Are you not intrigued? New Braunfels hosts an annual celebration of all things German during the first week of November which has grown exponentially in popularity since its inception in 1961. The Foodette, Captain, First Mate and I made the trek to the hill country to take it all in where we were later joined by the D-Man.
(This Is Where The Magic Happens)Seasonal temperatures of high seventies during the day and mid fifties at night were a great host for the outdoor festival and we arrived in desperate need of nourishment. We split up which allowed The Captain and I to secure pitchers of Paulaner Octoberfest and Hefeweizen while the First Mate and Foodette gathered dinner. After the group reassembled, like Voltron, it took us over three hours to find a table in Wursthalle. Well, maybe not that long, but when you're walking around with a pitcher of cold beer that you can't drink yet and a plate that looks like this, everything feels like a long time:
(No Real Vegetables - Fermented Or Pickled Food Does Not Count)After snagging a table with room for everyone, we commenced consumption. Several hours of active chatter was brought to a halt but assorted grunts of approval let me know everyone was enjoying their food as much as I was.
The sauerkraut was simply prepared with salt, pepper, and a bucket of butter which provided a rich combination of vinegar and spice. It was fine by itself but much better when paired with the bratwurst and a line of spicy mustard. The brat itself had a decent snap on the charred outside while the filling had an extremely smooth consistency. They must have set the sausage grinder to "Destroy". The flavor of each bite was salty but neutral with most coming from the grilled skin as well as the sauerkraut and mustard on top. I chose to eat the bread separately as it was fairly dry and didn't have much flavor. I found a way to improve that though.
(This Has To Be Seen To Be Believed)
The potato salad was my favorite dish on the platter. Wafer-thin slices of potato were covered in a sweet and savory vinegar dressing that challenged my mouth with each bite. The vinegar showed up first with authority but quickly faded into a subtle sweetness that also hosted a hint of spice. The layers of flavor were just right and I eagerly helped The Foodette finish her serving. I also spread some of the dressing onto the bun which turned it into something different and enjoyable. Of course, I would probably eat my wallet if it was covered in that dressing.
The sauerkraut was simply prepared with salt, pepper, and a bucket of butter which provided a rich combination of vinegar and spice. It was fine by itself but much better when paired with the bratwurst and a line of spicy mustard. The brat itself had a decent snap on the charred outside while the filling had an extremely smooth consistency. They must have set the sausage grinder to "Destroy". The flavor of each bite was salty but neutral with most coming from the grilled skin as well as the sauerkraut and mustard on top. I chose to eat the bread separately as it was fairly dry and didn't have much flavor. I found a way to improve that though.
(This Has To Be Seen To Be Believed)German beer was made for German food and the Octoberfest and Hefeweizen were flowing like water; as was the money in my dressing-covered wallet. Paulaner Octoberfest provided a nutty and sweet greeting from the Fall while the citrus notes in the Hefeweizen offered a great complement to the vinegar in both the sauerkraut and potato salad. As the night wore on and the empty pitchers piled up, another round of hunger swept over the table and magically the following appeared:
(Camera Set To "Three Pitchers")You are looking at fried mushroom caps in cream gravy and their partner in crime, chicken fried bacon. Or as I like to call it, The Widowmaker. The mushrooms and gravy were little more than grease, salt and fat. That's a complement by the way. The bacon was salty, salty, and salty. Although it was more of an experience than food, like the McRib, it could have used some kind of sweetness to cut through the saltiness. At least I can look back and say that I ate chicken fried bacon when my doctor asks me why I weigh 400 pounds. Cause, meet Effect.
(This Is What Happens To Your Body After Chicken Fried Bacon)Fries and a turkey leg appeared after a few more rounds and far too many drinking games. The spiral cut and fried potatoes were liberally dusted with salt and dotted with ketchup. They had a deep, almost burnt flavor from the oil which probably meant this was batch number 342,754 that it had produced. These disappeared quickly, like the Rockets chances of succeeding when Tracy McGrady returns.
(Cannonball)The turkey leg, a festival staple, was cannonballed around the table and made it two rounds before being reduced to bone, gristle, and fat. The skin was heavily smoked and had been kept moist by rendered fat and juices from the dark meat inside. Each bite was peppery and savory while providing a nice break from the carbohydrate binging we had been engaged in for the better part of the evening.
At this point, details become foggy but I do know that I will be going back to Wurstfest and I encourage all to do the same! Auf Wiedersehen!
GIRCON 4
