In medieval Germany, drinkers followed a star to local lager.

The fiery fruit brandy of the Balkans.

Denmark's open-faced sandwiches are equal parts decadent and decorative.

This Hungarian fried dough can make a rich breakfast or trusty hangover cure.

These savory pastries come from Lithuania's Karaim minority.

The sweet-and-sour soda almost disappeared with the collapse of communist rule in then-Czechoslovakia.

These “drowning” pickled sausages may be named for their appearance or their inventor's untimely demise.

In this Hungarian campfire treat, roasted pork fat coats slices of bread in decadent drippings.

A bitter liqueur that traces the history of a Hungarian-Jewish family.

The pickled Baltic herring has an explosive reputation.

The aroma of this mulled wine has been compared to “a warmed-up bowl of Froot Loops.”

In the 19th century, tin miners ate these handheld pies and left their crusts to appease mischievous, mine-dwelling spirits.

Finish all your Latvian peas for good luck in the New Year.

There's a legend that this Latvian herbal liqueur saved an ailing Catherine the Great.

You can find authentic versions of this sour Slavic brew at street stalls and monasteries.

The same grass that feeds massive European bison adds notes of vanilla and lavender to this unique Polish vodka.

Only two silent monks know all 130 plants that go into this herbal liqueur.

These French candies originally came in seashells.

Only a few breweries still make smoky beer in this classic German style.

This German sundae masquerades as an Italian dinner.

Pink or green syrup turns a historic German ale into a tart, sweet delight.

In this Dutch holiday tradition, Sinterklaas leaves good children sweet pieces of the alphabet inside their shoes.

No one eats pickled herring like the Dutch.

Every December, Sinterklaas and his helper throw these little spiced cookies to Dutch children.