variety in your meals. 

 Please enjoy the four meals from Crous that I remembered to take pictures of:

 Meal #1

 Lots of veggies!

 During the first few weeks of the semester, the Crous location closer to GTL was not open yet, so we trekked the 20-minute walk between GTL and farther Crous location. Since there was only one location open, it was pretty packed, and by the time we would get there, the options were quite limited. But the food was still worth the long lines! You get a lot of food for your 3.30 euros, and I will say, I have not finished a full plate yet. 

 At Crous you get 10 points worth of food for your 3.30 euros. The main plate is usually 5 points, with two side items either 2 or 3 points each. Water and a little baguette are free!

 Meal #2

Still can’t get over the fact that this whole tray was only 3.30 euros.

 This meal was still from the farther Crous. At that location, there were two lines: a pizza line and an “other” line. I would usually just go for the “other” line since I could guarantee a vegetarian option, but this one particular day, the pizza line did not include meat. The pizza was massive, and we were able to ask (with some trouble due to language barriers) for a box for the leftover pizza. I have not seen pizza as an option for the closer Crous, unfortunately. 3.30 euros for two meals was a great deal!

 Meal #3

 The tomatoes were a flavorful touch.

When the Crous closer to GTL opened, the journey became a whole lot more convenient, although I have not taken full advantage of the proximity. The different location does not mean different value, so once again, the plates are well worth the price. The closer Crous is also more vegetarian friendly. This particular pasta dish could have come with meat or the tomato slices that I got. At the closer Crous, there are two dining areas, and if you don’t set up your International Student Card, and you pay with card, you have to go to the left side. 

 Meal #4 

 Crous but make it dinner.

After not going to Crous for a while (I kind of forgot it existed for a bit because of the convenience to stop by Paul and grab a sandwich for lunch on my way to GTL in the morning), my friend suggested we go for dinner. I hadn’t been to Crous for dinner yet, so I decided to give it a try! We went almost right when they opened at 6:30pm and beat the crowd of potential high schoolers. Crous is definitely a convenient option for dinner especially if you have a late class – the closer Crous is only about a 5 minute walk from GTL.

 

Coffeeshops in Metz

Wednesday, October 20, 2021 | Written by Mira

I love coffee and coffee shops. I made it my mission to spend my Tuesdays exploring Metz, and that includes trying new coffeeshops to do homework in. Some have been more conducive to telework than others. I have searched for other blog posts to help me find ones that are computer friendly (I found one in French: http://adoptemetz.com/gourmandises/cafe-metz-brunch-teletravail/).

  1. Fox Coffee Shop Metz (6 Rue Gambetta, 57000 Metz): Location? Amazing. Coffee? Delicious. Ambiance? Immaculate. Fox Coffee Shop Metz is a GTL fan favorite for obvious reasons. Fox Coffee Shop is my happy place, no ifs, ands, or buts. It is definitely computer friendly with very speedy free Wi-Fi, although you can only connect one device at a time with a given email. You can sit outside or inside, both of which provide a unique coffee shop experience. Inside, they have beautiful, ornate, furniture and decorations, and they even have a piano! The music is *chef’s kiss* a vibe – I spent one day Shazaming many of the songs I heard and made an Apple Music playlist for your (and my) enjoyment. You can also find them on Spotify. Outside, they have plenty of tables that spread out along the sidewalk and into the square. Each table has a unique set of stickers, adding to the quirkiness of the place.

    A glimpse inside this magical little shop
  2. Ô Sœur Saveurs (19 Rue Taison, 57000 Metz): A self-proclaimed, woman-run business, this coffeeshop is in the heart of downtown. They don’t open until 11am (and I recommend not going right when they open like I did), but it’s definitely worth a visit. When I went, I accidentally ordered a “lait froid” thinking I was ordering an iced latte… much to my dismay, the server brought out a glass of milk with ice in it. Not what I wanted, but it was what I ordered apparently. After I finished my sad glass of iced milk, it took me a good hour to work up the courage to ask for the menu again. The second time, I ordered a cappuccino and a crumble poivron, tomate, et feta (a pepper, tomato, and feta crumble), and it was delicious! I sat in an outdoor area in the center of the café, which made for a unique atmosphere, even if it drizzled a little bit.

    My cute cappuccino
  3. Columbus Café and Co. (33 Pl. Saint-Jacques, 57000 Metz): In the heart of downtown Metz, Columbus Café and Co provides both indoor and outdoor, upstairs and downstairs seating and a sweet spread of food and drinks. I would describe this as a Starbucks with more personality. If you’re hungry, I’d recommend getting the menu étudiant (student menu) which is a sandwich, a baked good, and an iced tea or soft drink for only 6 euros! My cappuccino classique was a whole 4.50 euros. They have free (and good quality) Wi-fi and plenty of outlets inside. I spent all day studying for my plethora of exams during my exam week here and will definitely be coming back.
  4. Paul (219B Av. de Strasbourg, 57070 Metz): A GTL staple. Located between the Lafayette Residence and the GTL building, Paul is a very popular and convenient stop for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I usually grab a sandwich to go (à emporter) on Mondays between my class ending at 5:45pm and my class starting at 7pm. I have also had breakfast there (sur place). It wasn’t anything special, but convenient enough to make it worth it.

    A small selection of the many items they offer throughout the day at Paul
  5.  Chalon de Thé (6 Rue de la Petite Boucherie, 57000 Metz): This café is purrfect (pun intended) if you like (1) coffee/tea and (2) cats.You don’t need to pay to get in – you just pay for what you order! If you need productive café vibes, this is probably not the place for you. While they do provide free Wi-Fi, the cats are pretty distracting. I found myself taking pictures of the cats more than I did homework. The cats also have no problem walking all over the keyboard (“zxt6yt5v   5nm” and “./;……•••••••••••••••••••7[‘puy[p-9” were two such instances. How one of them typed bullet points? I’m not sure. Very talented kitty.)

    I could be distracted by this sweet kitty forever

Bonus! Honorable Mention

Look at the colored-windows!

Konrad Café & Bar (7 Rue du N, 2229 Luxembourg): While not in Metz, this café was too cute not to mention. Located in the older part of the city, Konrad café is a prime telework spot. I knew I’d love it when as soon as I walked in, the music was only Frank Sinatra. The staff is so kind (and English speaking), the Wi-Fi is fast, the ambiance is impeccable. You can sit inside or outside, but it was pretty chilly when I came so they had blankets outside for customers. On a Tuesday, I decided to take a solo day trip to Luxembourg to take advantage of my day off from classes, and I definitely don’t regret it! I can highly recommend coming here on a day off or even an afternoon – Luxembourg is only 47 minutes from Metz!