Viktualienmarkt, an outdoor food market in Munich

For me, one of the best ways to immerse myself in the culture of a particular city is to pay a visit to their local farmers market. Besides getting the benefits of being able to walk around outdoors to enjoy the sunshine...or rain, or snow (inclement weather is usually not a deterrent for me to enjoy food), you get the added bonus of being able to dabble a little in the different types of foods that are available in the area and find out about the city's customs and culinary traditions. Usually, if I have some time to spend in a given city, I will do some research to find out if they have a farmers market in the area.

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On a recent trip to Munich, Germany, my husband and I stumbled upon this great market call Viktualienmarkt. Conveniently located in the City Center, the market has over 140 different vendors and is definitely worth checking out if you are in the area and have the time. It is open every day except for Sunday year round so it's easily accessible and convenient. Don't make the mistake of showing up hungry like I did because you will be enticed by all of the deliciousness that surrounds you.

Cheese, cheese and more cheese!! As you probably know, Europeans love cheese and it is definitely noticeable here because there is no shortage of it. Swiss, Gouda, Blue, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar. Many varieties were on hand and some variations that you can't find elsewhere. Surprisingly, the prices were more reasonable than they are here in the U.S. I did purchase a couple of different kinds to have as a snack on the train ride to Prague that we were taking the next day.

Much to our liking was the large wine selection available. Several different wine vendors were on hand selling a variety of reds, whites, rose`, sparkling, and dessert wines.

There was also vodka, rum, and whiskey. We browsed the selection and decided to pick up a bottle of red wine to go with the cheese that I picked out.

​Marinated artichokes, mushrooms, garlic, peppers....the list goes on. Also, there was a large selection of stuffed olives. We had all the makings for a perfect antipasto salad.

Warning!! If you are a vegetarian, this next picture might cause some discomfort but I feel like if I'm going to tell this story, it has to be shown. Salami, ham, sausage, chicken, veal, duck, prosciutto, turkey....you name it. ​It became apparent to us that people in Germany love meat. This was not only noticeable on the restaurant menus that we encountered but also here at the market. For the locals, this is a great place to come to stock up on organic meat and game.

There were lots and lots of flowers vendors which I did not expect given that it was the middle of October. Still, the beautiful flowers were in bloom and plentiful.

Besides everything I described here, there was also coffee, pastries, bread, spices, preserves....did I forget anything?... Probably so. This is truly an amazing market and I was very much in my element here. If you are a food lover as I am, you will most certainly be mesmerized by Viktualienmarkt!