From Mac & Cheese to Escargot

Let’s just say as a child I was less than adventurous with my food choices.  If given the choice I would have lived off of Mac & cheese and chicken nuggets. In fact, I am pretty sure that the only vegetables I allowed in my system the first 13 years of my life were corn, carrots (raw with ranch dip of course :), and French cut green beans from a can.  If I didn't already know that I liked something there was absolutely no way that it was going to go in my mouth. 

Now don't get me wrong I still love my Mac & cheese but since I couldn't fully embrace this experience without getting a taste of the local food I decided to just throw caution to the wind and grab a fork (as you have probably noticed by the reoccurring pictures of me eating). That being said I thought that I would share some of my eating experiences thus far with you!

Let’s start with the obvious....Schnitzel.  When most people think of German food they think of three things;  Brauts, sauerkraut, and Schnitzel.  However, if you are like me you have no idea what Schnitzel really is but are pretty sure that you will not like it. 

To put it simply think chicken fried steak with pork.  Changes your mind a little bit doesn't it!  I have probably tried over 20 kinds of Schnitzel (you can get them covered with just about anything you want: from gravy to mushroom sauce, to cheese and tomato sauce) and they have all been delicious!  One thing that might surprise you however is that they are almost always served with a side of "Pommes" or French fries (along with 95% of all restaurant dishes).

Spatzle- if you don't get Pommes you can be sure that spatzle will be your side!  I am still not sure what Spatzle is but Germans call it a noodle- somewhere between a potato noodle and egg noodle, usually about the size of a pea.  Not bad, but if you ask me I would rather have the fries!

Tarte Flambe- this French dish resembles a pizza with white cream sauce instead of spaghetti sauce.  It can be topped with tuna, artichokes, or ham.  Somewhat salty for my taste....but the good news is you get to eat the whole thing without feeling bad about yourself!

The most interesting dish I have had thus far would have to be "Fried Munich Meatloaf"- I wasn't sure what I was expecting but what I ended up with resembled a flat square fried hotdog of sorts.  Sound interesting right?

Roastie- Native to Switzerland, this dish is a mixture of hash browns, cheese, vegetables, and ham.  This delicious treat is usually enjoyed for lunch or dinner!  We loved this so much that we have tried to recreate it at home on more than one occasion.

And the kicker of all dishes that I have tried.....Escargot.  Yes, you read that right, miss Mac & cheese ate a snail.  All I have to say to that is when in France....  I have to admit that they were not bad (not that I would ever order them, but if someone was sharing I would have another bite) in fact pretty much all I tasted was the basil pesto sauce they were covered in. 

What is the best food that I have had thus far you ask??  Hands down Pizza....Now I know that you are disappointed because it is not German, but believe me real Italian pizza (which is much different than "American" pizza) is beyond DELICIOUS!

My parents were kind enough to buy me a German cookbook (in English of course)  that I am super excited about.  My goal is to try and make one new thing a week!  So maybe the next time I see you we can enjoy a nice homemade German meal!

*I am beginning to feel a little alone out here and would LOVE some comments.  I will admit that this is not the easiest blog to comment on, however, if you choose "anonymous" in the "comment as" section you do not have to sign in....just make sure to leave your name in the actual comment!  Hope to hear from you soon!!!