If you're new to Thuringia, among the first things any local will introduce you to is the Thuringia Bratwurst. What's different between the Würste (sausages) you can get in different parts of Germany is that they're prepared, cooked and eaten differently.
[A little German lesson is needed here: 1 Wurst (singular). 2 Würste (plural)]
Thuringia Würste are grilled. This is specific to Thuringia, I have discovered. Other parts of Germany have their Würste boiled, cooked or even stewed. The mustard garnishes for the Würste also differ from state to state - in Thuringia, the mustard is different from the one in Berlin, for instance.
For today, it's Thuringia Bratwurst. At the one place which I believe has the best Bratwurst in Erfurt - Domplatz. I am not exaggerating (neither am I sponsored for writing this, thank you very much).
Simple. One could almost say basic. 1 Wurst, 1 Brot and mustard (self-served) on the side. Nothing fancy and honestly, one could almost say, "whaaaaaaa....?"
Touch it. Fresh from the grill, you can see the smoke leaving the Wurst and Brot (yes, BOTH are put on the grill). Hot to the touch, it makes you so curious you want to keep touching it, despite the risk of scalding your fingers.
Bite into it. The saying "the first cut is the deepest" never rang so true. In this case, the first bite's the hardest. It's so bristly hot, the inexperienced patron will probably manage only half a bite before letting go to allow the Wurst to cool down. Falling into temptation is painful.
This isn't my first visit so I have learnt my lesson (and learnt it well, too, I might add!). So, being the Domplatz Bratwurst pioneer I was, I waited the necessary minutes before I bit into it. I would say 2 minutes is enough to let the burning heat ease off while the Wurst remains hot.
The first bite is the clincher. You have it, and you know, and you will never forget. Firm, yet not overly hard. The sausage meat is packed ideally so - the sausage doesn't feel like it's made of blended meat. This is an important factor for me, I cannot appreciate sausages that are so well-packed, the meat feels like they were pounded, minced and blended all at the same time. Or when the meat all clumps together and you can't tell one grain from the other.
This Wurst is excellently made with the excellence level in sausage making that comes only with years of experience. For one thing, these are custom-made by the grillers themselves, and whoever the people are making them, they sure know what they're doing. The meat is packed well, with sufficient air gaps in between the meat to allow for perfect roasting on the grill without being too loose that the meat hangs out between bites. So with every bite you make, the sausage meat stays firmly together, not crumbling onto your plate or table, but loose enough for you to taste each grain almost separately. I especially love how the outer layer has the same texture as a firm mattress, when each bite reveals the inner tenderness of the meat. Just like a good mattress that guarantees you a good night's sleep on the first lay, this Wurst promises you a treat for your palate. It's a texture surprise I never get tired of.
Don't be fooled by the grizzly, weathered-looking exterior. The taste is anything but. Full-flavoured. Grizzly and dry-looking on the outside but moist on the inside.
What I am most thrilled about is that it isn't overly salty like many other Würste I have tasted. I am not big on salty foods, probably because culturally, my native cuisine generally isn't salty. So coming here and having to adapt to a saltier cuisine wasn't the easiest thing to do. Suffice to say, the salt norm here is higher than what I am used to.
Having said that, this Wurst isn't tasteless either. Its flavour is more of meat, not salted meat. And this, I salute. It's not easy to find the kind of food preparation skill where the flavouring heightens the taste of meat without devaluing it. In this case, I tasted meat, not meat that was salted or spiced or enhanced. It was as if the meat tasted naturally that way (when logically, we all know food is seasoned). And this is what makes this Wurst stand out from the rest.
Add the warm Brot to the Wurst with your choice of mustard on the side. Eaten with or without mustard, this Bratwurst holds it own.
Simple and understated. This is the definition of a classic beauty.
If you haven't had yours there, make the time to.
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