Scenes from Germany

When planning a European trip, most people think of Paris, Rome or maybe Barcelona. Germany is not necessarily top on the list, which is too bad. You’re really missing something special. Berlin is as diverse and cultural as New York City while still maintaining its historical past. But for a true German experience, I would head south.

Munich certainly has its charms and I love the city sprawl. But I would look a little to the left. I’m very partial to the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald. Here is where the rolling hills and dark trees surround white washed Tudor homes with red geraniums in the window boxes. This is where you will find true German fare—meats, breads, and cheeses for breakfast, every kind of schnitzel, and spätzle, spätzle, spätzle.

Spätzle, especially käse spätzle, is just Germany’s answer for comfort food. It’s pasta in little bedraggled pieces that get doused in cheese. What’s not to love? But Germans don’t stop there. One of their favorite versions of spaetzle involves champignons, or little tiny mushrooms. That’s certainly true if you are close to the French border with the Alsace Lorraine region, another gem in Europe that is grossly overlooked.

This whole section of the globe is quintessential Europe. When you think of winding, cobbled stone streets, this area should come to mind. So very quaint. But it can also be pretty cosmopolitan.

We recently stayed in Baden Baden, a resort spa town based on Roman baths set up on naturally occurring springs. (Friedrichsbad is the well-known spa in the center of town and takes advantage of the spring water. Prepare to be nude with strangers.) With fountains literally everywhere you go, this lazy town boasts high-end shops and boutiques, fine restaurants, and plenty of up-hill walking.

And then, there’s the beer. Light or dark (helle or dunkel), a nice stein of hefeweizen is where it’s at. The Germans are pretty particular about their ingredients, too. Much like other areas of Europe that have restrictions on region, country of origin, and how a product is made, Germany has Reinheitsgebot, or the German Beer Purity Law. Only three ingredients are allowed to brew beer: barley, hops, and water.

While the Germans have certainly managed to create a fantastic product with just three things, I do think it limits them to one flavor. Here in the U.S., our craft breweries offer a range of different beer types and flavors. Add herbs? Sure. Fruit? Not a problem. To Germans, that’s heresy. But, Americans have rediscovered the joys of beer and don’t want to be confined by ingredients. We have porters, stouts, ales, lagers, and pilsners with every imaginable combination. Sometimes, I wonder what Germans would think of an American brewery that served a Sierra Nevada or a Geary’s Pale Ale. Would they love it or hate it?

When it comes to the region’s wines, I found them a little disappointing. Most whites tend to be on the sweet side, of which I am no fan. The reds are a little thin and Germany has a much smaller percentage of their wine crop devoted to reds anyway. I did have a pleasant glass of Müller-Thurgau, but again a touch on the sweet side. It would, however, have paired well with a charcuterie board and cheeses. The German sparkling wine was also a pleasant surprise. Crisp, fruity, and a little floral, it made for a lovely aperitif.

I hope to return one day. When I do, I will walk the hills seeking out a nice place in the sun to sit, have a drink, and feel very European while I’m doing it.