One of the great things about my job is that it requires me to travel to some really cool places that I probably wouldn’t normally get to see on my own. I like to take advantage of my time abroad and really explore the country or city I am visiting –  site see, shop, experience the culture and of course try as much of the local cuisine as possible. On a recent trip to Dusseldorf Germany, I was able to do just that. I didn’t know what to expect given that it was March, not the best time of year to be in Germany weather wise, but it turned out to be a pretty nice trip regardless of the time of year. I did get a chance to visit some pretty cool restaurants in the old part of the city, where there was a cool outdoor market, cobblestone roads and no cars allowed in the city center. One night I was fortunate enough to go on a brewery tour at Uerige Brewery and also have dinner there. It was a preset menu served buffet style, giving us a taste of the local beer and German cuisine.  For dinner we had a beautiful roast with dumplings and red cabbage on the side. I’m not a big fan of cabbage but given that it is a very popular side dish in Germany and given that I was in Germany, I thought I needed to give it a try and I am so glad I did. The taste surprised me, it has such a nice balance of sweet and sour and all I could think of is making this side dish at home for my family. I asked the chef if I could have his recipe and he gave it to me. I made it a few days after I came home and my family loved it! So, here it is.

German Red Cabbage

Here is what you will need:

• 3 tbs of butter
• 1/2 of 1 red cabbage shredded
• 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• Pinch of clove
• 1 cup of sliced green apple
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of pepper

How to make the German Red Cabbage:

• Place butter, cabbage, apples, and sugar into a large pot. Pour in the vinegar and water, and season with salt, pepper, and clove.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

I hope this recipe inspires you to be creative in your kitchen – enjoy!