When I talk about Germany with Germans, the conversation usually revolves around World War, Hitler, Nazis, Berlin wall, beer, Oktoberfest, brexit, Angela Merkel etc. I don’t remember talking about food in Germany except about German sausages and I had no idea what to expect from German cuisine.
This all changed when I met Alexandra, a friend from Germany whom I met at a homestay in Kathmandu. Beside our travel experiences, we shared our views about life, religion, politics, humanity and a lot more. When Alex told me about her plan to visit India for the first time soon, our discussion was focused on places to visit and foods to try in India. I introduced her to Indian food at a small Kashmiri restaurant in Thamel and suggested her what to eat and drink in India.
This is when I came to know about the interesting world of German food which goes beyond sausages. Alex told me about different types of German bread (not forgetting to mention that German breads are the best), cookies, snacks, main dishes etc.
This is when we decided to make a list for each other: What to eat in India for Alex and what to eat in Germany for me. In my previous article, I shared the long list of more than 50 items to try in India that included snacks, main course, sweets, drinks etc. Now it’s time for Alex’s recommendations to be shared.
So here it is, Alex’s list of things to eat in Germany.
Alex’s Suggestions: What to Eat in Germany
Main Dishes
Gulasch
Originating from Hungary, Gulasch or Goulash is a stew of meat and vegetables usually seasoned with paprika and other spices. I am definitely looking forward to try this.
Picture source (and recipe): My Best German Recipes
Spätzle
A type of pasta made with fresh eggs from Swabia, Germany’s south-western border. Different variations exists in neighbouring region but only the Swabian spätzle have been recognised by the European Union with a Protected Geographical Indication for their quality.
Knödel/Klöße
Boiled dumplings usually made from flour, bread, or potatoes. I would like to try them with topfenknödel.
Picture source: Chefsculinar
Reibekuchen + Apfelmus
Reibekuchen are small potato pancakes made from grated raw potatoes and deep-fried in plenty of oil. Homemade apple sauce (apfelmus) commonly accompanies reibekuchen.
Kartoffelsalat
Traditional German potato salad. Made from boiled potatoes and a variety of other ingredients. Generally accompanies other main dishes.
Picture source: T-online
Frikadelle
Flat, pan-fried meatballs made from minced meat. Usually served with boiled potatoes and gravy, or creamed cabbage.
Schnippelbohnen
Stew with cut green beans, potatoes, and ham or sausage or both. Can be served as a main dish or mashed and be served as a side.
Baked Items: Savoury
Laugenbrezel
German soft pretzels. A good German laugenbrezel is expected to be thick and soft in the middle, thin and crunchy outside, and shaped into three equal loops.
Pumpernickel
A typically heavy, slightly sweet rye bread traditionally made with sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye. Today, pumpernickel is commonly made with a combination of rye flour and whole rye berries. Alex has got me so hyped for it that I can’t wait to try them beside all other German breads.
Picture source: Breadman
Baked Items: Sweet
Streuselkuchen
German crumb cake. Traditionally made of a yeast dough covered with a sweet crumb topping referred to as streusel.
Picture source: T-online
Apfelstrudel
Traditional Viennese apple strudel which consists of an oblong strudel pastry jacket with an apple filling inside. The filling is made of grated cooking apples, sugar, cinnamon, and bread crumbs.
Puddingteilchen
A pretzel-shaped buttery pastry filled with sweet vanilla pudding.
Picture source: Baeckerei-birkholz
Heidesandtaler
A classic German shortbread cookie made with browned butter. Their fine texture like sand gives them the name – ‘German sand cookies.’
Mohnstriezel
German poppy seed roll where the paste is rolled up in a sweet bread dough which turns into a beautiful black spiral cake after being baked and sliced.
Picture source (and recipe): Sally’s Welt
Baked Items: Christmas Special
Spekulatius
A type of spiced shortcrust biscuit, traditionally baked around Christmas in Germany and Austria.
Picture source (and recipe): The Oma Way
Zimtsterne
Chewy, crisp and spiced German cinnamon star cookies.
Vanillekipferl
Small, crescent-shaped biscuits. Made typically with walnuts, but also with almonds or hazelnuts, and has heavy dusting of vanilla sugar.
Picture source (and recipe in German): Frisch Gekocht
Aachener Printen
A type of Lebkuchen — a traditional German Christmas treat.
Christstollen
A traditional German fruit bread enjoyed during the Christmas season. It’s made of nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit, coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar.
Picture source (and recipe): King Arthur Flour
Sausages
Bratwurst (im Brötchen)
A type of German sausage made from veal, beef, or most commonly pork.
Mettwurst
A type strongly flavoured, uncooked sausage made from ground pork and finely chopped beef, and cured and cold smoked or air-dried. The meat is preserved by curing and smoking, often with garlic.
Picture source (and recipe): Smoked and Cured
Bockwurst
A German fresh sausage traditionally made with finely ground pork and veal, and seasoned with salt, white pepper and paprika as well as herbs like chives and parsley.
Snacks (sweet)
Hanuta
Short for Haselnusstafel, which means ‘hazelnut bar’ in German. Hanuta is a wafer with chocolate and hazelnut filling.
Butterkekse
German shortbread butter cookies.
What to Eat in Germany: Summing Up
After receiving my suggestions of what to eat and drink and India, Alex made me a list of what I should eat in Germany. Thanks to her, I am now more aware of German food that before and besides different German breads and sausages, I am tempted to try gulasch, knödel, frikadelle, streuselkuchen, and mohnstriezel the earliest I can!
That’s it folks! This was the list of foods to try in Germany as shared by Alex. Even though I can hardly spell, remember or pronounce these items correctly, it is good to have these suggestions. Who knows when I will end up in Germany and Alex’s list might come in handy.
I hope ypu found this article worth your time and I would like to thank you for reading. Are you from Germany? Then let me know what you think of this list and also share your own suggestions.
Suggested reading: A German Friend Asked Me What to Eat in India
Sources: Wikipedia and other websites mentioned along with pictures.