Food and Mandatory Archival Content

I love when the stars align and Monday's recipe post can go out with "mandatory archival content" as well. In yesterday's Washington Post, in the front section no less, was this article: "Germans Take Pride in the Wurst." The article's opening paragraph:

"It's the German version of the chicken-or-the-egg conundrum: Which was regulated first, beer or bratwurst?"

The Germans worked from tradition, believing that the "world-renowned Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian beer purity law of 1516, which stipulated barley, hops, and water as the only permissible ingredients in the German national drink."

But an erstwhile researcher and amateur historian, found a document in the Weimar city archives [this link goes to the National Archive, as the city archive does not seem to have a web presence] found a document from 1432 "that laid down the law regarding the production of Thuringian Rostbratwurst, perhaps the most popular variety of sausage in a country where wurst is worshiped as sacred grub." A replica of the document will be displayed at the German Bratwurst Museum. The museum is located in Holzhausen, where the main intersection features a giant sausage and bun sculpture.

Go and read the article and learn more than you care to about bratwurst and then you can either make this recipe, which appeared here in October 2006 or you can try the Brave Astronaut plan for (Italian) sausage sandwiches.

1. Get some good hoagie / submarine rolls. Place a few slices of provolone cheese on the rolls and toast lightly.


2. Fry some onions in a small fry pan. Set aside.


3. Place a large fry pan / wok on the stove with some water. Put sausages in the water and bring to a boil. When temperature in the sausages reaches about 160 degrees, drain off the water and grill in the fry pan. I will sometimes add some beer to the pan. [Please note, the WP article says that "To fry it is a sin." Oh Well.]


4. "Grill" the sausages until browned on all sides.


5. Place in the rolls with some grilled onions and a good brown mustard. Enjoy.
   

The sausages are also good when served with some pasta and a good tomato sauce, but only if you are using Italian sausage. Don't insult the Wurst by serving it with pasta.