Shuhbeck’s Gewürze Laden

I usually avoid the Platz called ‘Platzl’ in the Altstadt. It is the epicenter of all things touristy in Munich, complete with a Hard Rock Cafe and the year-round faux Oktoberfest at the Hofbräu Haus (I always inform out of town guests that going there is strictly verboten)

But alas, I was making a recipe which called for smoked paprika. A week prior some friends were kvetching about the minimum purchase amount (20 grams) at Shuhbeck’s Spice or Gewürze store, but they do have every kind of spice imaginable, so…what couldja do? Surely I could find my smoked Paprika there, so I hoofed it on over.

‘HOW could I have never been to this place in all my years in München!?!?!’ was what I asked myself four seconds after entering the store. It was true, they had everything! More than everything! I instantly realized what a dangerous find it was; I could easily spend too many hours and Euros in the place. A quaffed and courteous sales woman led me to the smoked Paprika.

The atmosphere was fantastic. The store was opulent in a hokey, Bavarian kind of way, all of the sales people were lovely and there was really just an incredible assortment of spices, sugars, herbs, salts, sauces, you name it. I could see why Shuhbeck’s Brand dynasty was so successful. Prior to my visit here he just seemed like an old guy with a cooking show and with slightly trashy looking women on the posters. But after a visit to the Gewürzladen, I am now a breathless Shuhbecks evangelist.

More pics on Flickr.