Currywurst is the most popular and favourited fast food in Berlin. It is said to have sold an estimated 70 million servings a year in Berlin and about 800 million servings in Germany. That is an awful lot of sausages! A currywurst is steamed and fried pork sausages, cut into slices, covered with tomato based sauce and curry powder usually served with a bread roll or fries alongside.
My first ever Currywurst
I am not a currywurst connoisseur. In fact, it was the first currywurst I have ever had. Where better to try currywurst than in Berlin. I was pretty surprised that the sausage was actually served with ketchup and some sprinkling of curry powder on top. I was expecting some sort of curry sauce, almost like chicken curry but with sausage. Although we did not try those from specialist currywurst shop, I still like our Currywurst Express experience as our first try. At least now I have an idea of what it actually is and understand why this is the most popular fast food in Berlin. It is so very easy to recreate at home or anywhere, really. All you need is three ingredients for the most basic of all currywurst. But if you insist on a more authentic alternative, there's always an option of making your own sauce.
If you speak to any locals about currywurst, you will find that it is difficult to come to an agreement on the perfect currywurst as each of them likes it their own way. Some would even say that those served with tomato ketchup is not authentic and has to be some sort of stewed tomato based gravy. The Berliners obviously take their popular fast food very seriously as there is even a Currywurst Museum! So if you are ever in Berlin, do have some currywurst.
Here is the top few places for currywurst as compiled by Gourmet.com .
My first ever CurrywurstI am not a currywurst connoisseur. In fact, it was the first currywurst I have ever had. Where better to try currywurst than in Berlin. I was pretty surprised that the sausage was actually served with ketchup and some sprinkling of curry powder on top. I was expecting some sort of curry sauce, almost like chicken curry but with sausage. Although we did not try those from specialist currywurst shop, I still like our Currywurst Express experience as our first try. At least now I have an idea of what it actually is and understand why this is the most popular fast food in Berlin. It is so very easy to recreate at home or anywhere, really. All you need is three ingredients for the most basic of all currywurst. But if you insist on a more authentic alternative, there's always an option of making your own sauce.
If you speak to any locals about currywurst, you will find that it is difficult to come to an agreement on the perfect currywurst as each of them likes it their own way. Some would even say that those served with tomato ketchup is not authentic and has to be some sort of stewed tomato based gravy. The Berliners obviously take their popular fast food very seriously as there is even a Currywurst Museum! So if you are ever in Berlin, do have some currywurst.
Here is the top few places for currywurst as compiled by Gourmet.com .
Currywurst was invented by Herta Heuwer in Berlin in 1949 as an affordable but filling meal for the people of Berlin at a time when food was in short supply.
ReplyDeleteWhen you order your Currywurst you can ask for it skin on “Currywurst mit Darm” or without skin “Currywurst ohne Darm”. Sausage casings were in short supply in the Soviet-controlled side of the city. If you grew up in East Berlin, you like sausage without skin; if you grew up in West Berlin, you probably prefer sausage with skin.
I’m not from Berlin, I prefer Currywurst without skin and in my opinion the best place to get it is from Fritz & Co (a Currywurst stall) on Wittenberg Platz in the Schöneberg area of Berlin.
Thanks for the explanation. I've read about casing-less sausage and I actually prefer sausages without the skin as well :) If I'm in Berlin again, will try out Fritz & Co. Cheers.
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