Obatzda is a cheese spread served as an appetizer and side dish throughout Bavaria and beyond. It is typically found scooped onto of a bed of lettuce with rounds of fresh tomatoes and finely sliced onions, sometimes sprinkled with chives as a light topping. Legend has it that obatzda was created by the resourceful innkeeper of the Bräustüberl Weihenstephan in Freising in the 1920’s. Not wanting to waste any food, she mixed leftover cheese with herbs and spices and served it to her guests. This mashup of ingredients became immediately popular and eventually evolved into a Bavarian specialty. Today, obatzda is made with a soft aged cheese like Camembert, butter, paprika and other seasonings and is best enjoyed with fresh German pretzels and an ice-cold beer. Order it in a biergarten on a sunny day, there is really nothing like it; it’s creamy, salty, smooth and insanely satisfying.
