Linda Tripp opens authentic German market in Middleburg

Zwire ^ | 12/22/05

[areafiftyone]

12/20/2005

	The bratwurst served at Weihnachts Markt is authentic German sausage.

Weihnachts Markt is a traditional German Christmas market plunked down along the Middleburg's main drag.

Middleburg resident Linda Tripp (yes, of Clinton scandal fame) and her husband, German architect Dieter Rausch, are serving up bratwurst and other German delights to hungry, if not curious, passersby.

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

[areafiftyone]

LOL I'm hungry too. Time for lunch. ((((sigh))) looks like the salad bar for me though! LOL

[JackOfVA]

Have you tried the Old Europe up on Wisconsin Ave nea?
Its been 15 years since the wife and I have been there, but it used to be a good place for German dining.

http://www.old-europe.com/

Jack

[BunnySlippers]

She should open a mail order branch of the German store. I'd buy.

[JackOfVA]

Also forgot to mention there's a decent German deli in Falls Church. Good line of German products, including lots of sausages. I even found some Dusseldorf Alt beer there.

It's the "German Gourmet" at 7185 Lee Hwy. Watch where you park, one of the nearby business owners is quick to call a tow truck if you use his parking area to visit any other business.


Jack

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Wasn't she the doctor on Star Trek, the Next Generation?

[SquirrelKing]

Is that you, Linda?

=)

[Rapscallion]

I am sure the places you recommend are good....but the debt of gratitude we owe to Linda makes it quite worthwhile for us FReepers to stop by the store and if possible buy something. She is a woman of immense courage.

[napscoordinator]

beautiful? Come on now, we all thankful for her assistance in getting President Clinton impeached, but let's not go overboard. That women is one of the most ugliest women out there. But, hopefully she will at least get some customers in her market. No Dems will be going that is for sure.

[linda_22003]

Well, I'm not THAT Linda. She would be "linda_20118". :)

[JackOfVA]

Agreed--Linda deserves support.

However, the places I mentioned are open year round, unlike Linda's December-only operation.

Plus, it's about 50 miles from Middleburg to the DC suburbs.


Jack

[tfecw]

Old Europe looks good, but looks a little pricey. I might have to make that a special occasion type of thing. I would think a German food alternative (price wise) to an Chili's or and Apple Bees would make a small fortune, but i don't know anything about the restaurant business :).

As for the deli, a visit is now on my to-do list. Thanks for the ideas!

[doberville]

Elsie's - outside of Fort Meade?

[JackOfVA]

Here's a Washingtonian Magazine list of German cusine:

Cafe Berlin: German

322 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Capitol Hill
(202) 543-7656


Cafe Europa: French/German/Italian

7820 Norfolk Ave.
Bethesda
(301) 657-1607


Cafe Mozart's German Deli: Deli/German

1331 H. St., NW
Downtown
(202) 347-5732


Euro Bistro: Asian/Austrian/German/Italian/Thai

314 Elden St.
Herndon


Old Europe: German

2434 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Glover Park
(202) 333-7600


Wurzburg Haus: German

7236 Muncaster Mill Rd.
Rockville
(301) 330-0402


The only one I have personal experience with is Old Europe. Not cheap, but very good food.

Although it isn't German, I can also recommend Russia House in Herndon for Russian food. Also not cheap, but good.

Jack

[jackibutterfly]

"What they did to Linda Tripp was disgusting."

I agree - and I'll never undstand why the Bush administration never kept HER on. After all, they kept a lot of Clinton's cronies on. If they kept anyone, it SHOULD have been her.

[gcruse]

The Doctor on TNG was Gates McFadden.

[bmwcyle]

Bavarian Chief just above Charlottesvilee on Rt. 29 is great.

[bmwcyle]

Wurzburg Haus: German

7236 Muncaster Mill Rd.
Rockville
(301) 330-0402


I heard they closed.

[spectre]

"That women is one of the most ugliest women out there."

First off;..."THAT WOMAN" is reserved for Monica.

Second..I take issue with Linda being ugly. She's not. Your comment is.

sw

[JackOfVA]

I try to stay on the Virginia side of the Potomac, as otherwise it encourages the Maryland Democrats.

Probably will be making a visit to the Old Europe in January, as we have been discussing meeting a family friend there.

I will put a recommendation in for The Hermitage, in Clifton VA which is located about a quarter mile from my house. It's as good as any K Street establishment you will find. It isn't cheap, but first class food and a very scenic location. It's an old hotel, built in the 1860's that has been completely restored. http://www.hermitageinnrestaurant.com/

The town of Clifton is also quite historic, most of the houses are from the 1850-1900 period, with the oldest from the Revolutionary War period, so walking around the town is worthwhile.

For a less expensive Clifton alternative, the Heart in Hand http://www.heartinhandrestaurant.com/Index.htm is diagonally across the railroad tracks from the Hermitage. It's in an old feed and grain store, built before 1900, and redone, but still with wide pine plank floors, etc. Quite charming. Nancy Reagan and George Will would occasionally meet there for lunch when RR was in office.

Jack

[HolgerDansk]

"Ya we had Blatz and Sauerkraut the night before!"

Raise It!