Culinary hike features food, wine, fun

by Petra Lessoing
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Courtesy photosHikers enjoy the 6-kilometer culinary hiking trail near Rodenbach Saturday and Sunday.
Courtesy photos
Hikers enjoy the 6-kilometer culinary hiking trail near Rodenbach Saturday and Sunday.

The sixth culinary hike in Rodenbach takes place Saturday and Sunday.

The biggest culinary hike in the Westpfalz will lead walkers on mostly paved trails to seven stations, where they can taste culinary specialties and wines.

“It’s a perfect family outing since the nearly four-mile loop is paved, making it great for strollers and wagons,” said Christoph Molter from the organizing team.

Hikers take a break at one of the seven locations along the route that serve food and beverages.
Hikers take a break at one of the seven locations along the route that serve food and beverages.

The hike will begin with an official opening ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday and end around 9 p.m. Sunday. Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to about 7 p.m.

Regional butchers and caterers will offer their specialties. Hikers will have the choice of salmon filet made on a Finnish Kota grill with a honey mustard dip, antipasti variations, wild game bratwurst, French red wine meat and Mediterranean scampi en brochette.

“We are very proud about the repeated commitment of Big Boys Barbeque from Troisdorf — serving over 1,000 pounds of pork and beef that has been simmering gently for almost a day to create one of Germany’s best barbecues,” Molter said.

Regional vintners will serve a variety of wines and Prosecco. Participants have the option to buy a wine pass for €5. They will get a little glass to taste wines at the price of €1 at each wine station. The passes can be obtained at the two information stands.

During the event, children can jump on a bouncy castle and get their faces painted.

Participants can park their vehicles on parking lots in the Industriegebiet Nord, Hans-Geiger-Strasse, Kaisers-lautern (industrial area between Vogelweh and Weilerbach, along state road L367) and start their route there following the signs.

Passengers can board city busses on bus route 101 at the Kaiserlsautern Rathaus (city hall) or on bus route 140 at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) to be driven to the center of Rodenbach. Busses depart every hour. For more information on bus routes, visit www.swk.de (route 101) or www.saarpfalzbus.de (route 140).

Hikers can join anywhere along the hiking route.

For directions, a map and more information about the culinary hike, visit www.kulinarische-wanderung.de.