German Street Food

The sights, sounds and smells of the Munich Christmas markets tantalise your senses with every step. So much tempting street food on offer that in between breakfast and dinner we ate on the hoof. We couldn't resist for long and our first snack in the markets was Rieberdatschi. This is a deep fried potato pancake served with apple sauce or mayonnaise. You can also sprinkle it with either salt or sugar. If you watched Kirstie's Vintage Christmas last week you would have seen her visit the Munich Markets where she ate at the very same stall.

For those with a sweet tooth Gingerbread or Lebkuchen is found in abundance covered wth chocolate and icing in an assortment of flavours and shapes. Stollen, sweets, chocolates, nuts, cakes and roasted chestnuts are also on offer at every turn. The burnt sugar almonds (Mandeln) have the most amazing smell that draws you towards the stall for a taster.

There are Bratwurst sausage stalls a plenty with a huge selection of different variations up to a foot long. Lots of mustard to accompany or giant bottles of ketchup or mayo if you prefer. Unfortunately we never managed to sample the local specialty of white veal sausage or Munchner Weisswurst. Another good reason for a return visit.

On a visit to the Gay Pink Christmas Market we had to have a Pink Puffer from the Puffervariationen stall. It was a potato cake made with beetroot and accompanied by a horseradish sour cream.

A popular fast food sausage dish is Currywurst. A chopped smoked sausage topped with curry ketchup. A machine magically chops up the sausage into pieces. A mix of curry powder and paprika is sprinkled on the top.

At the Residenz Market we spotted an amazing pastry called a Baumstriezel and had to try it. A thin strip of sweet dough was wrapped round a wooden mould, brushed with butter and sugar and cooked in a tube shape. We had it with sugar and cinnamon but coconut, chocolate, nuts and sprinkles were also on offer.

The sheer range of food available at the markets was phonemonal and the quality was excellent. So much better than the burger and chip vans of the UK and very reasonably priced. The Medieval market had a particularly amazing selection.

I was really pleased to see the star shaped Zimtstrene on sale having had a go at making them myself. Candied fruits was another festive delight on offer in spectacular displays.

Even the rubbish bins got into the festive spirit. If only we could have gingerbread house bins and burger stalls under a Christmas Pyramid Windmill here in the UK perhaps the quality of street food on offer would improve. Wunderbare München. Wunderbares Essen.

 

German Dining - Meat and No Veg

Stuffed with our daily German breakfast, we ate on the hoof throughout the day in Munich sampling a huge variety of foods from the various market stalls. Come evening we were in dire need of a seat so each night headed to a different Beer Hall for our main meal. What an amazing atmosphere. All are large, cavernous, noisy and very busy. You share large traditional wooden tables with other groups squeezing in where you can. No romantic tables for two to be had.

First night we dined at www.bayerischer-donisl.de  All the evening meals during our stay could probably best be described as hearty. Lots of meat, gravy and dumplings but little in the way of green vegetables. They were all however most enjoyable and very tasty. Just what was needed after a long cold day of shopping. I opted for pork knuckle with crispy crackling and potato dumplings whilst M had roasted piglet and bread dumplings. The dumplings were like nothing I had tried before. No Atora suet in these guys. Best way I can describe them was like giant potato gnocchi. A real rib sticking dish.

1/2 hintere gebratene Schweinshaxe mit 2 geriebenen Kartoffelknödel

Jungschweinsbraten mit 2 Semmelknödel

Day two and we dined at www.spoeckmeier.com  I chose for the Sausage Platter with roasted pork, grilled, veal and Weiner sausages. This was served with sauerkraut with bacon and mashed potatoes topped with crispy onions.  All very delicious with plenty of mustard. M went for a lighter option of a warm goats cheese salad in the hope of having room for desert. However it would appear than in Germany even a salad is huge and filling. No room for pudding.

We did veer off the course of daytime streetfood at one point when it was particularly cold and snowy so we headed into a cafe for coffee and the obligatory apple strudel. Cafe culture seemed particularly big in Munich and the choice of cakes on offer was eye boggling and mouth watering. Our strudel was served with a vanilla sauce which was a cross between custard and creme anglaise.

