Germans love Pretzels. Brezel, Brezen, whatever you like to call it. Symbols of all bakeries. Legend says it prevented a baker from certain death, nowadays, it prevents countless people from low blood sugar levels.

There are two types of pretzel-eaters: those who leave the salt and those who get rid of it. There are more than two types of pretzels. Yeah, I did not know that either, but it makes sense: regional differences and regional pride. See the dash in that pretzel? A Swabian pretzel. Although the little ends are two thick on this one. And they should be crispier and a darker brown.

 

Why all this talk of pretzels in Nuremberg? Well, there is this really famous pretzel bakery that supposedly makes some mean Brezen. And that got me thinking about all those pretzels…a Bavarian pretzel should be soft and without dash. The Kolb-pretzel is still different. We are not in Bavaria, after all (see here). The Brezen Kolb carts are e-ve-ry-where. The pretzels are not dusted with salt, but with flour (takes the salt-debate out of the pretzel), the dough is more similar to a bread roll and the outside is crispy. It is also a few shades lighter than its Swabian brother. Mine was sort of tough…my jaw hurts halfway through my second Brezen. Sadly, I am not impressed…I love pretzels 🙁

 

 

Onto other things after the pretzel-debacle. Christkindlesmarkt, probably the most famous Christmas market in Germany and worldwide. Rows and rows of booths, but it comes down to three items: 600-year-old Lebkuchen or gingerbread (or any of the other hundred names), 700-year-old Nürnberger Bratwurst (sausage), and mulled wine. Mulled wine because it is a mandatory item at any Christmas market.

Each booth has the most traditional, best, original. Of course.

 

Germans do not only like Pretzels, they also like sausage. Possibly together. There are as many sausage varieties as regions. The Nürnberg Bratwurst is one of the smallest ones, most often described to be the size of a finger, or 9cm. Bestseller is Drei im Weckla or three in a bun. Three little piggy sausages in a bread roll. Some mustard on top, done!

 

December 15th, 2016