Off Topic > General Furry Talk
First time in Europe
VulpesRex:
Greetings, Xzadfor!
All levity aside - you entitled this topic as "First time in Europe". Are there any questions you have concerning a first-time visit to Europe, or to Germany?
Our hosts - either the germans or the other europeans on this board - are of course the "go to" experts, and have always been most helpful when I have sought answers; but as a fellow-american, I can say that the culture and resources are just different enough - in subtle little ways which we each so take for granted, that it wouldn't occur to us that they might be different on opposite sides of the Atlantic (the beer being just one case in point) - that we might not think to ask our hosts about.
Things like:
1) Money (why you will want a new wallet)
2) "Eis Kalt" ("whatta you mean, 'I want ice'!" *frown*)
3) Bath linens
4) The S-Bahn and U-Bahn are your friends
5) Get me to the Bahnhof on time
6) What a sandwich is (and is not)
7) There may be a deposit on the beer glass
8) Power Adaptor Plugs
9) The virtue (and value) of "Welcome" or "Visitor" cards for touristy-stuff
10) Does that room price include breakfast?
11) Travelling Lightly (and the Art and Necessity of Laundry)
12) Senf is for your wurst; use Mayo for the Bretzel un Frittes
13) There's No Such Thing as "Trash" (almost everything is recyclable or reclaimable)
14) Bring your own grocery bag
15) The best windows in the world
16) Fizzy Water (in moderation) is good for you
While you will probability survive first-time encounters without needing to know this stuff in advance, it will both speed your travels and enhance the pleasure of the experience if you did ask.
Jorinda:
--- Quote from: VulpesRex on 23.04.2016, 20:23:51 ---use Mayo for the Bretzel
--- End quote ---
Only if you like the feeling of everyone staring at you in disgust. Brezel belongs with butter (and maybe salt), and nothing else.
SiranaJHelena:
--- Quote from: Jorinda on 25.04.2016, 10:50:43 ---
--- Quote from: VulpesRex on 23.04.2016, 20:23:51 ---use Mayo for the Bretzel
--- End quote ---
Only if you like the feeling of everyone staring at you in disgust. Brezel belongs with butter (and maybe salt), and nothing else.
--- End quote ---
You can also eat them without any sort of "dip". And be careful with the salt; many Brezels are already salted.
Btw, when you order some fries or sausages, you usually get the chance to choose between mayo and ketcup.
VulpesRex:
--- Quote from: Jorinda on 25.04.2016, 10:50:43 ---
--- Quote from: VulpesRex on 23.04.2016, 20:23:51 ---use Mayo for the Bretzel
--- End quote ---
Only if you like the feeling of everyone staring at you in disgust. Brezel belongs with butter (and maybe salt), and nothing else.
--- End quote ---
Really!?
In that case - it seems that I have been the victim of a prank.
Most americans are familiar with "pretzels" as salted, hard-baked breadstick snacks; in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they are sold as "soft pretzels", and I have seen them sold at a kiosk in the airport in Pittsburgh...accompanied with Mustard ("senf"). On my first visit to Germany, I had bought some real brezels to eat on the train to Suhl, and when I asked for some mustard, was met with just such a look of shock by the shopkeeper. A fellow-traveller advisd me that mustard was a definite no-no, but that mayonaisse was a good condiment, which seemed to make sense as I usually have sandwiches made with mustard and mayo.
We americans are impulsive "dippers" and "dunkers"; we do it with most "finger foods". For example, It's common to dunk doghnuts into our coffee (or milk), particularly if they are less than fresh. Common Diner slang for a doughnut is a "Sinker", and it is the source for the name of the "Dunkin' Donuts" franchise.
******
In our third year in Magdeburg, the entire trip in from my doorstep until I arrived at the Hauptbahnhof had been a "trip through hell", with delays and a side-trip to London and an encounter with a Gypsie (Roma) thrown in; I arrived at 03:00 in the morning, roughly 12 hours late, tired and hungry, and paused for a burger at the McDonald's at the station. I ordered something called a combo meal of a "Big Texan" (something which isn't served in the USA), which came with some sort of red spicy "TexMex" sauce on the burger. I requested ice in my softdrink, which required the fraulein at the counter to go in the back and get some ice. Then while the burger was being cooked, she asked if I wished mayo or kechup, and I THOUGHT she meant for the burger. That was confusing, as It was supposed to come with the texmex sauce, but if she had to make the sauce fresh, I asked for it to include both. "Nein! You may have one or the other! NOT "both"! Which is it to be?" And she said it so forcefully, while holding out packets of each condiment in each hand and with an air of urgency like this were a life-or-death decision, that I was thoroughly intimidated and stammered out that it was OK, I didn't actually require either condiment. This seemed to annoy her. "NO, No, you get one without charge, it is part of the order!" And there were people in line behind me, giving me odd looks. I insisted that I wouldn't require anything other than what came with the sandwich. "But one is included! You must choose!"
At this point I was ready to flee the restaurant - I was tired and travel-weary and needed a room and a bath and a bed, and my judgement wasn't the best. Finally she dropped her arms to her sides and with a resigned air said that she would bring out my order when it was ready.
Only later, when I saw others using the condiment packets on their french fries, and noticed that Ketchup was NOT available by the napkins, did I discover that she was referring to the fries all along; that the condiment portion was carefully rationed, not take-as-you-need, and that the burger did have the TexMex spiced sauce, as specified on the menu board.
Shinji170981:
Actually the Bretzel is a very versatile food.
Depending on the region in Germany, the Bretzel is consumed in different ways.
Like for example in the southwest you can get the Bretzel cut in half with Butter and if you like with toppings like meat/salat or the Bretzel is baked with cheese on top.
So there are probably more than 50 ways to eat a Bretzel in Germany alone, so don't worry too much. It's most likely personal/regional preference^^
Just enjoy the bretzel with whatever you like, as long as it tastes good.
I mean there are even people that peel off the salt from the Bretzel.....
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