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The German Market

Every winter, Leeds welcomes The German Market as it takes over Millenium Square funfilled games, stalls with a variation of gifts and gadgets and countless food menues. Sweet, savory and sour, The German Market bring a taste of culture to a very British city centre.

Drinks

Christkindelmarkt Leeds is one of the most established German Christmas Markets in the UK, rivaling the likes of Manchester and London, with traditional wooden stalls, festive greenery, Christmas carousel ride and twinkling colourful lights all creating a unique continental style festive atmosphere in the heart of Leeds city centre.

Set in the civic setting of Millennium Square, Christkindelmarkt attracts many hundred thousands of visitors to Leeds each year during the month and a half it is together, and forms an integral part of the city’s annual events programme.

The market consists of over 40 wooden chalet stalls from authentic German traders providing a wide range of seasonal gift ideas including; handcrafted toys, jewellery, Christmas cards and festive decorations, speciality foods and traditional German delicacies such as bratwurst sausages, goulash, soups, schnitzels, stollen, gingerbread and candied fruits.

Kuh Stall and the new Alp Chalet

Bavarian eatery provide visitors with a warm and cosy retreat in which to sample the very best in authentic German food & drink, and the ideal way to get festive with family friends.

Particularly popular with visitors is the ‘Frank- further Scheune’.

The availability of authentic german drinks that are only available here during the festive season make it a much sought after destination. As the bands play traditional german music, it is only right that everyone joins in with the tradition of smashing steine to steine along with the music. Each steine can be filled with whichever traditional beer you choose, from the most popular lager ‘Helles Bier’ to ‘Weizen Hell’, light wheat beer and ‘weizen dunkel’, dark wheat beer. The atmosphere every night that the market is up is electric. It is like no other festive drinking experience. Weeknights are particularly popular with the students from around the city, Millie a student from Leeds University said ‘I like to come as often as possible when

it (the market) arrives, because it’s something different to drinking in a pub or bar, it just makes you feel Christmassy and fun!’ Laura, 22, from Leeds Metropolitan added, ‘It just has a really good vibe!’

The variety of German drinks that are made at the market is endless. ‘Gluhwein’ is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star aniseed, citrus, sugar and vanilla pods. It is sometimes drunk ‘mit Schuss’ (with a shot), which means that rum or some other liquor has been added. Fruit wines, such as blueberry wine and cherry wine, are occasionally used instead of grape wine. They are made and kept hot in large steaming cauldron-like pots, which give the whole market a wonderful spicy festive smell. Each flavor has its own unique German name.

‘Bratapfelgluhwein’ is a blend of roast apple mulled wine, ‘Himberrwein’ a raspberry variation, ‘Kirschwein’ a cherry flavour of the wine and ‘Blaubeerwein’ a blueberry mulled wine. ‘I had the Kirschwein, it tasted amazing.

Just like you imagine how Christmas would taste!’ said Chloe, 32

from Otley.

The most popular choices of wine sold in the huts are those named in English as ‘Hot love’, ‘Flirt’ and ‘Snowman’.

bar is the German twist on the most well known cocktails. The German market stall owners saw a gap in the market to offer popular drinks with a German twist, so they re-invented some of the best These are the authentic gluhwein known cocktails especially for with added spirits to ‘add a heat Christmas. ‘Ludwigs Liebster’ to the chest’ as the customer is what we know as a Mojito, consumes them. Rum is added ‘Prinzregent’ is commonly known to the mulled wine to make ‘Hot as Tequila Sunrise, ‘Munchner love’, Amaretto for ‘Flirt’ and a Kindl’ is Mai Tai and they even mix of the two, plus cream on top have a version of the popular to make ‘Snowman’, said to be Sex on the Beach ‘Boarischs the most popular with Mums and Gschnaxl’. Jagermeister, another Dads! John, 45 from Huddersfield very popular liquor, made famous commented, ‘There’s nothing by après-ski tradition of warming better than the ‘snowman’, as up the body when it’s had a day long as I’m not driving!’ These in the snow, is also popular at are served in traditional German the market in the winter condiwinter scene mugs, to be enjoyed tions. It is made in Germany by whilst browsing the other stalls.