Our last supper was at www.augustiner-restaurant.com  I had "Allgauer Alm Platter". Butchers ravioli, baby meatballs, creamed mushrooms and swabian noodles. This came with a huge sidedish of potato salad. Somehow I don't have a photo of M's dish but she had Braised Beef in Vinegar with Bread Dumpling and an enormous side dish of Red Cabbage. We were pleased to finally spot a Stammtisch table here having read about them in our guide book. These are tables reserved for locals only and identified with elaborate signage. Thankfully we didn't sit at one in error.

Alas after my own endevours we never actually tried any Goulash so I have nothing to compare my Gulaschsuppe mit Sauerkraut to but it certainly fell within the "hearty" category. Was strange to see that chicken didn't seem to appear much on the Munich menu. Duck was there and I'm told that the traditional Christmas Day German dish is Goose as opposed to Turkey. Alas I fear my friend below won't live to see Boxing Day.

Breakfast and Beer in Bavaria

Just got back last night from absolutely the final part of my 40th Birthday adventures. A trip with BFF to a snowy Munich for the Christmas Markets. We had an absolutely amazing time. Eating, Shopping, Drinking, Shopping, Sight-seeing, Shopping, Ice Skating, Shopping. Tis the season to shop. We flew with Easyjet from Edinburgh and stayed at the Brunnenhof Hotel which was centrally located with clean spacious rooms, served a fantastic breakfast and suited our requirements perfectly. 

The typically continental breakfast offered a great choice of fresh bread rolls, cheeses, cold meats, pate, hard and soft boiled eggs, smoked salmon, roe, pickles and sauces. Chocolate cake was on offer too if you like that kind of thing of a morning. Plenty of fruit juices, cereals, tea and coffee. They also made their own jam which was like nothing I have come across before. It was described as "cold stirred". There was a summer berry flavour and a strawberry flavour.  Almost a whipped consistency and vivid in colour it was a bit like a very thick sweet smoothie. The strawberry was too sickly for me but the berry was much more tart and tasty. Most unusual.

I couldn't miss out on a traditional pretzel on a trip to Germany. Delicious dark brown crispy crust topped with large salt crystals and a soft doughy inside. Great topped with philly, smoked salmon and roe. Our hearty breakfasts certainly set us up for the busy day ahead.

The temperature during our stay was cold. Very cold. As such a lot of hot drinks were required and that of choice was predominantly Gluhwein. Practically every second stall sells it and its smell fills the air. If you want you can get an added Schuss (shot) of Rum, Brandy or Schnapps to warm you up even further.The perfect festive spirit. There is alcohol free Kinderpunsch widely available but surprisingly we never tried it.

Each gluhwein stall has its own style of serving cup or glass which you pay a deposit (Pfand) on and can only be returned to that stall. Or if you like you can forgo the deposit and keep it as a souvenir. There was also hot chocolate on offer with a variety of additions to warm the cockles of your heart. I think I'm going to have to add some Amaretto to my Christmas shopping grocery list. Amazing good in hot chocolate.

A step up from Gluewein is the Feuerzagen Bowle. This is where the alcohol soaked sugar is set alight and drips in to sweeten the mulled punch. My German friend C had served us this when we went for Kaffee and Kuchen. We visited the worlds largest Burnt Punch Bowl and were fortuitous enough to actually see it ablaze. We also had our own individual Feurzangenbowles from a stall at the Mittelater Markt. Fantastic terracotta goblets with a lip for a rum soaked sugar cube which is set alight and slowly drips into your drink.

And so to beer. Despite Munich being the home of the famous Oktoberfest we didn't actually sample very much of it preferring to stick to the hot drinks. However it would have been rude not to have indulged in a glass with our evening meal each night. We stuck to the lighter pale beers and also Russ which is basically a Weissbier (wheat beer) shandy with lemonade.

So that was the brekkie and drinks.  Much more to come by way of street food, main meals and foodie shopping. Such a fantastic trip which I would recommend to anyone. Couple of gratuitous non foodie photos below.  Meantime - Prost!