Sorting out the stuff granddad spread on his Saltines

Today’s question: What is the difference between liverwurst and braunschweiger? Depending on how old you are and where you grew up, some remedial studies may be necessary regarding braunschweiger.

Braunschweiger is something your grandpa ate spread on a Saltine with a slice of onion while sipping a Schlitz and listening to the Twins game on the radio.

The definitions vary between Germany and the United States.

In the U.S. both liverwurst and braunschweiger are sausages made primarily of pork liver but sometimes including beef liver. Braunschweiger includes some bacon and is smoked. Liverwurst is not.

Braunschweiger is usually softer than liverwurst and lends itself to being spread on a cracker or bread.

In the United States, the rules require braunschweiger contain at least 30 percent liver. The rest is assorted spices and usually bits and pieces of pork you probably don’t want to think about much.

In Germany, braunschweiger is raw minced pork smoked and cured with spices.

I wonder why so many baseball players wear beards. They remind me of the old House of David.

As best I know, the beards thing is just a fad. Next year they’ll probably go with shaved heads or wearing their uniforms inside out or something like that.

For the record, the House of David was a commune based in Benton Harbor, Mich. Its barnstorming baseball players wore beards and long hair and represented the commune from 1917 to 1955.