In Germany you: 

• Kaespatzle 

Frankfurt might not be a hot spot, but we chose to stay a few days and made the most of it. As a kid, I was introduced to spaetzle as a side to braised short ribs. It’s so nostalgic and downright yummy- of course, hailing from a type of dumpling, pasta, noodle situation- so there was no way I was leaving without having spatzle on German turf. The restaurant was a bit of a tourist trap, but the spaetzle was unaware of that. It was a deep bowl of chunky noodles kissed with butter, coated in mountain cheese (semi-hard cheese similar to Swiss), and sprinkled with fried onions.

• Pork knuckle 

Beer hall dining at Adolf Wagner was a top hit in the area. People are sharing wooden benches in the cafeteria style. Ordering frankfurter schnitzel with a creamy, herby sauce was a priority. But so was pork knuckle. Eating it felt slightly barbaric in the best way. Tough pork braised until tender and deep-fried. The outer layer has this crackling situation going on that was bonkers. It’s super rich, so eat with a heavy appetite.

• Drink lemony radler beer

Never knew a beer I liked until this one. In the US it’s called a shandy. News to me…

• nibble on Frankfurter Kranz (crown cake) & Bethmännchen (cookies)

I was thrilled to see something so complex and timeless in a German cafe. Frankfurter Kranz is a vanilla cake with four layers of French buttercream, currant jam, and an outer layer of toasted hazelnuts. It was the nuts that drew me in!

Bethmännchen are these cute domed marzipan cookies made with rose water. The barista made a comment that these were the essence of Frankfurt wrapped in a cookie. I think some important info!

• take pics with good friends 

Wild getting to travel for pleasure but making a point to visit good friends who live far and abroad. Make a point of traveling to see friends or family living elsewhere. Maybe not your best friend or closest relative, but having this personal experience puts you all in a little bubble where some of the best experiences are had.

• seek out Turkish food when you’re tired or schnitzel 

We were indeed a little raw from pork heavy flavor. And to my curiosity Germany is home to many Turkish immigrants. It was fun to stop at a local fast casual spot for spread of inspired nibbles like chicken kebab, flatbread, and fried manti. Plus we were only charged on lattes and a brownie.

• Dine in Düsseldorf for Japanese 

It is one of the only few cities in the EU with a significant Japanese population that has its own little Japan. My friend and his wife don’t often eat ethnic cuisine beyond old-school classic German food in Münster. The Okonomiyaki or Japanese egg pancake had interesting flavor- never had before- and karaage or fried chicken on the soba noodles was crunchy, juicy, and sweet!

• chant at futbol games

The crowd roar from the trail leading up to the stadium was freaky. It made me feel like we were going to a Roman battlefield. But the singing and chanting was insane. If you weren’t smoking or juggling a dozen cups of beer, you may have missed the true experience. Everyone dressed in their team attire too, and I stood out just a bit. Half-time was a thing- people got up to take a snack break. The Pretzle was measly, but the orange Miranda soda was on par. No beer for us, just secondhand smoke.

Cheers oxo!