German Cuisine

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Posted by Erika Pitera on March 9, 2008

German cuisine differs in each of the four major regions of Germany: Bavaria, Switzerland, Swabia and Austria. On the whole, however, German cuisine and eating habits revolve around the same basic ingredients and principles.

A German breakfast generally includes bread spread with jam, marmalade or honey, along with eggs and coffee or tea. Cold cuts, such as ham or other salted meats, are also common breakfast foods, accompanied by a variety of cheeses. Lunch is the most important meal in Germany; dinner is always smaller and quite similar to breakfast.

Meat is a predominant component of every meal, especially pork, beef and chicken. However, game meats, such as rabbit and venison, are also common. In Germany cuisine, meat is almost always pot-roasted and eaten in the form of a sausage. Some estimate there are over 1500 varieties of sausage in Germany. Germans consume a fair amount of freshwater fish, especially trout, pike, carp and perch.

Most German dishes are accompanied by condiments, including mustard, horseradish and garlic. German noodles are popular side dishes. Spätzle, noodles with egg yolk, are popular in the southern regions, as are potatoes and dumplings.

Germany is famous for its fine breweries and vineyards, but coffee and tea are equally popular throughout the country. Germany has a few specialty beverages, as well, including Apfelschorle (sparkling apple juice), Spezi (a soft drink with cola and orange flavoring), Korn (a spirit made from wheat and malt), and Obstler ( a spirit made from distilled apples, pears, plums, or cherries). Both spirits are referred to as Schnaps.

German pastries are some of the richest and most decadent in the world. Most cakes and tarts are made with fresh fruit. The Germans also enjoy a number of puddings, including red fruit pudding, rhubarb pudding and gooseberry fruit pudding.

Some regional specialties include:

Bavaria - Knödel, dumplings made from potatoes
Baden - Snail soup
Bremen and Lower Saxony - Bratwurst
Hamburg - Labskaus, corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes and beetroot
Palatinate - Saumagen, pork stomach
Rhineland - Blood sausage and potato fritters
Saxony - Lebkuchen, gingerbread
Swabia - Sauerbraten, sour roast meat (marinated in vinegar, water, salt, cloves and bay leaves)
Westphalia - Potato pancakes