When asked, John Kretschmer may tell you that he may prefer to “Grow old and die in Berlin.”  It is such a unique, civilized, multi-national and multi-cultural city that practices tolerance and celebrates privacy & independent living.  And on many city blocks . . . there is a currywurst imbiss (snack bar).

Herta Hewer invented currywurst at her street stand in West Berlin in 1949.  And before its closure in 2018, the Deutsches Currywurst Museum estimated that 800 million currywurst were served each year in Germany, 70 million in Berlin alone.

When John worked there in 2015, his landlord pointed to a shop at the near-by Rosenthaler Platz and said, “Lucky you, that’s the best currywurst in Berlin!”  The concept is very simple – two fryers – a shallow one for wurst, which is scored and fried to crispy edges - and a deep fryer for french-fried potatoes.  Slice the wurst into bite-sized portions, place both in a paper bowl, top with warm spicy curry sauce (and a dollop of mayo if that is your thing). Stick it with a small wooden fork, and you are about to get happy.  Sprinkle the signature madras curry on top and add some cayenne to kick it up a notch.

So why not bring a bit of Berlin - perhaps the best part of Berlin - to Hot Springs and WNC? John’s favorite neighborhood in Berlin is called “Mitte” - the middle of East Berlin.  curry273 is meant to share some of its treats and wonders with the folks of WNC and beyond . . . .