Food at the Christmas Market

Many towns and cities in the UK play host to traditional Christmas markets each year, bringing city centres to life with twinkling Christmas lights, entertainment such as carolling and brass bands and of course freshly cooked festive treats from around Europe, all served from little wooden chalets as traditional Christmas markets continue to boom in popularity.

Christmas markets help to attract hordes of shoppers to cities in the UK, including Bath, Manchester and Birmingham, with many people opting to take short breaks in these cities so they can fully explore the festivities and pick up a few trinkets for the holiday season.

One of the most popular aspects of these markets is the food on offer, everything from Bratwurst to hog roast sandwiches and the traditional hot Gluhwein can help warm you up after a hard days’ Christmas shopping.

Hot Savouries

Schnitzel - a traditional German dish, these breaded fillets of pork or veal are usually served with side orders including potato salad and sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) as well as fried potatoes if you’d prefer something a little warmer.

Bratwurst - traditional German sausages that are usually cooked on a circular grill suspended over hot coals. As they are served in a bun they are easy to carry, depending on how much topping you want to put on them, whether its sauerkraut or just a squirt of ketchup and mustard.

If you’re after something a little spicier to help warm you up, bratwurst sausages are also available as Currywurst - sliced sausage with a tomato-based sauce and a sprinkling of curry powder, you can add as little or as much as you like depending on your taste.

Spätzle - these noodles are similar to the more familiar gnocchi of Italy, and consist of a batter made of eggs, flour and salt that is passed through a ricer to produce small noodles. At the market you’ll find them available in edible bowls, rather like a savoury biscuit, and usually served with cheese and crispy ham mixtures as well as sauerkraut.

Something a little sweeter

Stollen - a traditional Christmas food in Germany, stollen loaf is a sweet bread made with dried fruit, nuts and a little rum and is flavoured with spices such as cinnamon and cardamom. For a festive feel, these loaves are then given a good dusting of icing sugar.

Lebkuchen - these cookies of soft and spicy gingerbread are also a traditional staple of Christmas in Germany. Lebkuchen are flavoured with spices such as cloves, allspice, ginger and honey, and can be bought as decorations to hang from your Christmas tree.

If you’re after a sweet gift for someone you can also buy larger biscuits with a personalised message and other decorations.

Roasted nuts - festive favourites such as roasted chestnuts can be bought from little carts dotted around the market or from the stalls within the marketplace. Honey-roasted and cinnamon-roasted nuts are a favourite treat to take home, and with a wide selection to choose from it’s a case of deciding whether you fancy some almonds, macadamias or the more robust Brazil.

Crepes - a popular hot snack at Christmas markets, crepe stalls make them fresh in front of you and offer a selection of fillings, from apple and cinnamon puree to a generous helping of Nutella to simply a dash of lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar.

Poffertjes - these little Dutch pancakes are made fresh in front of you and are usually served by the dozen. You can have them with a simple dusting of icing sugar, or like crepes you can get a number of different toppings for them - whether you like chocolate sauce or warm cherry compote.

Strudel - another Germanic tradition that is available at the markets, these pastry desserts are usually filled with a mixture of apples and raisins with a generous flavouring of cinnamon that are baked until golden brown. Strudel is usually served with whipped cream or custard and can provide a sweet and filling dessert after so many savoury delights from around the food stalls.

Something to drink

Beer and Ale - From continental beers to ales from local breweries, you’ll find a whole host of different tipples to try during your visit to a Christmas market. Local breweries offer gift sets containing a couple of bottles of their traditional drink, making an ideal gift for real ale enthusiasts.

Mulled wine (Gluhwein) - this traditional mulled wine is a popular tipple at Christmas markets. Made with red wine and flavoured with spices such as cinnamon and cloves as well as citrus fruits, this sweet and warming beverage can be perfect for providing a bit of warmth on a cold winters’ stroll around the shops. Gluhwein is usually drank neat, but at some stalls you can buy a mug of mulled wine with an extra shot of rum or other liqueur (also known as ‘Gluhwein mit Schuss’) for a little extra.

Eierpunsch - a traditional winter drink that is similar to eggnog, this combination of egg yolks, tea and white wine is flavoured with sugar and spices and usually served with a ginger biscuit on the side.

If these traditional Christmas market drinks are not for you, there are plenty of stalls that sell tea and coffee. Another Christmas market favourite is hot chocolate with a warming shot of whiskey or Baileys, perfect to helping to stave off the winter cold during your shopping trip.

Guest post by David Collins at travelsupermarket.com