Currywurst

Currywurst is a popular German fast food dish, typically consisting of steamed, then fried pork sausage (German: Wurst) cut into slices and seasoned with curry sauce (regularly consisting of ketchup or tomato paste blended with curry powder) usually served with French fries.

History

Currywurst was first introduced in Berlin in 1949 by Herta Heuwer, a German woman who obtained ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and curry powder from British soldiers in Germany. She mixed these ingredients with other spices and poured it over grilled pork sausage. Heuwer started selling the cheap but filling snack at a street stand in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, where it became popular among construction workers rebuilding the devastated city. She patented her sauce, called Chillup, in 1951. At its height, the stand was selling 10,000 servings per week. Today, currywurst is often sold as a take-out/take-away food, Schnellimbisse (snacks), at diners or "greasy spoons," on children's menus in restaurants, or as a street food and usually served with French fries.

Variations

There are many variations of currywurst in Germany with the common ingredient being the curry powder. The dish is often served with a bread roll (Brötchen). In the Ruhr area, the dish is often served with a whole, sliced sausage, often with a spicy, rather thin, sauce. The variation served in the Saarland area comes with a baguette instead of a roll or French fries.

Cultural impact

Currywurst is deeply ingrained in the culinary culture of Germany. It is estimated that 800 million currywursts are eaten every year in Germany, with 70 million in Berlin alone. The importance of currywurst in Berlin is highlighted by the existence of the Currywurst Museum, which opened in 2009.

See also

• List of sausage dishes
• List of fast food dishes
• German cuisine