Cheese on a Stick and a Bit of Munich
I am always on the look out for odd things. I have a pretty wacky sense of humor that is central to my personality. The oddball things are the most interesting to me, so I am constantly taking pictures of signs and odd foods. So I was so happy when I found Cheese on a Stick in the Munich train station. In a country where every time I mention spray cheese, I get a laugh, this is ironic and hilarious.
I got sent to Munich a while back on a business trip. Two days and one night in Munich. I arrived quite late on a Sunday night and had no desire to find a restaurant. I had to wake up early, so I just hit the grocery store in the station to buy a few things. And then I found this there.
Cheese on a stick
Seriously, a piece of cheese with a stick in it. I totally had to buy it and photograph it.
Every time I talk about food oddities from the US like spray cheese, I get these horrified fascinated looks from most Germans. “Why would do do something like that to cheese?” I read in the wide eyes. So there is a sense of odd vindication to find something like this in their own country. To be fair, when I showed these pictures to a German friend, he couldn’t quite believe it. Spray cheese is not an everyday thing at home either. People know it is odd. A novelty. The great part is that it really can’t be local to Munich. The postal code on the package is up in the Ruhr, north-western Germany. There must be other places with this.
The cheese was pretty decent standard gouda. The stick however was not much help. It was one of the lollipop sticks so not really stiff enough for the weight of the cheese. And seriously how hard and messy is cheese to eat? Do you really need a stick for it? It was still a pretty convenient size and package, but the stick is more gimmick than help in my opinion.
Mixture of old and new
So this started my trip off with a smile. After two days on the job I finished up with time enough to have a nice sunny walk on a warm day to the train station. Along the way I shot some picture examples of how well the Germans blend the old and the new. The modern and the traditional get mixed or are simply side by side. I love the contrasts this can show.
Traditional clothing becomes mainstream. Fast food shops sit in buildings near medieval gates and tower. And auto traffic passes where horses once did. Oh and of course, cheese can be made with a stick in it. Americans don’t seem so weird now do they?
Ok, of course we do, but still we aren’t totally alone in it. And for the record, even I have no clue why anyone needs spray cheese.
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December 20, 2011 @ 6:26 pm
Haha that is so funny, and I am So not surprised 😛 I love odd and wacky things as well, and there seem to be quite a few of them around in Germany.
We’re going to Munich in a few weeks, I will keep a lookout for those cheese sticks!
December 21, 2011 @ 12:21 am
The Germans definitely have their fair share of oddities in the country. I found these sticks in the grocery store next to the food court at the main station. Let me know if you find them again or if they were a one time thing.
You guys are continuing your Eurorail journey? Do more of Germany if you can, it seems to be an under appreciated country on the tourist circuit.
December 14, 2011 @ 3:24 pm
I love the blending of the old and the new as well, but haven’t seen cheese on a stick here. It seems very un-German.
December 15, 2011 @ 9:55 am
It does seem somewhat whimsical, right? But definitely from a German firm, complete with umlauts. I’ll be on the lookup in my travels to see if I can find it again.
December 11, 2011 @ 8:00 pm
Omg I love this… cheese on a stick… wow… I love everything about it. I love cheese so much!!! Oh now I want one and some spray cheese… yum!
December 12, 2011 @ 9:36 pm
Eww… Spray cheese is awful. It doesn’t even taste like real cheese. And honestly there isn’t much in the can, but I get you for craving home stuff. Have you been trying the Greek feta?
December 11, 2011 @ 7:49 pm
That is pretty funny! I always get laughed at for my American tastes!
December 12, 2011 @ 9:35 pm
Thanks for the comment. Where are you that they laugh at your tastes? I tend to own my opinions and am quite happy to crave super sweet American style stuff as well as MacnCheese in a box. 🙂
December 12, 2011 @ 11:10 pm
oh down in Southern Germany. Löffingen, super small town and they stick to “farmers foods” and aren’t open to trying something new. When I describe a Toll House choc chip cookie (or anything else I like) they make funny faces and shake their heads! I’d make them some if I had known I’d have to import brown sugar and the choc chips too. Oh well I just leave all the baking to them!
December 13, 2011 @ 12:40 am
Brown sugar, I’ve seen in the stores. Not sure if it is the same. I once got a bag of chocolate chips from Britain. I was going to make cookies, but ended up just eating them straight. What are you doing up in the forest in such a small town?
December 11, 2011 @ 7:21 pm
Hey, that’s where I bought my dirndl! (Original Steindl)
December 12, 2011 @ 9:34 pm
That is awesome! I don’t know if there are multiple stores. This was on a road between Isartor and the Rathaus, so like east of the center.