German food is just sausages, isn’t it, and sauerkraut? Well, yes, they do have 1,200 types of wurst – but this is a country with a huge diversity of cuisine, both traditional and contemporary. With more than 200 types of bread, a nationwide passion for vegetables, and an infinite range of regional styles, served everywhere from rural inns to the country’s 300-plus Michelin-starred restaurants, Germany is arguably home to some of the most underrated cuisine in Europe. And the culinary scene in Thuringia is well worth shouting about.
So if the state’s diverse history, from Martin Luther and Goethe to the Weimar Republic, and spectacularly bucolic landscape, aren’t enough to keep you occupied, Thuringia’s terrific cuisine will certainly divert the attention. A mustard museum in Erfurt and the annual Onion Festival in Weimar (with live music and food stalls, it attracts more than 350,000 people yearly) are proof of how seriously they take their food.
The Thuringian bratwurst is the culinary kingpin of the region, but you can tuck in to other hearty dishes such as the succulent Mutzbraten (grilled pork) and Thuringian dumplings, or for those with a sweeter tooth, how about some handmade chocolate? And why not wash it all down with a dark beer, for which the region is well known, or a glass of white wine from Bad Sulza in north-eastern Thuringia? Just a few more reasons why Thuringia should be firmly on the tourist map.
Thuringian bratwurst
Locals claim the Thuringer rostbratwurst – its full name – is the best bratwurst in Germany. The original recipe dates back to 1434, so they certainly know what they are doing. Consisting of minced pork (local variations have beef or game) mixed with marjoram and garlic, some also feature caraway seed, although its inclusion is a subject of hot debate among Thuringians. It’s traditionally grilled over an open fire and eaten on the street with a bun and mustard (ketchup is a definite faux pas), but having it with sauerkraut and potatoes is also common. Locals consume nearly three times as many bratwursts a year than the average German.
Try one from a street stall, or Faust Food, an indoor food market. Still pining for sausages? Then head to the Eichsfeld region in western Thuringia for three types of air-dried sausage: runde, feldkieker (which looks a bit like a club), or the spicy stracke, and you can sample them at the Klausenhof tavern in Bornhagen.
Thuringer klösse
The dumpling is a staple dish of the region and traditionally served with a Sunday roast with lots of gravy. Filling and wholesome, the local dumpling doesn’t contain flour and is made of raw grated potatoes and cooked mashed potatoes, seasoned, rolled into fist-sized balls with two or three croutons stuffed inside and then simmered in water. They go well with meat or veg, and were originally popular with the less well-off as they were cheap to make. Try them at Die Landgrafenstube Wartburg Hotel in Eisenach or, for a cheaper alternative, head to Zum Guldenen Rade in Erfurt.
Mutzbraten
A tasty chunk of seasoned pork, which is flame grilled – traditionally over a birchwood fire. It’s served with bread, sauerkraut and mustard. Try one in Schmölln or Altenburg, in the eastern part of the state, where it is something of a speciality, or in an inn or restaurant while walking in the Thuringian Forest.
Goldhelm chocolate
Inspired chocolate creations are what you will find at Goldhelm Schokolade, which has two outlets in Erfurt. There’s a tiny shop on Krämerbrücke (Merchants’ Bridge), the longest inhabited bridge in Europe – it dates from the 14th century – or there’s a larger version with a lovely cafe on nearby Kreuzgasse. Using high-grade cocoa from Peru and Vietnam allows the makers to lower the sugar content. Their signature chocolate is the Bridge Truffle. They do a memorable hot chocolate too.
Beers, wines and spirits
Thuringia has a long tradition of brewing beer and producing wine: in the middle ages there were nearly 600 breweries in Erfurt, Germany’s oldest beer purity law was laid down in Weissensee in 1434. The region is known for its dark beers, one of the best is Köstrizter from the little town of Köstritz. Most towns have their own breweries, such as those in Weimar, Eisenach and Erfurt (head here to the Goldener Schwan, which has a wide variety of beers, including wheat and pilsner). Hikers in the Thuringian Forest should visit the Ankerla Brewery in Steinach.
Oenophiles will find some fabulous white wines, too – and some very good reds – around Bad Sulza in the north-east; one of the best vineyards is Weingut Zahn in Grossheringen, which has a restaurant and tours.
And don’t forget to try Thuringia’s range of digestifs, or kräuterschnaps. You will find them in most bars and restaurants – look out for Aromatique, made in Neudietendorf, using spices and herbs; Rhöntropfen, produced since the 1870s in the Rhön region and also made with herbs and spices, and Nordhäuser Doppelkorn, a grain brandy from Nordhausen.
