A blog by Jorge Garcia.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Our Traditional Bavarian meal.

We discovered a Bavarian restaurant at the bottom of the hotel. We were starving and they had pretzels on the table so we were sold. 
Ordering was fun because there was no English menu. 
So Beth got something with words we could recognize.
"Bratwurst" we know. 
What a "schnecke" is we'll later learn.
Also I knew "Kartoffel" was potato from Oktoberfest "Kartoffel Salat."
and "Püree" is puree in any language right? 
So we figured that's bratwurst with mashed  potatoes.
And... tah dah!


We passed the test. Turns out "Schnecke" means "snail."
I decided, since we had that as a safety, I'd be bold and get the special of the day. And the "Montag" special was...
I had nothing. I knew "Kraut." So I was getting Bavarian kraut. And that's all I knew.
But I lucked out. 
It was excellent. Whatever "knödeln" are, I dig 'em. This is what I figured a home cooked meal would taste like in the Bavaraian wood. 

44 comments:

Eugen Caitaz said...

this spiral snail looks tasty,but seems like your dog's surprise :) Bon apettit!
Now are you in Germany? and in what sity are you?

tiffibug said...

Glad you lucked out! Your food photos are making this preggo woman famished, even though I just ate!

Eatsruns said...

I think it means dumplings, though my German is rusty and I do have the photo to help! Kraut means herb, so it's Bavarian Herb, whatever that is!

Eatsruns said...

I am wrong! It means Bavarian cabbage. Silly me, I knew that.

Clare said...

Truly a potluck meal! Good choice - always go for the specials! Wishing you bon appetit!

Sonja said...

It's not bon appetit, it's "gute Appetit!"

Freak said...

As I said in a previous comment, I love bavarian food. I can imagine you really enjoyed it.
And Sonja it is Guten Appetit!

Rob Timko said...

Knoedel (you can spell it about 100 different ways) Is just a dumpling...think of it as like a giant gnocchi...usually with potato.

VERY good.

If you see

"Schweinebraten mit Knoedel" get it. Very down home cookin'

Freak said...

By the way, Schnecke means Snail and Knödel are some balls made out of potatoes or other ingredients. They make the ball and boil it in individual bags so that they still remain a ball when its boiled.
They also put two litle peaces of toasted bread in the inside. I use to love that as a child, like the surprise in the ball...
Hope you could understand what I ment.

Thanks!

Emily said...

Oooh that looks so yummy! I want to make this, off to google! :)

Christina Bauer said...

Pretty much ALL German food is delicious, Jorge! My Oma cooks German food all the time...yum!!!! Glad you're having/had a good time in Germany!

BRIT! said...

My you're brave! Looks tasty though =)

Kathy said...

Jorge ~ you just make me smile. :o)

(oh, and thanks for taking part in Jay and Jack's pocast for Autism Speaks.)

k

Jason said...

Ah bratwurst. Lecker! Glad you are having fun.

Try to find some Döner Kebabs, too.

Unknown said...

Glad to hear you enjoy bavarian food. :D I'm originally from there, and sometimes I really miss it in northern Germany.

Knödel, yes! Also commonly known as Klöße outside of Bavaria. And Spanferkel... Mhm, you're making me hungry. :P

Adeline said...

You, sir, are hilarious!

zar63 said...

You're braver than I am. If I don't know what it is, I won't eat it. I would starve first. :)

Unknown said...

Trying local cuisine is one of the funnest things while traveling. I remember deciphering German menus when I went there a few years back. As you demonstrated...a few educated guesses usually provides you some good luck. Bavarian food rocks!

James Hamlet said...

What amaze me most is the fact that you hadn´t show any pictures of our famous jamon iberico in Spain while you show this....whatever it´ll be.....

redelf said...

Sounds like you guys had a good time ordering.

James Hernandez said...

Jorge,

Sehr gut! Sie gehen vorubergehender grad!

Petra said...

That looks really delicious. I think I better not come to your blog when I am hungry!

Glad you are enjoying your break!

