Yes, Currywurst can truly call itself a Berliner – not a doughnut but a sausage treat that seems to only appear within the confines of the Berlin City Limits.
I hadn’t heard of Currywurst and thought it may be some type of German sausage that included a curry flavoured filling. It is in fact a grilled pork sausage (wink), served with a tomato and curry ketchup (nothing fancy – just curry powder mixed into tomato sauce) and a sprinkle of curry powder over the top. The story goes that enterprising local Herta Heuwer started making a sauce in 1949 out of supplies obtained from British Soldiers, of curry powder, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Not really what I’d think of as ‘genuine’ or ‘authentic’ but it was obviously a hit and now, Currywurst features on the menu of every Imbiss (snack bar) throughout the city. They even have mobile sellers.
How ‘s that for ingenuity? I’d like to see these guys wandering around Southbank Parklands! If it was good enough for the locals, it was good enough for me. As you can see, fries with mayonnaise is a popular accompaniment. This plate set me back around 2€ and tasted a lot like the hotdogs I used to have as a kid with Rosella Tomato Sauce and Fountain Mustard Sauce. A decent snack whilst wandering the streets of Berlin and good beer soaking food.
