At last

Forty-six years ago I first tasted a mettwurst.

I bought it at a street-corner cart in Bitburg, Germany, in December 1966. It was served on a German roll on a flimsy paper plate.

It was dressed with hot mustard in the German style, and accompanied by a side of pommes frites (french fries) with mayonnaise. Yes, I learned to like mayonnaise or even honey on fries in Germany. (I also learned to like beer at basement temperature; it seems there's just more flavor when it's not icy cold. But I digress.)

I left Germany to come home three years later. Since then, the only time I have tasted mettwurst -- did I mention how much I loved mettwurst? -- was about 10 years ago, on a trip back to Bitburg. I ate my last mettwurst, again from a sidewalk stand and again with a side of fries with mayo.

What is mettwurst? I don't honestly know. I suspect it's a pork sausage, maybe with a little veal or beef thrown in, cured by smoke, with the magic being in the combination of spices. If I had to guess I'd say the spices include white pepper, paprika and a few others I can't identify. Grilled is the way I like them, although mettwurst can be cooked in any of the many ways you'd prepare, for example, Italian sausage or knockwurst.

I've never, ever, seen mettwurst on any menu or in any butcher shop or grocery store in the States. Never.

Until today.

Mettwurst might be available in cities with more of a German population, but not until now in Richmond. Believe me: I have asked around for 40 years.

Today I checked out the brand spanking new Fresh Market store in the old Verizon building on Nansemond Street just off of West Cary Street. There, in the butcher shop, was a tray of mettwurst. I immediately bought two of them for $1.29 apiece.

My mouth is watering. I'll have them for dinner tonight.

And if they're good, I'll be going back.

Often. Until I've had my fill of mettwurst.

I am curious about what other goodies this new store offers. Once I saw the mettwurst today, I didn't pay attention to anything else. I just clutched my treasure tightly and headed home.

Just imagine. I only had to wait for 40-some years.

UPDATE:  It's been about two weeks since I bought my first mettwurst at Fresh market. I cooked that first batch with cabbage and potatoes all in one pot (adding the mettwurst about 30 minutes before the cabbage and potatoes were done to keep the mettwurst from exploding in the pot). Delicious! I bought another batch and split them lengthwise, then fried them. I had them with buttered grits and scrambled eggs. Again, delicious!