Beer Garden Spread · Mashed Cheese
Obatzda
Photo: MOs810 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Its name literally means 'mashed up' — it was invented to rescue cheese that had gone past its prime, not to showcase a fresh one.
Ripe Camembert or Romadur is mashed with butter, a splash of beer, paprika, and chopped onion into a spreadable, rust-colored paste, then served in a crock with pretzels or dark bread at beer garden tables — order it at the counter alongside a stein.
Why it's made this way: 19th-century Bavarian dairy farmers used the mash to stretch soft cheeses nearing the end of their shelf life into something worth serving guests.
More from Germany
Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries.
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