Food has never tasted so good in my life, even the simple things. Today, while I was cutting kohlrabi to make Kohlrabi Schnitzel, I cut a piece too thin. Udo, my host father, took that piece out and cut it into three smaller pieces, and while we waited for the salt water to boil, we ate the cabbage like chips. Perhaps the kohlrabi was unusually fresh, or maybe I was just hungry, but in that moment, it felt as though it was the best thing I had ever tasted. The texture, the earthy taste, the temperature—everything felt so perfect. The same has been happening with so many foods that I couldn’t bring myself to touch in the United States. Wintermelon in the States? Absolutely not; there is hardly any flavor! But here, and perhaps even with a little schinken? Of course. Cucumbers back home? Watery, earthy in a way that resembles a mud puddle, and only acceptable up to a nibble. But Gurkensalat? Top those same tasteless vegetables with some Frischkäse and they are delectable.

During a related discussion at school, my friend thoughtfully took a bite of her ham sandwich and remarked, “I think food just tastes better when you’re grateful.” Maybe that’s true. I’ve always thought I was grateful for food back at home, yet with my mother’s eggplant curry or her comfort food, kichidi, I could barely bring myself to clean my plate. Perhaps I wasn’t grateful enough.

One thing I do miss is scharf. Spice. My host mother fanned her tongue and warned me that the sauce for the Fleisch was zu scharf. I covered my chicken with it and realized that it was simply mustard with paprika. I had heard rumors of German spice tolerance, but it was a surprise to experience it myself. At a Döner place (cheap casserole with various things like meat, lettuce, tomato, yogurt, etc.) I asked for scharf and received a line of sauce. I’m not sure what it was, but it definitely wasn’t Sriracha. All I do now is smile, nod, and say “doch” in agreement. Spice has a time and place, even if we may disagree on what those times and places are.

Last modified on 2024-08-24