Obatzda

Obatzda is ripe Camembert mashed with butter, paprika and onion into a spreadable orange dip. It's Bavaria's beer garden staple, and the name literally means "mashed up" — a dish invented, by most accounts, as a practical way to use cheese that had ripened past its best for eating on its own.

What it actually is

Ripe Camembert or a similar soft, rinded cheese is mashed with softened butter, finely diced onion, sweet paprika and a pinch of caraway until it comes together into a soft, spreadable, deep orange mixture. It's left to sit for at least an hour, and ideally overnight, so the flavours meld and the texture settles into something closer to a thick spread than a loose dip.

The rind is usually mashed in along with the rest of the cheese rather than removed, adding to both the flavour and the slightly rustic, uneven texture that separates a good Obatzda from a smooth commercial cheese spread.

How it's served

• Mounded on a small plate or board, a scattering of extra paprika and chopped chives on top.
• With a pretzel or dark rye bread, for scooping.
• With sliced radish and onion on the side, to cut through the richness.

Writing it on a menu

• Flag dairy clearly; the entire dish is built on ripe cheese and butter.
• Say that it's best made ahead and rested; a freshly mixed Obatzda hasn't had time to develop its full flavour.
• Mention the rind mashed into the mix, since some guests expect a rindless spread and the texture is worth explaining.
• Note that it's naturally vegetarian, a straightforward option to flag among richer, meat-based beer garden snacks.