Imbissbude and Currywurst
As we enjoy summer’s outdoor terrasses and food trucks, we wanted to share with you a major part of Germany’s culinary culture.
Germany’s version of a food truck, the Imbissbude, is the source of dozens of typical street food meals. These trailers snack-bars that look like sheds are everywhere in the country – be it at random places on the streets, on parking lots or inside parks. Created in the 19th century, they were first placed outside factories and largely used by the working class. They quickly became a symbol of encounters, a place where people from every origin and social calss would share a quick hot meal, for cheap!
One of the most popular dishes and certainly our favorite is the Currywurst. This Imbiss dish originally from Berlin is made from a fried sausage covered with a special tomato-curry sauce, paired with fries and a fat slash of mayo on the side.
What’s interesting with this dish is the story behind it. Just like Quebec’s famous poutine, the creation of the Currywurst is object of controversy. For some, the famous recipe was created by a Hamburg born lady named Lena Brücker who would have accidentally mixed a tomato sauce with curry powder in the after-war period. Others claim that the dish was created during the Berlin blockade, with stocks of tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce from England soldiers.
Despite the debate over the origins, the Currywurst definitely remains a national specialty – the in-house butchers of the Volkswagen factories produce more sausages per year than cars!
If you want to experience the Imbiss gastronomy without leaving Montreal, stop by the Station Berlin Restaurant to treat yourself to a tasty journey, while listening to… the Currywurst Song!