Could this be the best mustard in the world?

The foodie in me couldn't resist passing by the Händlmaier shop while in Regensburg. I've heard so much about Luise Händlmaier's sweet Bavarian mustard. She wasn't the one who developed the recipe but she was clever enough to spot a good thing and market it well.

Luise's mother-in-law was the mastermind behind the famous recipe. It seems simple enough: water, sugar, mustard seeds, vinegar and spices - but of course, only a Händlmaier could know the true quantities and the secret ingredients that bring it all together so famously. Back in 1914 the aim was to develop the perfect mustard to go with weisswurst (a white Bavarian sausage that makes a popular breakfast together with the traditional brezel).

Little did Luise know just how her legacy would live on.

Today Händlmaier is the mustard of choice for many. There are even a few noteworthy Händlmaier mustard fan clubs in the USA. Perhaps this is about as good as it gets for the hotdog. I expected more of a wow moment when tasting Händlmaier mustard for the first time, but the tube I bought has been growing on me. My Händlmaier of choice is the sweet and spicy version. It is a coarse-grained and tangy mustard that works wonders in combination with any mild sausage, of which my favourite is the Nürnberger.

If you're ever in Regensburg and feel like popping in, the shop can be found in Untere Bachgasse right in the centre of town. It is a small, unassuming little store where you can taste all the different kinds of Händlmaier mustard with bread sticks and buy gift packs or different kinds of mustard in various types of packaging. The standard mustard tubes, however, are available in stores and supermarkets all around Germany.

If you've tasted Händlmaier mustard, let me know what you think!

Regensburg's angels

It was early on a Saturday morning and all was quiet in Regensburg. As the vendors unpacked their fruit stalls on the Neupfarrplatz, we were offered some figs right in front of the church steps  - and decided to peek inside.

I didn't pay much attention to the music session right away. However, as my friend Gina and I made our way around this fairly unassuming church, we kept finding reasons to stay and soon found ourselves completely overwhelmed by the rendition of Ave Maria, magnified by the church organ and the acoustics of the building. The deep and peaceful voice immediately set the tone for the rest of our day.

The Neupfarr church itself is a parish chapel built on top of an old Gothic synagogue built on top of a Medieval Roman church. So, while it is not as visually overpowering as other structures in the area, it said to be built on one of the most historically rich sites in Germany - which also yielded a large collection of Medieval coins.

Gina and I ended up spending the rest of the day church hopping in Regensburg and the incredible thing is that not one of them looks the same - even in the slightest. Some are white and light, others are pink and bright, while we also found ourselves inside some dark and mouldy places where I was gasping for air.

Just around the corner from the Neupfarrkirche lies the Regensburg Cathedral, one of the most famous Gothic buildings in Bavaria. It is majestic and beautiful, but also be somewhat eerie, especially with all the skeletons and and evil looking creatures making their appearance in the design of the building. The cathedral, however, is also home to the popular smiling angel - created in 1280 by a sculptor known as the Master of St Erminold. She looks particularly cheerful, especially in such dark and dramatic surroundings.

It's a little bit like information overload to spend time in such diverse and elaborate churches. There is so much detail and I'm sure it would be possible to notice something different no matter how many times you enter through those heavy doors. I always strain my neck trying to look at the roof paintings and I wish it would be possible to just lie down on a church bench and stare at the roof paintings and sculptures for hours. Of course, such behaviour would not be welcomed in these kinds of environments so I simply try the next best option and take as many photos as possible so that I can enjoy them later.

On this trip, one of my favourite things by far was the little angels (as in these photots) perched on the pillars and looking down from the church ceilings in all shapes and sizes and colours. A little reminder that there are pure hearted creatures out there that help us get by. Friends, family and, sometimes, angelic voices that knowingly and unknowingly help us find our way.

Cathedral sparrows and devils in Regensburg

Munich is a very beautiful city, but I could have never dreamed how many magical places are merely a reasonable train ride away. We made a quick stop at Regensburg on our way to visit Weltenberg Kloster and I am definitely planning to return and explore this city of tall medieval buildings and narrow lanes further. 

The centre of Regensberg escaped the World War II bombings of 1943 and 1945 and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006. It apparently has a fantastic Christmas market and I have already marked a December visit on my mental calendar. 

Something about the Gothic style Regensburg Cathedral spires reminds me of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. The towers are home to the acclaimed Regensburg cathedral sparrows (Domspatzen), which sing along during the services. A legend tells how the cathedral builder and the Regensburg Stone Bridge builder had made a bet on who would finish first. The bridge builder then made a pact with the Devil that he could have the first three souls to cross the bridge if he would help him win. The Devil honoured his promise and the bridge builder cunningly sent a cat, a dog and a chicken to cross first.

During the 12^th century the famous Stone Bridge became the largest vaulted bridge of its kind in the world. It opened the trade routes between Nothern Europe and Venice, making Regensburg a major trade city and creating wealth for its people. During the 2^nd and 3^rd crusade, this was the only place where the knights could cross the Danube on their way to the Holy Land. Today it’s my turn to walk through the ancient city gate and cross the cobbled bridge on my way to one of the many bars on the riversides and squares. With a reputation as having one of the highest amounts of pubs per square metre, this historical city is certainly not a quiet one.

These cobbled streets are full of mystique. Settlements in the Regensburg area date right back to the Stone Age so it would be fair to say that the city holds more than 2000 years of history. One of my favourite things about Europe is the feeling of breathing in a universal sort of wisdom just by sharing the same setting as centuries' worth of terrible and wonderful stories.