Vincent Klink is one of the most prominent contemporary Swabians. He lives in Stuttgart, where he runs his restaurant, but he often ventures out to the surrounding areas, visiting the inns of his region. Klink takes a self-deprecating look at his fellow Swabians: How do they tick, these people known in the rest of Germany as orderly homeowners or rebellious protestors? Why are they so stubborn, so ascetic, so wine-loving, so humorous, so stingy, so generous, so sensible, so irrational?
Klink guides readers through Swabia's complex history, tracing the spirit of contradiction he observes in his homeland, from Friedrich Schiller to Robert Bosch, from the Peasants' War to Stuttgart 21. He describes Protestantism – "efficiency through constant guilt" – from his Catholic upbringing and explains how pre-industrial poverty drove Swabian creativity and how the region became prosperous. Of course, a tour of the local cuisine is not to be missed, with classics such as Spätzle and Maultaschen, as well as delicacies whose names might not immediately reveal their contents: Katzengeschrei, Luckelekäs, Ringlesspatzen, or Gsälz.
"The mix of stories, insights, and recipes is, as usual with Klink, delicious and rich." Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung
