In this series:

Part 1: A Fairytale Christmas

Part 2: A Winter Day In The City

Part 3: Heidelberg, Germany ? Beyond Magical
Everything about Frankfurt endears itself to me but beyond the Christmas market and countless grilled sausage sandwiches, these are some of the favorites I want to keep coming back to on every trip here.

Sometime when my fingers have fallen off in the below-freezing weather, I cling onto a steaming hot bowl of chili con carne from the Christmas market for succor and sustenance. Little do I know that it would be the best chili con carne that I?d ever eat in my life. Bits of ground beef bob up and down in the tomato-red stew redolent of smoked paprika and oregano, its inimitable flavor coming from caraway. I dip a chunk of bread into the chili, close my eyes and empty my thoughts, as spicy aromas and flavors flood and fill my mind. A wave of contentment washes over me, and somewhere soon, much-needed warmth.
My love for soft drinks disappeared around the same time I ditched black lipstick and jumpsuits. So imagine my surprise to be so taken by a rather schizophrenic soda with a staccato name, Schwip Schwap aka Spezi. It?s just cola mixed with orange soda and tastes like ? cola mixed with orange soda. Easy to love and terrific eaten with a falafel sandwich from any kebab restaurant. There are many in Frankfurt and Toprak Kebab Haus is exceptional. (Ask for extra of their addictive garlic-yogurt sauce).

The larger third wave coffee shops in Fran...