The Germans certainly like their pork, and Cologne was no exception to this rule, the weekend being a pork-fest from start to finish. Wiener Schnitzel, Sausage and Pork Knuckle being the staple of the beer halls and restaurants and it almost seems impossible that there are enough pigs in existence to cope with this voracious appetite for porcine flesh.

Considering I love beer and pork, a German beer hall is pretty much a match made in heaven for me. The portions are not insignificant either, so it’s just as well I’ve only averaged a visit a year for the last few years, as it would have a serious impact on my already bulging middle.

The  pork knuckle is, I believe, boiled for a while before being roasted, to keep the flesh exceptionally succulent whilst having crispy crackling on the outside. The sausages are pretty much of one variety, being closest to the Lincolnshire sausage in taste and size, but being served a half-metre or a metre at a time!  The ubiquitous sauerkraut and potato (of one form or another, but generally mash or fried) are worth a mention and are a worthy accompaniment to any of the above dishes.

The only complaint I would have about Cologne, is the insistence of most of the beer houses to serve their Kolsch (local Cologne beer) in 200ml glasses. These feel like thimbles compared to a pint glass and whilst I can sympathise with those whose beer warms up because of the size of a pint (drink faster!), a 200ml glass of beer only lasts about 2 sips. In addition to that, you drink so many of them it’s difficult to gauge how much you’ve actually drunk, especially when you’ve consumed half a pig to soak up the booze. It’s a small price to pay, though, for hearty food and high quality lager.