56 herbs and spices, and bottled Another offering from the alpine and brought to the UK with the

market. ‘Himbeerwasser’ and ‘Kirschwasser’, are raspberry schnapps and cherry schnapps shots served at the market for the bravest of customers.

As I walk around the Christmas market talking to stall owners about recipes and customers about their experiences, there is not one person who isn’t having a pleasant time, toasting the festive season with the best gluhweins Germany has to offer. Even the locals don’t get bored of the market year on year, Sue and Charlie, 55, added ‘We’ve had some of the best nights in Leeds at the German market. Every year it is the most anticipated event in millennium square, we love it!’

Sarah Cox

Savory From the famous Pork Schnitzel to traditional German Bratwurst sausages. The Christkindle Market in the heart of Leeds city centre is sure to leave you with that warm Christmas feeling inside, and that’s not just caused from the hot mulled wine! They other an array of mouth-watering savoury snacks that are sure to leave a lasting memory. Seen as the fan favourite of the market, the German Bratwurst.

If you’re after something a little spicier to help warm you up, bratwurst sausages are also available as Currywurst - sliced sausage with a tomato-based sauce and a sprinkling of curry powder, you can add as little or as much as you like depending on your taste.

Or maybe you’re a secret sweet tooth, if so the must have at the market is the Strudel.

lar hot snack at Christmas market, the crepe stall make them fresh in front of you and offer a selection of fillings, from apple and cinnamon puree to a generous helping of nutella to simply a dash of lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar. If these traditional ChristAnother Germanic tradition that mas market drinks are not for you, is available at the markets, these there are plenty of stalls that sell The traditional German sausage pastry desserts are usually filled tea and coffee. Another Christmas that is cooked on a circular grill with a mixture of apples and market favourite is hot chocolate suspended over hot coals. As they raisins with a generous flavouring with a warming shot of whiskey are served in a bun they are easy of cinnamon that are baked until or Baileys, perfect to helping to to carry, depending on how much golden brown. Last but by way stave off the winter cold during topping you want to put on them, least, the Crepe. Known as one of your shopping trip. whether its sauerkraut or just a the crowd pleasers for the shopsquirt of ketchup and mustard. pers in the city of Leeds. A popuMatt Goddard

Sweet Treats Christmas time is a time of indulgence and fine foods.

From candy canes to chocolate marshmallows, it is almost impossible to escape sweet smells and temptations at a time when the food is so very much around.

are often walking around. The small pancakes are easy to eat’.

A stall which sells personalised cookies in the shape of hearts, candy canes and christmas tree’s is another best seller, although a employee said ‘popularity tends to increase closer The German Market has a vast to Christmas for us as people amount of sweet treats to satisfy buy a lot of our products for presents’. everyones preferences. The stalls tend to lean toward one The sweet foods popularity may of two themes. Chritsmas, or be because so much of it isn’t warm winter treats. as commonly found in the Britain. Not many businesses offer According to employees, the best selling stall is the miniture authentic crepes and chocolae and marmallow covered wafpancake stall. This is closely fles. followed by the crepes and chocoalte covered fruit. The miniture pancake stall claims its The flavoured popcorn is culsuccess is due to ‘conveniance, tural twist, put on a american classic. Flavours like apple, and the weather.’ They rely on the cold to attract customers to cinnamon and strawberry are availble, with other sweet treats their warm comforting food. such as candy floss, candy An employee claimed ‘Crepes canes and sweetened fruit. are hard to eat because people

Germany is renound for its sweet treats at christmas time. They have plenty of authentic food to take home. The Christstollen is their traditional fruitcake, which can be bought at the market.

The German Market certainly brings a bit of culture and festive fun into Leeds city centre during the winter, offering a diverse range of authentic German sweet treats.

Don’t miss out, you’ll have to wait another year to go again.

Rachel Satterthwaite.