Friday was a complete bust… part 1 … Wild

The other day, someone mentioned a restaurant in Trechtingshausen that served ‘Wild’ (meat from wild animals – deer, elk, rabbits, squirrel, etc.). I was told it was quite well-known and the food was quite good – but it was only open 2 nights a week.  I don’t eat ‘wild’. (In fact, I make detours around the frozen meat department in the supermarkets here because they sell frozen rabbit… which laid out in the plastic wrapping still looks like rabbit!!) But, I thought it might be interesting to find the restaurant, check out the menu, talk to the owner, etc.  Even in this tiny village, I had a hard time finding it, because I did not have an address. (‘Oh, it’s directly on the main street.’) Turns out they have closed completely – for quite some time now. I wonder why?? 

Anne, my hotelier, told me that the place she now owns had been closed for three years before she bought it. The previous owner’s wife had died and his son had no interest in the place, so since he did not want to run it alone, the owner simply closed it. Anne says he is so happy now. He visits frequently and acts like an ‘uncle’. He feels that his dream will live on.  But his story is so typical. Mitttelstand (family–owned, small and mid-sized) companies are the backbone of the economy, but they are having major succession problems.

Now back to the meat issue: ‘Wild’ is quite popular here. People take hunting as well as animal and land conservation quite seriously. I once knew a woman (an accountant) whose husband worked as a marketing manager for a local wine cooperative, but who went hunting in the early morning several times a week. He caught rabbits and other game (his wife cleaned and dressed them) and sold them to local restaurants. 

You can even get ‘wild’ in dog food. My dog did not like it… a bit too gamey, I guess.