Baltimore’s Christmas Village is in full swing, bringing Teutonic Christmas cheer to the Inner Harbor now through Dec. 24. In addition to holiday crafts and gifts, the market boasts an impressive selection of European food and drink on par with any Christkindlmarkt from Austria to Zurich.
After eating our way through the Christmas Village, we rank a few of our favorite things:
1. Raclette
After seeing videos of raclette on social media last year, we couldn’t wait to try the Swiss-style treat, gooey melted cheese scraped directly from the wheel. The market offers it on french fries or with prosciutto or salami, but we enjoyed it on a baguette with cornichons ($11). Take a video.
2. Latkes
OK, they’re not the most photogenic things in the world, but these traditional deep-fried potato pancakes are tasty when paired with with applesauce and sour cream. $18 gets you two with schnitzel, a roll and a pickle.
3. Maple Chesapeake Bay-flavored bacon on a stick
The creators of JD’s House of Bacon know how to play to a crowd. They offer a glistening slab of bacon — so big it’s more like a pork chop — subtly seasoned with a maple Chesapeake-style spice mix that’s similar to Old Bay for $5. Or you can get the $4 ricotta cheese cake, mixed with maple Old Bay syrup, caramel, and yes, bacon.
4. Bratwurst with sauerkraut
We’ve already discussed in this newspaper Marylanders’ longstanding affinity for sauerkraut around the holidays, so this is a no-brainer. An $8 grilled white bratwurst loaded onto a toasted bun tastes best when topped with kraut (and finished off with a pickle). It’s just the protein you need to fuel an afternoon of Christmas shopping.
5. Hot cocoa in keepsake mug
Let us not neglect the beverage portion of the Christmas Village. In addition to Germany’s own Hofbräu beers and several different flavors of glühwein, or mulled wine, guests can order a hot chocolate with whipped cream ($6- $7) with an adorable keepsake mug.
6. Crepes
Do you have room for a crepe? Sure you do. The stand at Baltimore’s Christmas Village sells sweet and savory versions of the classic French treat. We liked ours with banana and dulche de leche, with a decadent dusting of powdered sugar and chocolate syrup ($8). After all, it’s the holidays.