An Alsatian head-cheese terrine: pieces of slow-cooked pork set in a sharp, herb-flecked aspic, sliced cold with a vinaigrette and raw onion as a winstub starter.
Presskopf, literally pressed head, is the Alsatian take on the French fromage de tete, a terrine of pork set in its own jelly. It is charcuterie of thrift, using the whole animal, and it survives because it tastes good: cool, gelatinous and tangy against a sharp dressing. It opens many a winstub meal, served in thick slices with a vinaigrette, capers and onion. Alongside it sits the carp version that Alsace's Jewish kitchens made their own.
