Traveling- The Gastric Edition

I love to travel.

I love food.

You would think this would be a match made in heaven, but you’d be wrong. I love to watch the Andrew Zimmern show “Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel. I would love to do that show, but not eat the food, just travel around and see all the weird stuff people eat around the world.

And its not like in third world countries or in the undeveloped areas of some jungle. THAT, I can understand. Eating whatever you can get your hands on. But in supposedly civilized countries, I can’t wrap my head around it.

What am I talking about?

Schweinshaxe.

That is German Pork Knuckle in a Dark Beer Gravy with a potato dumpling.

Its not that its BAD, but it is VERY HEAVY. Not a bad thing necessarily when you need to absorb a couple liters of beer.

But its not my cup of tea. And the dumpling . . . a gelatinous, smooshy mess that to me is like eating a loogie. But its a staple in the Haufbrau Houses.

They also make their sauerkraut somewhat sweet and mushy. I like it sour and crunchy.

But our waiter was quite insistent that it was a German Aphrodisiac. Not that I needed that (Honest honey, I was a good boy) but, in the interest of science I cleaned my plate (especially since my sister wouldn’t share her Apple Strudel until I finished my lunch).

I don’t know about you, but Sauerkraut, and indeed all cabbage based foods has a definite effect on me . . . and its not very Aphrodisiacal. Maybe that’s why the population rate in Germany in dropping.

So you may well be asking why I keep going back? Well, I DO love the Schnitzel (Weiner)