Desserts: Alsatian Raspberry Parfait

The French have given other nations a marvelous ice cream dessert called parfait, taken from their word for perfect. Very Often it is a type of single, flavored mousse frozen in a mold. But it may also be a delicate ice served in a tall, narrow, short-stemmed glass.

One of the most refreshing parfaits is served after dinner in the hotel-restaurant Aux de France, an Alsatian gastronomic temple in the picturesque wine town of Ammerschwithr.

It was a simple combination of lemon sherbet covered with champagne and a little kirsch. Not only is the dessert delectable but it fulfills the function of a pleasant digestive after a very rich meal.  No wonder the French developed the very noble and practical custom of serving delicate ices to clear the palate between cou5rses at lengthy banquets.