We had another wine stand last night.  I didn’t take very many pictures because, at this point, that would be boring and redundant.  However, I did want to make a quick post about the local delicacy I tried for the first time last night.

This is Spundekäs.  It’s a local speciality and great drunk food!

I don’t usually eat cheese dips, mainly because unless the cheese is very mild, I often find it offensive to my palate.  I also don’t like the texture of many cheeses.  I was persuaded to give this a try last night when I kept noticing little kids eating it.  Kids often have very sensitive tastebuds, so I figured if they liked it, I probably would too.

I sent Bill to get some, although he was reluctant at first.  Usually, with anything involving cold cheese, he’s on his own.  I promised him I’d try it, reminding him that I’ve successfully tried Burrata more than once.  I also like pretzels, so if need be, I could eat it plain.  He fetched a pretzel with Spundekäs, which came topped with sweet paprika and raw onions.  What can I say?  I loved it!  In fact, we had some left over, so I even sent Bill to get another pretzel.

Spundekäs is a Mainz speciality.  It’s cheese spread made with quark and seasoned with sweet paprika, salt, and pepper.  It’s often served with pretzels, crackers, or other breaded delights, and paired with Riesling wines.  It went very well with what people were drinking last night.

I was wondering if this snack was related to Handkäse, which I was first introduced to at a beer tasting party in Stuttgart.  The hostess was from Hanau, which is in Hesse.  She said she loved her hand cheese and didn’t mind if others didn’t, since it meant there was more for her.  Evidently, the raw onions served with these cheeses cause people to fart, which is why Handkäse is served “mit Musik”. The music comes from your ass.

Spundekäs is evidently much milder than Handkäse, which is often marinated in vinegar and has a pungent aroma.  I admit I haven’t tried Handkäse yet, and based on its description, I probably wouldn’t like it much.  However, I do like Spundekäs!  I found a recipe for it here.

We had a great time drinking wine with our neighbors last night.  That’s one thing I really like about our new community.  They have these awesome wine stands where people can chat and get to know each other.  It’s very friendly and communal and quite different from our experiences in Baden-Württemberg, where you’re more likely to find a fest involving beer.  Not that I mind a beer centered fest, either!  But neither of the towns we lived in in BW had these regularly scheduled wine stands hosted by different groups raising funds for their club activities.  They’d have other events like onion festivals or Schlachtfests.

I’m grateful we’ve had the chance to experience another part of Germany.  I don’t know how long our adventure is going to continue, so I’m trying not to take it for granted.  I suppose the next thing I need to try is green sauce, which is a Frankfurt speciality.  I have tried some Bill made, but it might be fun to get some at a restaurant made by a local… or maybe even attend a festival surrounding it.

Last night’s wine festival was a success, despite the stormy weather and everyone crowded under the umbrellas despite the wind and rain.  We also ran into our landlady, who was very happy to see us!  She’s a really nice lady, always cordial and welcoming.

I don’t know what we’ll do today.  We’ll see what turns us on.