: ) P

ReNaTo UêGa said...

Delicious! I am hungry!
Purê! Puree! Püree! Purée! マッシュポテト!

=P

moon said...

Do you laugh every time you see an Ausfahrt sign?

Better aus than in.

Irishcoda said...

Adventures in dining! But snails? I don't think so!

katie! (: said...

(:
just watched you on ace of cakes.
soo excited that my favorite food network show was making a cake for me all time favorite show.
the cake looked amazing!

Rose said...

Schnecke literally means snail - but also the spiral shape (i.e., the spiral shape of the sausage).

Knoedel is dumpling.

Malea said...

Your food looks so good. I watched a travel special on Bavarian food. It seems like such a great place to visit. I have to echo the previous comment on the Ace of Cake and Lost marriage; it was completely made in my t.v. heaven. I had to call my friends and family (who really couldn't have given a crap), and tell them how happy I was it was on.

Michaela said...

giggle...it's fun to read about our food in that way. Loool. Knödel are "dumplings" in Englisch and I think those on your plate are a potato dumpling and a bread dumpling. Okay, I am sure about the bread dumpling on the right.

daniellespencer said...

So, I just caught the Ace of Cakes episode where they made the 100th episode LOST cake, which holy crap was amazing.

Anyway, I was commenting to my fiance how you genuinely seem like the nicest guy in the world. That, and you're hilarious. If I ever meet you (y'know, you find yourself moseying around Seattle), I may have to ask for a hug. I kind of hope that doesn't creep you out. Haha.

Anyway, found your blog and will definitely keep reading. Thanks for the smiles! :)

-Danielle

Anonymous said...

mmhhhh...bavaria is "not" germany.
it is a special part, very undefined!
my girlfriend is from there, she is a veggie...and when i met her parents i couldnt understand a word they said to me... the dialect is too strange....
so just come to hamburg, its not that warm but more coolminded.
good blog, though:-)
greets from hansestadt hamburg.
marco

Cheryl said...

Got to see the Ace of Cakes/LOST show yesterday - great show, great cake! Looking forward to seeing the finale. You guys are a great cast! Thanks for all of your hard work to make a great show!

N@T@N said...

hey DUDE ...

i like u !

be happy in your life.

feelisgood said...

I am hungry.
Will you give me a piece?)

Paul Spooner said...

Beth's shlong looked better...

Updates about Hanna said...

It looks so good. Will you take me with you the next time you go? I promise I won't be any trouble. :-)

Connie said...

goodness that meal looks tasty... I'm glad it turned out well.

Sesi said...

I never boil my Knoedel in separate bags. I make so many of them, its impossible to individually pack them, unless they're ready made, and that stuff never gets into my house.
Although Greek I was raised in Southern Germany, and that sort of cooking I am very fond of.
Knoedel are made of leftover bread or boiled potatoes, roasted onions, eggs, flour, nutmeg, salt, parsley, all made into a dough that slighty sticks on your fingers. You then make it into small balls and boil them till they start floating on the water.
You can serve them with roasted meat and sauce, my mother used to serve the bread ones also with mushrooms, onions and creamy sauce.

There's also the sweet sorts, with a plumb filling in vanilla sauce, which also rocks.

I bet concurrent Germanc cuisine has turned them into some freak with sundried tomatoes, like they did with Maultaschen.

ValMo said...

Oh man. Now you got me craving German food.

Clementine said...

Neuschwanstein is the most beautiful place! We took the horse and carriage up there as well in April, and here in the pic - the old man in charge of our ride!

Ps. I miss the food, too!

Goof said...

I love the blog and pics. And what ever it is you're eating looks good. Better than the snail thing ha-ha.

Unknown said...

if you like EVERY pig's part, you should try eisbein too :)

Jenni King said...

hahah that's always fun! We did that in Germany too. It was a sri lankan restaurant in Berlin and so it was a mix of German and sri lankan words and even our German teacher had no idea what half the menu said. I just made my way to the familiar meat section, closed my eye and put my finger on one.

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