Wurstsalat

I've studied physics in Regensburg and Munich, which are cities in Bavaria, the land of beer and beer gardens. I soon learned to love the live-and-let-live philosophy characterizing the traditional beer gardens in these cities.

During the first years of my studies, I couldn't afford to live downtown. However, I was fortunate to find a place for me, the girl which'd chosen me and our two cats in Eilsbrunn, a scenic village situated in the black Laber valley 15 km west of Regensburg. And as it happened, our home (green arrow) was 200 m from one of the most picturesque beer gardens I have ever seen, the Röhrl Bräu garden:

We went there often already in the morning, sans cat, but armed with the quantum mechanics script and enough determination for a lifetime. After a couple of beer (even the smallest one, called Halbe, is essentially a pint) the edges would soften somewhat, and we would have grand insights and great visions. With the chestnut trees protecting us from sunshine, rain and even thunderstorms, we would sit there for hours, drink our beer, eat some snacks, and watch tourists arriving in Bentleys with HH plates and ordering “small beers” with mild amusement.

We were superior. We were Bavarian. We just didn't speak the lingo.

But we ate what the natives ate, and liked it a lot. In fact, Obazda and Wurstsalat, being comparatively low-priced, were a major component of my dietary plan for many years of my student life. Particularly the latter, of which a thousand variations exist. I always liked the "Swiss" or "Elsass" variant with Emmental cheese best. The following recipe is a distillation of the best Wurstsalat recipes I've experienced in Bavarian beer gardens.

500 g Lyoner oder Regensburger
200 g Schweizer Emmentaler
5 Saure Gurken
5 Radieschen

Wurst in Stifte schneiden, Käse und Gurken in Würfel, Radieschen in Scheiben.

3 Schalotten, in Ringe geschnitten
5 EL feingehackten Schnittlauch
10 EL Weißweinessig
5 EL Rapsöl
2 TL Salz
2 TL Schwarzen Pfeffer
2 TL Senf
1 TL Zucker

Alles gut vermengen. 24 h kühl stellen.

Mit frischem Brot und einem kühlen Bier servieren. 😉