We embark on today's post about my homeland Bavaria and its traditions with this mornings purchase of Weißwurst or white sausages from the local butcher. As you can see, the counter generally offers a diverse selection. Besides various hams, sausage is unmistakably a Bavarian or German specialty. This particular butcher, in comparison to other small butchers in the area, has embraced digitalization. The entire payment process is conducted using a payment machine after the goods are received. Orders can also be placed through the butcher's own mobile App up front, and pre-ordering from local butchers, especially during Christmas or official celebrations, is recommended. I've broached the topic of accepting Bitcoin twice, and while he was generally open to the idea, he mentioned being currently occupied with the process of handing over the business to his daughter (I know, no excuse i keep on orange pilling).

Weißwurst can be bought not only from local family-run butcher shops in the area but also from various supermarkets. However, I've observed a growing trend in recent years towards the centralization of bakeries and butchers into large enterprises, resulting in the decline of small family businesses. Therefore, I find it commendable to buy certain products locally. Centralization implies that specific chains centrally slaughter or bake and then only have sales shops with sales personnel. Consequently, customer requests or alterations cannot be accommodated, especially in the case of meat, where quality takes precedence over quantity, in my opinion. An interesting point is that these local butchers also sell regional game meat, such as deer or wild boar, but such items are only available on order due to high demand. Having traveled to various countries, I can confidently say that I am quite satisfied with the selection of sausages and meat products in Bavaria and Germany. Returning to the subject, the purpose of the visit to the butcher was for white sausages, typically served in pairs, meaning the two sausages are always presented together. Those with a heartier appetite may opt for an additional single sausage or two afterwards.

The Weißwurst is heated in warm water for a certain period and then eaten with sweet mustard after removing the skin. Our sweet mustard is not made with honey but rather with brown sugar and is typically consumed only with Weißwurst or Leberkassemmel (perhaps a topic for another post), with a few exceptions. The reason I wanted to delve into the topic of Weißwurst or white sausage in this post is that I heard in New York, one can buy grilled Weißwurst similar to a hotdog, even leaving the skin on, which would be considered a faux pas here on-site. I personally know only a very small percentage of people who eat the skin of the white sausage. Nevertheless, there is a certain art to peeling the white sausage only with a knife and fork without touching it. There's also the tradition of "zuzeln," which means sucking the sausage out of it’s scin, but very few actually engage in this practice.

Regarding sweet mustard, there are, of course, multiple brands, but I highly recommend "Händlmaier" sweet mustard; it's truly exquisite. Typically, we pair Weißwurst and sweet mustart with pretzels (brezn how we say), which are available worldwide, but here they come with a generous amount of salt on top (perhaps a bit too much for my taste) and a glass of 0.5L Weissbier or wheat beer, which can be refilled multiple times. The "Maß" is a known quantity worldwide, referring to 1L beer glasses, but these are typically found only at Oktoberfest and local festivals. Also wheat beer is not consumed out of 1L glasses.

It's worth noting that this is considered a breakfast, meant to be consumed before 12 noon, and eating it in the afternoon is generally frowned upon. This dish is usually only available in the morning on menus or in restaurants. Weißwürste or white sausages are crafted from veal, pork back fat, cooked veal head meat, ice snow, and salt. Depending on the recipe, they are seasoned with parsley, pepper, lemon powder, mace, onions, as well as ginger and cardamom. The muscle meat content must predominate, constituting at least 51% veal. I've also heard attempts were made to create a vegan alternative. According to legend, the white sausage was created in the tavern "Zum Ewigen Licht" on Munich's Marienplatz on February 22, 1857 (Carnival Sunday) by the tavern butcher Joseph Moser (known as "Moser Sepp").

A white sausage breakfast, in comparison, is not very expensive; eating out typically costs around 15 euros, including pretzel and beer. When I started working, my first employer used to provide white sausages every Friday at 11 am, but with non-alcoholic white beer. I find it heartwarming when such traditions are maintained, as every country has its longstanding customs and specialties that should not be lost.

By the way, the term "Weißwurstäquator" (white sausage equator) refers to the northern border of the Bavaria. Bavarians refer to other Germans living north of the Weißwurstäquator as "Preißn," originally a Bavarian dialect term for North or East Germans, later used more broadly for strangers in general. Weißwurst = Weisswurst. The ingredients of Weißwurst may seem intimidating to some but should definitely be tried.