Eating Our Way Through Germany

I traveled to Germany several times in my life, most of which were under the age of 15.   I've been back twice since 1998; 2006 and May 2015.  This will be Cassie’s first time. Nostalgia abounds as childhood places are revisited.  Being from a different country, it is natural for Cassie and I to experience the standard tourist fare as far as attractions are concerned.  But as I get older, my traveling priorities change and I find myself wanting to experience the local culture more and getting off the beaten path.  One of the easiest ways of doing this is through food and drink.

The drink part is easy. Germany, best known for their beer, is also the best Riesling producer in the world.  The hub of Riesling vineyards is the Rhine River valley.  Around Rudesheim, one of the towns we traveled to with our family from the area, there is significant natural beauty. There are also lax laws and easy access to locally produced vino.  Not only are you are able to drink in any public forum (this is also largely accepted), you can be out on a hike and literally come across a small shack to purchase a fresh bottle (the way it works is based on the honor system).  There is no doubt Rieslings are our favorite varietal so there was little difficulty consuming as much as possible.

A "wine shack" along a vineyard trail in Rudesheim

Strammer Max, a traditional open-face sandwich with cheese, ham, egg and rye bread

Germany is renowned for their beer which is not just a part of its culture but an acceptable everyday/anytime beverage.   I will simply say that Germans do a great job with the beers they offer and an even better job with drinking them. However, Americans have a broader and better selection. 

We'll start out our eats with all things homemade. My uncle is my Hungarian paprikas (pronounced something like pa-pre-kash) idol.  His ingredients are the standard selection of meat, onions, salt, tomato paste and paprika.  The paprika used comes fresh from Hungary.  The technique employed is very traditional and not seen too frequently outside Hungary. A tri-pod is used to dangle a kettle over and open flame. (Wood was used for decades until he transitioned to propane). For a couple hours the paprikas simmers atop the flame. We were treated to two versions both accompanied with Hungarian egg noodles: beef and chicken.  The beef included neck and thigh muscles and basically melted in your mouth.  The chicken was equally enjoyable.  It is the impeccable blend of sweet and hot paprika, onion and salt that make the broth savory with a kick of heat.  

Cooking paprikas

Beef Paprikas

Our travels away from my aunt and uncle's house in Griesheim took us to Wiesbaden, Rudesheim in Rheingau (our coveted Riesling country) and Munich.  Most of the trips, with the exception of Munich, were taken with the whole family. Asparagus (spargel) was definitely in season in Germany and we so happened to be staying and touring in the heart of asparagus country.  This isn’t our wimpy green asparagus, this is large hearty white asparagus.  The highlight of most of the dinner menus is the asparagus as special seasonal dishes. While Cassie did not partake in this, I found it paired with wienerschnitzel and a good Riesling that was probably bottled not too far from where we were drinking it. 

Asparagus, Potato Salad, Wienerschintzel

To return to the home cooking fare, our first night we ate at my cousin Felix’s house for a BBQ that would make any American feel like we don’t quite get it right. Cooked over a fire pit in the backyard, the locally butchered meat selection included two types of wurst (paprika and brat), steak, chicken, and ribs. Side dishes including traditional potato salad, spargel salad (which even Cassie tried), and various other cold dishes that balanced well against the heavy meats. The other in season locally farmed favorite is strawberries. Most desserts on the trip included them in various, yet always delicious, forms.  

Munich is home to weisswurst (white sausage), pretzels, as well as notable breweries Paulaner, Hofbrau and Franziskaner.   Our time in Munich took us to the famous Hofbrauhaus for a beer and pretzel, as is expected of tourists. Crowded and overpriced, we did not concern ourselves with the fare; this was merely a ploy to say “we’ve been there.”  Instead, we transitioned to another large beer hall away from the tourism epicenter, Augustiner Keller.  We enjoyed weissbier (hefeweizen) as well as wienerschnitzel and fried “pork knuckle” in a briny broth.  Despite the always-delicious potato salad and a potato dumpling ball, the the cuisine at Augustiner Keller is meant for large crowds and quantity trumps quality.  If you are in search for for authentic, delicious and high quality Bavarian cuisine, we would recommend Zwickl in the Viktualienmarkt in the city center.  More of Zwickl to come shortly.

Schnitzel and Fried "Pork Knuckle"

Beers at Hofbrauhaus

In our quest to experience a true authenticity and feel of Munich, we deviated from the city center and rented bicycles.  We rode to the English Gardens, a beautiful large urban park that includes waterfalls, lakes and farms.  It also has several beer gardens of various sizes dotting the landscape.  Here, we were able to enjoy the famous weisswurst.  Unlike most conventional wursts or sausages, this is simmered in a water bath to prepare.  Also, the casing is usually not eaten.  (It is usually made with a denser part of intestine which makes it almost impossible to chew and digest.)  Accompanied with a pretzel and a dunkelweiss bier, this made for an acceptable zweitus fruhstuck or “second breakfast.”  Many other stands and biergartens occupy the English Gardens and the pedestrian trails along the Isar River.  Any of these places are a perfectly acceptable spot to enjoy a respite with some shade, beverages, ice cream and, of course, various wursts and beer.