Taste of the Rhine

About 100 fishermen are responsible for wrangling whitefish - a specialty from Lake Constance. The lake has become cleaner, with fewer phosphates and less algae. As a result, the whitefish don't mature as quickly, but the fishermen earn stabile prices for their tasty catch.

In addition to fishing, the Upper Rhine region is also prime for growing vegetables. From Lake Constance to Bingen, a mild climate, lots of sunshine and fertile soil allow fruit and vegetables to thrive. The area around Karlsruhe is especially known for asparagus, as well as orchards and wine.

Sun-kissed grapes give the wine in Baden its character. In the warmest part of Germany, and the vines grow on volcanic soil. At around 4,250 hectacres (10, 500 acres) the "Emperor's Chair" near Breisach am Rhein is the largest of nine wine growing regions on the Upper Rhine.

Alsace lies west of the Upper Rhine in France. It's known for a pizza-like dish called Tarte Flambee, bundt cakes and Gewürztraminer wine. French cuisine also influences dishes on the eastern side of the Rhine in Baden: Onion cake is reminiscent of Tarte Flambee, and sauerkraut und porkshoulder are enjoyed on both sides of the border.

The Upper Rhine is home to numerous star-rated restaurants. Baiersbronn is one of the best-known spots. The Black Forest village combines three gourmet restaurants that, together, boast a total of eight Michelin stars. Local ingredients and culinary creativity are the foundation of this fine cuisine.

Many wine-growers open restaurants in the summer, serving up their own wines and simple food. As soon as they see a broom with a bouquet appear above the restaurant's entrance, locals know they're invited to stop by - hence the name, "bouquet business." These type of seasonal taverns are dotted along the Middle Rhine.

Menus on the Middle Rhine often feature home cooking - like the Palatine "slaughter plate," a meal of boiled pork belly and blood sausages. The most famous dish from the German Palatinate region is pig's stomach. Chefs and butchers alike participate in competitions centered on the preparation of this pork specialty.

Hikers can weave between the vines on the Rheinsteig, the famous trail that snakes along steep vineyard slopes for 320 kilometers (200 miles). The hanging slate on the Middle Rhine tinges the wine with a unique flavor. Young vintners seek to preserve the region's cultural landscape and help the steep vineyards achieve new renown.

In Dusseldorf, known as "Little Tokyo on the Rhine," you can enjoy special cuisine from the Far East. Since the 1950s, many Japanese have settled here with their families, who have brought their food culture with them. Thanks to its location on the Rhine, the city enjoys a favorable connection to the sea port of Rotterdam.

The Lower Rhine cultivates with a particularly highly fermented barley juice: Altbier. The dark brew is served in Dusseldorf at the longest Altbier bar in the world, as well as the oldest Altbier brewery in the town of Korschenbroich. They've been practicing the art of brewing there since the 13th century.

Near the city of Kleve, the Rhine passes through the Netherlands on its journey to the North Sea. Typical specialities there include tangy cheese and, most notably, herring and mussels, which taste of salt and sea.