MUNCHIN' IN MUNCHEN (MUNICH)

(breakfast beers are served)


(D thoughtfully selects cheese for our picnic -- an important task)


(man, great outfit and giant pickle)


(this lady meant business)


(gorgeous purple artichokes)


(the abundant white asparagus)


(this display resembled a golf course)


(they are MAD for the white stuff right now)

The market in Munich was in the middle of spring's bounty -- the stalls overflowing with gorgeous 'bio' (organic) produce from near and far. There was also a huge selection of cheeses, breads, spreads, olives, flowers, wurst (I long for veggie sausage!), and beer. By 10:30 am, I'd already seen about 50 people washing down their breakfast with a cold one. Breakfast of champions? They were certainly championing the pork sandwich/beer with gusto! Also, a lot of people were topping off this combo with a large pickle -- what an uba taste sensation.

The real star of the German spring though, was the white 'spargel' (asparagus). Never before have I seen such large and ghostly things. With their alien-like appearance and sweet flavor, the local people were buying them by the bushel. I love celebrated, seasonal, quirky ingredients that gastronomes get all crazed about: pie crust, the perfect martini, truffles, fiddle-headed ferns, chocolate -- add another to the list -- the great white asparagus.