For months now, we’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of The WunderBus, a new food truck/mobile catering unit with the mission to bring authentic Eastern European food to central Arkansas.
The truck is owned by sibling duo Jacqueline and Auguste Forrester, who have put together a menu filled with schnitzel, bratwurst, leeks, potatoes and all sorts of delicious German cuisine. Here’s a look at a few of the dishes:
The Huck Finn
All Pork Bratwurst or Schnitzel on bun with Caramelized Onion, Beer Mustard, & Sweet Southern Chow Chow. Tuck down your head and grumble a little over these victuals.
The Sam Gamgee
All Pork Bratwurst or Schnitzel on bed of Sautéed Kale, Caramelized Onion, & Carrots in our Mustard Vinaigrette. If you can’t carry the Meat, the Kale can carry it for you.
The Jane Eyre
All Pork Bratwurst (with House Sauerkraut) or Schnitzel (with Spring Greens) served on a Buttered Bun with our House Mustard. Nothing special, but hopelessly romantic.
Even better is the Forrester’s dedication to “utilizing the cornucopia of locally sourced produce and meats that Arkansas has to offer,” as well as to sustainable practices.
“From the way that we source our meat and produce, to our packaging, to the disposal of our food scraps, which we will compost,” Jacqueline says, “my hope is that nothing will go to waste.”
But it’s not just about the food for these two, there’s a major focus on community. Not only will one percent of proceeds go directly to local charities, but the team also sources all of its meats from Grass Roots Cooperative, which works through a number of Arkansas family-owned farms.
“This is the feature of our business model of which I am most proud (to date, that is),” Jacqueline says, “because it means that we are, through our family business, helping to ensure that other family businesses can stay open.”
For Jacqueline and Auguste, that passion for people is at the core of what they do, and it’s something they see growing around them.
“There’s a reason that the farmers markets are so busy these days, and why the SoMa district has seen such a revival,” Jacqueline says. “Apart from the people who have come together to make that space, I believe that the momentum is fueled by people’s longing for relationships — with the people who make their bread, to the guys who brew their beer.
“So this is just a first step for us, and part of a larger, more encompassing plan. But we really want to help shape the world around us into something that we would be proud to pass on to our daughters.”
The WunderBus is currently receiving a few finishing touches and is building its calendar of events and appearances, with hopes of adding plenty of weddings and parties to the list as well. As of now, the first place you can catch The WunderBus is in Hot Springs on March 10 at the Suicide Prevention Conference at National Park College. After that, they’ll be stationed at the Mid-America Science Museum on March 12, 19 and 26. To keep up with added events, check back to their calendar.
You can learn more about The WunderBus on their website, and follow their adventure on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Jacqueline pretty much summed up how we all feel about The WunderBus:
“We are so excited to do this crazy thing.”