THE SWEETER SIDE OF HITLERLAND

Stoic. Arrogant. Disciplined. These are the adjectives you’d associate with Germany. But if we told you, we would rather attach the word ‘sweet’, you’d tell us to shut our mouths. In Germany’s defense, we didn’t see Hamburg, Berlin or even Munich. So what Germany are we talking about? And is there a point at all? This is that one-off place that left a very different impression in our mind. Nestled deep in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany is Titisee – Black Forest, famous for its signature cake, named after the place itself.

We didn’t sample the must do's of Germany, yet it left an unmistakable impression on our minds. So what is Titisee all about? It seems straight out of Tim Burton’s imagination. Almost close to Edward Scissorhands, for a minute, we too had ourselves looking for pesky neighbours and a populace looking for a funky hairdo. It’s a town stuck in time, and is happy being so. Now, before we talk about the Black Forest cake, let us tell you about the famous Black Forest Ham. Apparently it’s made from the best piece of meat - the hind leg. But what lends this special ham the delicious flavour is its ageing. It’s smoked for three months, which gives it its distinctive aroma. They say it's best had with a local brew, but truth be told, we enjoyed it as is, without any accompaniment. It was way too delicious. Now, before we talk of the Black Forest Cake, you must know what the Black Forest means to us Indians growing up in the late 80s and 90s. Now of course we have fancy options for cakes, from Salted Caramel, Dulce de Leche, Espresso Mousse, to whatever you can imagine. But back in the day, there were your local cake shops and Monginis, and growing up we had three flavours to choose from – Chocolate Truffle, Pineapple and Black Forest. Black Forest was the most popular one, because it had chocolate, whipped cream and cherries. Growing up, the cake featured in most of our beloved untainted memories, playing an integral part of our childhood. So, when we were about to taste the authentic one, we had the same childlike enthusiasm. And obviously after all these years, after having tasted way better cakes, our palates too were accustomed to something better. So caught between the past and present, we took a bite of the famous Black Forest cake. It was absolutely lip-smackingly good. The cream was fresh, but the most distinguishing factor was Kirsch – a cherry liquor that almost rolls off your tongue as the soft sponge and chocolate swim in your mouth. And almost like a reflex action, there’s that childlike grin plastered on your face. Now, this is not just the nostalgia, but also the modern great taste. How should we say it, it hits that sweet spot in the middle.

For us, Titisee was just a tiny piece of the pie. Loaded with history and culture, Germany has tales to tell. And travellers like us are all ears to hear them. But this was just the beginning. We plan to go back soon, with bigger plans, bigger adventures and yes, a bigger appetite.