German cuisine
There are several states in Germany, and each has its own specialities.
A common feature of traditional German cuisine is the fact that usually lunch, not supper, is the main meal of the day. Supper tends to consist of slices of rye bread with cold sausage and/or cheese, and maybe some fresh greens. However modern living, with many people being unable to come home for lunch, has changed this arrangement to some extent.
Breakfast is usually some hot drink, and either wheat rolls or toast with jam or honey, or Muesli or other cereals with milk.
In general, the use of sugar in dishes other than desserts and sweets is very unusual in northern Germany, but more common in the south.
Staple dishes are potatoes, rye and wheat breads, and noodles, which unlike Italian pasta are usually made with eggs.
Among meats, pork is most popular, but beef, chicken and turkey are also used much. Lamb and goat on the other hand are not very popular. Horse meat is considered a local specialty in some regions but looked at with disgust in most others.
Eggs and milk are also used extensively.
Among vegetables, carrots, onions, leek, celery, fennel, cucumbers, tomatoes, vegetable peppers, spinach, green peas, many varieties of beans, cabbage, and lettuce are just a few of the many that are in common use.
Local spices are mostly restricted to mustard and horseradish, but many other spices have been imported in large quantities since the Middle Ages. Garlic used to be a big no-no but has become more accepted since the 80s.
Among drinks, many varietes of beer are popular, foremost among them the originally Czech Pils, but also Kölsch from Cologne, Altbier from the Düsseldorf area, Berliner Weiße from Berlin, and Wheat Beer from Bavaria. Other traditional drinks include cold milk, carbonated mineral waters, and in southern Germany wines, of which the dry and fresh tasting white Riesling is probably the most famous, and arguably best, variety.
In the morning, most Germans prefer coffee, only in Eastern Frisia in the exteme northwest of Germany tea is more common. Cocoa is widely drunk by children.
Specialties by region:
- Weisswürste ('white sausages' - a speciality from Munich, traditionally eaten only before noon. Served with sweet mustard, pretzels, and traditionally with Wheat beer, but nowadays many companies don't allow drinking beer during working hours.)
- Weizenbier (Wheat Beer)
- Knödel (made from potatoes or white bread)
- Schweinsbraten
- Kohl und Pinkel
- Green Sauce, made from hardboiled then ground eggs, oil, vinegar, and an abundant amount of seven fresh herbs. Served with boiled potatoes.
- Dibbelabbes (Potatoes, bits of dried meat, and eggs fried together)
- Gehierote (Potatoes and thick noodles served with a creamy bacon sauce)
- Thuringian Bratwurst
- Hasenpfeffer (rabbit stew)
- Schweinshaxe (Pork hock)
- Speckpfannkuchen (large, thin pancakes with diced, fried bacon in them)
- Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) but this is considered a bit old-fashioned
- apple strudel
- spaetzle
- sauerbraten (beef marinated in a mixture of wine, vinegar, and spices such as cloves and rasins for some days)
- stollen (a bread-like cake with dried citrus peel, dried fruit, nuts, and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon in it, usually eaten during the Christmas season)
- marzipan
- wienerschnitzel (bread veal cutlet)
