The concept of eating sausage for breakfast is certainly not surprising to find in Germany. What might surprise you though is how once you’ve had a weißwurst breakfast, eating normal breakfast sausage is sure to be disappointing. A typical morning meal in Bavaria, weißwürsten, fresh white sausages that are made with veal, egg, lemon, parsley and cream, should always be accompanied by sweet mustard, a fresh brezel and bier. Beer for breakfast you ask? Yep, now you know you’re in Germany!

As is the case with many traditional foods, eating weißwurst calls for adherence to certain rules if you hope to blend in among the local dining scene. When it comes to weißwürsten, the most important rule is that you only order them in the morning. This rule originated because this sausage is extremely perishable and would traditionally be made in the morning. With modern conveniences like refrigeration and preservatives, you could find weißwurst that won’t start to go off before noontime church bells ring, but the best weißwürsten are still made fresh daily.

When weißwürsten are served, they should be in a pot or bowl filled with their cooking liquid and perhaps a little parsley. To eat weißwurst like a true Bavarian, first, take one out and place it on your plate. Slice the weißwurst lengthwise and carefully use your fork to roll the sausage out of the casing, Bavarians never eat weißwurst casing. Once your weißwurst is separated from its casing, you should pick it up (hands only), dip it in the mustard, and eat. Although this is the proper way of eating weißwurst, you will find people doing all sorts of things, from cutting pieces with a fork and knife to sucking the sausage through an end of the casing. Whatever method you opt for, the most important thing is that you enjoy your breakfast and your morning!