Forked River frankfurters
Forked River might be the last place one would expect to find a world-class house-made liverwurst. But schnitzel-savvy locals in this Jersey Shore town, not to mention wurst-minded travelers to nearby Long Beach Island, know that Wolfgang Barsch's German Butcher, now entering its 40th year, is the place to go for artisan-made Bavarian specialties.
Forked River might be the last place one would expect to find a world-class house-made liverwurst. But schnitzel-savvy locals in this Jersey Shore town, not to mention wurst-minded travelers to nearby Long Beach Island, know that Wolfgang Barsch's German Butcher, now entering its 40th year, is the place to go for artisan-made Bavarian specialties.
Granted, there's a niche crowd for esoteric cold cuts like "sour head cheese" and "blood and tongue," both of which are better than they sound (even if the names accurately describe the ingredients). But Barsch's homemade frankfurters ($4.99 a pound) are a treat most everyone will enjoy, similar enough to a good old hot dog, but with the delicate snap of a natural casing and an aromatic nutmeg seasoning that gives these dogs undeniable pedigree. These beef and pork wieners are made only with prime cuts, no fillers, preservatives, or sugar - so be sure to grill them while they're fresh.
The German Butcher (a.k.a. the Forked River Butcher Shop), 109 Lacey Rd, Forked River, 609-693-7100.
- Craig LaBan