Bratwurst

It's all about the sausage

Nuremberg bratwurst are not only a taste treat, but a piece of living history. Their roots go back to 1313. That is the first time the recipe for Nuremberg bratwurst appears in the records of the City Council of the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. Quality standards for pork were also regulated. As raising pigs in the city was very difficult, pigs were brought to Nuremberg from the region and further afield (sources name areas of origin such as Bohemia, Poland and Hungary) for hundreds of years. The essential ingredients for the sausage such as salt, marjoram, pepper and other spices have historically not been produced in Nuremberg, but were found here due to flourishing trade with the Far East (via Venice). 

At the Christmas Market, you can enjoy Nuremberg sausages in the classical form of "Drei im Weggla" - three in a bun. Please note: Real Nuremberger only eat their wurst with mustard - if you put ketchup on your bun, it will turn their stomach. You can find bratwurst stands on almost every corner of the market; that's the plan. The sausage stands are always located on the edge of the market, so that you enjoy your food in peace. Mustard accidents on clothing are a given - usually they are the fault of the eater, not the crowd. But if you hear from a local "there on the corner are the best bratwurst, it's been that way for years", we can assure you: That can't be true. 

That because since the middle of the 1990s there has been - in the name of fairness - a so-called bratwurst stand rotation. There are seven stands at the market that serve only bratwurst - and they change their position each year based on a pre-approved plan. That's because there was a rumor that at some locations you can sell more sausages than at others. The bratwurst stand rotation, where every sausage seller changes location each year, is a fair answer to this problem that keeps everyone happy. And to accommodate the high number of applicants, two dealers always share one stand. If you want to see how this works in action, check out the seven bratwurst stands at the Christkindlesmarkt with Booth Numbers 1, 12, 44, 78, 113, 130 and 136! 

As "Drei im Weggla" or 6, 8, 10 or 12 on a plate with sauerkraut, Nuremberg bratwurst are really delicious. But there are many other possibilities to put these little sausages on a plate. Have you heard of a bratwurst-leek tart? Or bratwurst sushi? Or a Nuremberg Rostbratwurst Burger? 
If not, and if your mouth waters when you hear this, then you should have a look at the website of the Nuremberg Sausage Protection Association - there's a whole lot of delicious recipes and cool info about sausages!