If you're familiar with Germany, you've probably heard of the famous Oktoberfest, envisioned the idyllic mountain countryside, and maybe even seen men and women wearing Trachtl (traditional dress). Many of these chichés actually originated in the south of Germany, in a state known as Bavaria. Bavaria is home to the city of München (Munich) and every year hosts the largest Oktoberfest in the world. On our way to the mountains in Garmisch, my family and I stopped in Munich to have a typical lunch in the heart of the city.
The typical German meal often consists of a hearty meat, like pork or poultry, accompanied by bread, potatoes, or cabbage. Therefore in Germany, it can sometimes be difficult to find traditional food that is also vegetarian. At lunch, I opted for a vegetarian dish: creamed mushrooms in an herbal cream with Knödel (bread dumpling). My cousin had a more traditional lunch: German Bratwurst (sausages) with potato salad. Later that evening, we shared a popular dessert: Apfelstrudel (apple strudel). While apple strudel is certainly a staple all throughout Germany today, it actually originated just over the southern border in Vienna, Austria.
