Topics in Bavarian Culture: Obatzda
Obatzda/O'batzta/Obatzter is a standard, beer garden cheese dip snack food. Its main ingredients are camembert, cream cheese or butter, beer and paprika, and it's served with raw, sliced red onions on the side. It's generally pale orange due to the paprika, but I have eaten a whitish version (in Berlin).
It is traditionally served in either a dallop or a series of scoops on a plate with what Americans would call pretzel stix protruding skyward. Thus, it either looks like a hedgehog, or a dead, comic-book caterpillar. It is extremely delicious. I had some for dinner last night. Unfortunately, I did not think to take a photo. I promise one in the near future.
In other news: Mom, Dad, I have a really stupid idea for our Christmas card photo. Contact me privately.
ETA: I have been mentally compiling a list of "Ways to seem like a local" in Regensburg. At the moment, most of the list escapes me, except for my personal favorite: Comment on the poor quality of Thurn und Taxis beer. Everyone will think you're super cool. I think I may have even been patted on the back once for saying that.
