Josh the Weinachts Lottery Winner

Ok, so as we wander through this adventure, it has been great to experience the German customs and traditions, especially around the Weinachts holiday.  To you who think I just sneezed while typing, that is German for Christmas.

As gluhwein, which is a spiced, hot wine that really is the center of the Weinachts festivals, is served by the barrel full, there are countless other delicious treats to pair with it. Shwein schnitzel (pork chop sans the bone) and mushrooms on a non fitting bun, or a bratwurst on a really non fitting bun, or the mother load of deliciousness........racelette mit brot.

So before I stepped into a line, I tried to figure it out.  Imagine a cartoon-size wheel of cheese, cut in half, and on a moveable rack.  Directly above the massive half round of goodness, is a heat lamp that causes the cheese to bubble and bake tender brown in under 20 seconds.  Now the movable part comes in, as does the brot part.  (Brot is bread, by the way). Once the bubbling cheese is ready, the server guy swings the arm out from under the lamp, and scrapes the bubbly mess onto the awaiting peice of bread. Voila! A pizza without sauce, or a fondue without the cleanup.  But here is the best part:  some like it just like that, others go one step further and add zweibeln (onions) and gerkens (pickles), others go all in and get that, plus shinken (bacon).  

When I was about number three from the front, the festival meister came by to ensure the stand was closing because the whole fest ended like an hour earlier.  Well, not really knowing how to say " HELL NO, I have been wating a long time here, I have finally figured it out, and I want my bread with onions, pickles, and ham on it!", I snuggled up tight behind the rotund lady in front of me who apparently was deemed the cutoff.  I think I made her day.......any way, she acted like we were together, and I knew I was in.  

Finally, I am to the point where I understand how much things cost and how to make proper change, instead of holding out all my money like a five year old, so I handed the fella my money and he handed me the goey mess of heaven.  Now, I know that the combination does not sound that appetizing, but I can assure you, you do not want to miss out if you ever see such a stand at your local market.  More so, if you are lucky enough to get the "cheesy crust" like I was, you apparently have won the weinachts raclette lottery, so revel in your victory.  More importantly, if a large lady helped you get the last one served for the night, you can really acheive rock star status, at least in her eyes, by sharing said crust with her.

What fun we are having, hope you are too, and that the holidays find you all well.

Josh, the Raclette lottery winner