Swine Spectator
is Blowin Smoke!
Have to tell a little bit of a story:
My company moved me to Northern Virginia in 2017. It is very difficult to make friends here. People are fairly pretentious and self-centered. I have made some acquaintances, but few people I would actually consider friends. One notable exception is a couple that lives about 5 doors down from me. The husband is from Virginia, but his wife is German. They are genuinely nice, friendly people and I enjoy their company.
One of my hobbies is sausage-making. The aforementioned couple hosts a block party each fall, and I usually contribute some of my sausage for the festivities. In the past, I have made Texas Hot Links, Creole Chaurice, and Cajun Smoked Sausage for the party.
This year, I decided to make my Bratwurst, but I contacted the wife in advance and told her I would like some honest feedback on the authenticity of my recipe. When the party came around, the wife introduced me to a new German couple she had recently met. The husband in a German Naval Officer who is on a three-year assignment to DC. His wife didn't speak English. I told them about my sausage and asked them for feedback as well. He translated for his wife.
Both the VA wife and the couple were very hesitant and reserved when they tried the sausage. I told them that they couldn't hurt my feelings for offend me, that I was genuinely interested in what they thought. The officer's wife was the first to speak (in German) and the husband translated for me. They said that my sausage was absolutely delicious but tasted nothing like what they considered "bratwurst". They said it was closer to a Polish Kielbasa but went on to add that there are hundreds of regional varieties of Bratwurst.
I told them that I have had a very hard time finding books or information on German sausages. There are tons of books on Italian, French, Mediterranean, and even Asian Sausages, but I cannot find German sausage recipes.
OK, I told you all of that to set the stage for the real post:
Last night I invited the neighbors over for a few glasses of wine and some appetizers. I told the wife she was welcome to invite the German couple as well. They showed up with a gift for me.
The German officer ordered two sausage-making books from Germany. He and his wife manually translated over a dozen recipes for me. They typed up the translations and carefully taped them into the books. They also ordered authentic German herbs and spices for me. He said that he wanted to get them for me, but also had some self-interest in that he hoped I would try the recipes and share with them.
This is one of the nicest things anyone has done for me in a long, long time.
My company moved me to Northern Virginia in 2017. It is very difficult to make friends here. People are fairly pretentious and self-centered. I have made some acquaintances, but few people I would actually consider friends. One notable exception is a couple that lives about 5 doors down from me. The husband is from Virginia, but his wife is German. They are genuinely nice, friendly people and I enjoy their company.
One of my hobbies is sausage-making. The aforementioned couple hosts a block party each fall, and I usually contribute some of my sausage for the festivities. In the past, I have made Texas Hot Links, Creole Chaurice, and Cajun Smoked Sausage for the party.
This year, I decided to make my Bratwurst, but I contacted the wife in advance and told her I would like some honest feedback on the authenticity of my recipe. When the party came around, the wife introduced me to a new German couple she had recently met. The husband in a German Naval Officer who is on a three-year assignment to DC. His wife didn't speak English. I told them about my sausage and asked them for feedback as well. He translated for his wife.
Both the VA wife and the couple were very hesitant and reserved when they tried the sausage. I told them that they couldn't hurt my feelings for offend me, that I was genuinely interested in what they thought. The officer's wife was the first to speak (in German) and the husband translated for me. They said that my sausage was absolutely delicious but tasted nothing like what they considered "bratwurst". They said it was closer to a Polish Kielbasa but went on to add that there are hundreds of regional varieties of Bratwurst.
I told them that I have had a very hard time finding books or information on German sausages. There are tons of books on Italian, French, Mediterranean, and even Asian Sausages, but I cannot find German sausage recipes.
OK, I told you all of that to set the stage for the real post:
Last night I invited the neighbors over for a few glasses of wine and some appetizers. I told the wife she was welcome to invite the German couple as well. They showed up with a gift for me.
The German officer ordered two sausage-making books from Germany. He and his wife manually translated over a dozen recipes for me. They typed up the translations and carefully taped them into the books. They also ordered authentic German herbs and spices for me. He said that he wanted to get them for me, but also had some self-interest in that he hoped I would try the recipes and share with them.
This is one of the nicest things anyone has done for me in a long, long time.
