Bratwurst is a major staple of the German diet, and has been for centuries. In fact, bratwurst is so prevalent in Germany the average male consumes a little over 60 pounds of sausage a year! This love of sausage is not a coincidence. Quite the contrary, Germany and sausage are a match made in Heaven. One of the main causes for this perfect union of country and food is the location of Germany.
Germany lies in the northern part of the world and is very mountainous. Due to the geography of the country, Germany has a cold climate. Cold climates made it hard to get food back in the 15h century. As a result, Germans were weary to waste any food they could get. This fear of waste led the citizens to use all parts of the pigs they ate, including the intestines and the blood. In fact, bratwurst translated literally means sausage without waste.
This history of bratwurst has led to many traditions in Germany. One restaurant in Germany created a challenge available to customers involving bratwurst. Patrons try to eat a meter long piece of bratwurst, and even though there is no prize, the challenge is a popular attraction. Another tradition is eating bratwurst for good luck. It is considered good luck to eat bratwurst on New Year’s, because pigs are considered good luck in Germany.
After the history and tradition they share, Germany and bratwurst have become inseparable. In fact, bratwurst has transcended the realm of “just food” and has become a way of life for many Germans. Many countries have an item of food that has become a symbol of its culture. Italy has spaghetti and pizza, America has apple pie, and Germany has bratwurst.
Germany lies in the northern part of the world and is very mountainous. Due to the geography of the country, Germany has a cold climate. Cold climates made it hard to get food back in the 15h century. As a result, Germans were weary to waste any food they could get. This fear of waste led the citizens to use all parts of the pigs they ate, including the intestines and the blood. In fact, bratwurst translated literally means sausage without waste.
This history of bratwurst has led to many traditions in Germany. One restaurant in Germany created a challenge available to customers involving bratwurst. Patrons try to eat a meter long piece of bratwurst, and even though there is no prize, the challenge is a popular attraction. Another tradition is eating bratwurst for good luck. It is considered good luck to eat bratwurst on New Year’s, because pigs are considered good luck in Germany.
After the history and tradition they share, Germany and bratwurst have become inseparable. In fact, bratwurst has transcended the realm of “just food” and has become a way of life for many Germans. Many countries have an item of food that has become a symbol of its culture. Italy has spaghetti and pizza, America has apple pie, and Germany has bratwurst.