Rodenbach hosts fourth culinary hike

After three successful years and a growing number of participants, the fourth culinary hike will take place Saturday and Sunday in Rodenbach.

The biggest culinary hike in the Westpfalz will lead walkers on mostly paved trails to eight stations, where they can taste culinary specialties and wines. The 6 kilometer, stroller friendly route will be available at 1 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.

“Several thousands of visitors in the last years prove that the hike is of high quality and belongs meanwhile to our annual calendar of events,” said Anja Pfeiffer, the mayor of the Weilerbach Union Community.

Regional butchers and caterers will offer their specialties. Hikers will have the choice of salmon filet made on a Finnish Kota grill with a honey mustard dip, antipasti variations, wild game bratwurst, French red wine meat, pasta and tomato sauce, and arancini, a Sicilian specialty made with stuffed rice balls. Sweet delicacies include rusty knights with vanilla sauce, dishes made of flour and poppy seed, and cakes.

Regional vintners will serve a variety of wines and prosecco. Participants have the option to buy a wine pass for €5. They will get a little glass to taste wines at the price of €1 at each wine station. The passes can be obtained at the two information stands.

During the hike, children can jump on a bouncy castle and get their faces painted. Couples can also ask for romantic wagon rides.

A traditional Palatinate Night with live music will start at 7 p.m. Saturday at Station No. 8.

“Our fourth culinary hike offers nice scenic views combined with fine food specialties,” said Rodenbach’s mayor, Georg Reuss. “I wish everybody some nice hours to relax and a lot of fun.”

Participants can park their vehicles on two big parking lots in the Industriegebiet Nord (industrial area between Vogelweh and Weilerbach, along state road L367) and start their route here following the signs.

Passengers can board city busses on bus route 101 at the Kaiserslautern Rathaus (city hall) or on bus route 140 at the Hautpbahnhof (main train station) to be driven to the center of Rodenbach. Busses will drive every hour. For details, visit www.swk.de (route 101) or www.saarpfalzbus.de (route 140).

Hikers can get started anywhere along the route. For directions, a map and more information, visit www.kulinarische-wanderung.de.