Linda Tripp opens authentic German market in Middleburg

Weihnachts Markt

Where: In the garden of The Noble House, 101 W. Washington St., Middleburg

When: Daily, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., through December, except Christmas Day.

Offerings: Bratwurst, 'weisswurst,' stollen, hot apple cider, nuts and various German confections

Contact: (540) 687-3665 or http://www.christmassleigh.com

Bratwurst for the holidays

Longtime sweethearts Tripp and Rausch were married last year. They split their time between Middleburg and Germany, where they also have a home.

The couple opened their "magical" little house of treats three years ago. They took last holiday season off, much to the chagrin of many loyal patrons, and reopened for a second season this year.

Weihnachts, which means "Christmas" in German, is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day during December except Christmas Day. It closes for the season after New Year's Day.

"People love it," Tripp said, peeking out from under a wide-brimmed hat. "They come from far and wide."

She added that customers have traveled all the way from New York for a taste of their authentic German bratwurst, which comes directly from a German butcher.

True German bratwurst is much longer and skinnier than what people are used to here in the United States. The sausage hangs off both ends of the bun and it's never topped off with sauteed onions and peppers -- that's an American tradition.

Lederhosen-wearing Rausch, who moved here from Frankfurt, Germany four years ago, smothers his bratwurst in yellow mustard from a large ceramic canister.

Germans dip the bun in mustard and eat it on the side instead of as a sandwich, Tripp said.

She gobbles down "weisswurst," a white sausage typical of Munich that's boiled, not grilled.

Besides sausage, Weihnachts offers hot mulled apple cider; stollen (a rich bread-like cake sometimes containing dried citrus peel, dried fruit, nuts and spices); toasted and chocolate-covered almonds; bottled water, sodas and a variety of other German confections.

Rausch designed and built the tiny, red-and-green market house that's decked out for the season in festive greenery, lights and ornaments. A black, red and yellow German flag hangs outside on the gate.

Look for Weihnachts Markt on the grassy patch in front of The Noble House (101 W. Washington Street), just beyond the intersection of Washington and Madison streets heading west.

It's kitty-cornered from Tripp and Rausch's year-round Christmas store, The Christmas Sleigh.

In the future, Tripp said she hopes to operate several more miniature holiday houses around town, and perhaps in Leesburg. Her hope is to bring German holiday traditions home to the United States.

E-mail the reporter: bbo

Germans dip the bun in mustard and eat it on the side instead of as a sandwich, Tripp said.

No, they do the sandwich thing, too, but dip the whole thing in the mustard rather than put the mustard on it.

She gobbles down "weisswurst," a white sausage typical of Munich that's boiled, not grilled.

And you can get grilled weiswurst pretty much anywhere, at least in central-northern Germany, and hubby is from there.

I'll know they're really authentic if the fries come only with either mayonnaise or curry-ketchup. Anyway, I'm hungry now.

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	The bratwurst served at Weihnachts Markt is authentic German sausage.