Author Archive for: CraigBresett

Entries by Craig Bresett

Westvleteren – not hype, this is deserved

Visiting In De Vrede, the modest yet legendary café-restaurant beside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus in Westvleteren, is a true pilgrimage for anyone who loves good beer. This is the only official place in the world where you can legally enjoy a glass of the famed Westvleteren Trappist ales—including the elusive Westvleteren 12, often […]

Neuschwanstein Castle – The Very Best of the Alps

This bizarre castle, built on the side of a mountain in the middle of nowhere by a strange man-child caught up in medieval fantasies, always delights travelers fortunate enough to get out to this corner of the Alps.  And I’ve taken hundreds of them, if not thousands (I stopped counting a long time ago) here.  […]

Olpererhütte – The Very Best of the Alps

One of the best things about hiking in Europe’s Alps is the amazing network of alpine huts (“refuge” in French, “rifugio” in Italian, “hütte” in German).  Hikers can set out on most any trail and somewhere along the way there will be a hut where they can rest, get a meal or a cup of […]

The Joy of Raclette

Alpine cuisine is very cheese-centric, and with good reason.  It seems in some parts of the Alps there are more happy cows than people wandering around the meadows enjoying the beautiful vistas.  I always rave about the milk, cream, and butter in the Alps – there’s obviously a connection between the free range dairy cows […]

Augustiner Keller – A Party Every Night in Munich

The Augustiner Keller has been around since the early 19th century in one form or another.  Despite being built next to the old execution grounds for the city of Munich, it’s always been party central.  I like to think that maybe the condemned got to stop by for a maß and a pretzel before the […]

Parmagiano Reggiano

The only real “Parmesan” cheese is made in the region of Parma in Italy.  It’s a protected local agricultural product and all elements of its production must meet the strict standards of the Consorzio Del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano.  They are actually currently fighting Kraft in court over the use of the word Parmesan to describe […]