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When I was thinking of what to write about this month, so many things came to mind. Spring is one of my favourite times of the year, when spot prawns, asparagus, sablefish, artichokes, green peas and greens of all sorts come into season.

But this time of year also reminds me of where I really learned how to cook. Alsace, on the easternborder of France, has produced some of the greatest chefs in the world.

One of them is Michel Jacob of Le Crocodile, in Vancouver. Michel is from Strasbourg, in the heart of Alsace. In the spring of 1992, while I was working for Michel at Le Crocodile, he arranged for me to travel to Alsace to meet his family and the chef who taught him how to cook, Jonny Letzer (with whom I developed a close friendship). I also had the chance to meet one of Michel's idols, Émile Jung, of Strasbourg's Au Crocodile, who has earned three Michelin stars.

Every spring for the next three years I travelled to Alsace to work and experience some of the greatest wine and food I have ever tasted. It has left memories with me that I will never forget.

I took my wife, Michelle, there two years ago and she, too, fell in love with the place that made me the chef I am today - so much so that we have discussed buying a summer home there.

There are so many things I have eaten there, but one dish speaks volumes for me and is very easy to prepare: tarte flambée or, if you will, Alsatian pizza. Several restaurants serve this. The tradition is to go in, place your order, and then they start bringing the small tartes one after another, with a side salad and, of course, wine.

When you're full, you tell them you've had enough, they mark it down and then they charge you. It truly is an experience you will never forget.

The best restaurant in all of Alsace for tarte flambée is my good friend Jonny Letzer's family restaurant, Maison Letzer, about 80 kilometres north of Strasbourg in a tiny village of no more than 300 people. Jonny's family has been serving tarte flambée there for more than 75 years.

It is made with bread dough in the shape of a small pizza and covered with fromage blanc or Quark cheese, sliced white onions and bacon. It's then baked off in a wood-burning oven for about eight minutes, leaving a slight dark tinge to the crust, hence the name flambée.

For this recipe you can use frozen puff pastry and do it in your oven. If you wish you can replace the bacon with smoked salmon. The result may not be identical, but at least you can experience the flavour of my memories.

Alsace Tarte Flambée

What you need

8 to 10 ounces fresh puff pastry dough or one package frozen puff pastry, thawed

2/3 cup fromage blanc or Quark cheese

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Pinch of nutmeg

3 strips bacon, cut into thin strips

½ medium onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

What you do

On a lightly floured flat surface, roll the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into discs about three inches in diameter and place on a lightly greased heavy baking sheet. Or, roll out to fit a pizza pan or pizza stone.

Mix together the fromage blanc, cream, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Spread a small portion of the cheese mixture on each pastry disc. Scatter with the bacon and onion; chill or freeze on parchment-lined tray until needed. These tarts will keep well in the freezer for two weeks if tightly covered. Place the pizza pan or stone on the bottom rack of the oven, then heat to 450 F. When the oven is up to temperature, place the tartes on the pizza pan or stone and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until undersides are golden brown. Serve warm.