Prague Christmas Market Food - 2009

‘Twas the month before Christmas
And all throughout Prague
The tourists were swarming
Their eyes all agog

Their noses shone red
And sniffed at the air
Sweet smells drifted to them
From a packed Old Town Square

No kitschy beer steins
No gloves for this dude
I didn´t need candles
I, too, wanted food

I walked the whole square
I looked high and low
The most popular item
Was the simple Trdlo

This rolled sugar bread
Looked ever so nice
But at 50 Czech crowns
It ain´t worth the price

Some people just love it
I do not know why
It´s fire-cooked dough
That´s boring and dry

Next was klobasa
Served on a baguette
The cost was the same
And a much better bet

It could have been hotter
It could have been leaner
I still liked the taste
Of this smoky wiener

Potato pancakes
I´ll eat ‘em, just watch me
But I´ve often had better
Than these Bramboráčky

Don´t bother with them
They´ll do you no favors
Just oil and garlic
And not enough flavors

I then saw my love
Under Týn Church´s spires
Slow turning meat
Riding spits over fires

You´ll sure pay a lot
For tasty Prague hams
It´s 89 crowns
For each hundred grams

I think it’s worth it
There´s no better meat
So tender and juicy
A real winter treat

To wash down a meal
There´s plenty of beer
For 35 crowns
It adds to your cheer

I paid a bit more
For something more fine
Czech´s call it “Svařák”
I call it mulled wine

It´s sweet and it´s sour
It´s cinnamon-clove
It warmed me right up
Straight down to my toes

The square grew quite cold
Which I took as a sign
It was time to head home
On the metro ‘A´ Line

I was heard to exclaim
As I rolled out of sight
“Munich´s markets are better
if you´re out for a bite!”

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Brewsta is the creator of Prague’s first English-language food and drink blog, “Czech Please.” He’s now posting a new adventure on Expats.cz once in two weeks.