For two hours in the midday you will notice that all the shops get closed in order for people to get to their homes to have lunch, the ultimately most important meal of the day.
The collective idea that to talk about German traditional food is to talk about a miscellaneous list of foreign restaurants, Turks comprising the greatest percentage of all is not entirely true.
Above and beyond wurst, brotchen and gallons of beer there are ancient German recipes dating the commencements of German civilization that have been passed on to nowadays generations depending on the region. With migration and time passing some of these recipes have been adapted from other cultures as their own so predictably it’s very difficult to recognize their origin.
Germans tend to be very fond of meat, cheese and vegetables particularly kartoffel, and ritually they shop for groceries in open markets every day, the fresher the tastier.
Käsespätzle
Geographically the origin of spätzle, german noodles is not entirely known though many claim to be the once to invent them, apropos Asians. Spätzle are believed to date from medieval times, and they endured delicious and unique throughout centuries.
Nowadays they’re considered to be a swabian specialty right down from the Baden Württemberg region of Germany. Literally translated from German, spätzle means little sparrow.
Käsespätzle is a divine casserole made by very few ingredients, spätzle which you can buy readymade or prepare on your own using all-purpose-flour, eggs and a sip of water, a lot of quality cheese topped with browned onions.
Leckerschmecker!
Pichelsteiner
Another swabian dish, invented by a lady au pair named Auguste Winkler is now the pride and joy of the Bavarian cuisine.
The name is supposedly derived from the pot used to cook in the dish which from ancient German is called Pichel.
As the good’old recipe cites, firstly beef, pork and mutton are seared. Then the vegetables like potatoes, diced carrots and parsley, cut cabbage and leek are added to the mixture. Afterwards meat broth is pored over and everything is cooked altogether until it gains a thick consistency.
Served hot, along an icy glass of beer tastes like a piece of paradise, careful not to faint.
Kartoffelknödeln
German-style potato dumplings, as is evident by the name, are found everywhere in the South of Germany, Austria and Bohemia. Traditionally served with any roast especially for the Christmas dinner alongside a roasted turkey, yet most well-known as an accompaniment for a hearty Sauerbraten and red cabbage this dish is ecstatic. Nonetheless, second-day leftovers are a treat when sliced into slabs and fried in butter.
Rye Bread
German-style pumpernickel, is a dark and dense, firm loaf made from crushed or ground whole rye grains. The mystery is in the baking process, ought to bake for long periods at low temperature in a covered tin. Some rather peculiar rye bread recipes use ingredients such as fennel, coriander, aniseed, cardamom, or citrus peel. Among types and varieties, differing in shape or content, rye bread can be found as straight, multigrain, flatbread or quick-bread. Health wise it contains a lower percentage of fat and a large amount of fiber, a real treat for your metabolism.
Wurst
Even though it’s mistakenly considered to be the only thing Germans eat, over and over, it no doubt a delicious shape-shifting tale in this countries tradition accompanying most of the side dishes at a German table. Prepared differently every time, different flavors from different spices alongside different siders with one particular never changing sauce to be mustard, this high cholesterol delinquent leaves our mouth leaking arousing our animal instincts.
Live hard, eat hard.
Desserts are very popular and mostly use fresh fruits like apple, plum or cherries as an ingredient.
Black forest Cake
The heavenly Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black forest Cake) is as good as its name sounds, consisting of several layers of chocolate, whipped cream and kirschwasser (clear liquor distilled from tart cherries), absolutely mind-blowing.
Gingerbread
Lebkuchen, translated among folk as the treat of life is one vibrant sort of a gingerbread prepared with love for the loved ones. Lebkuchen range in taste from spicy to sweet and come in a variety of shapes with round being the most common. The ingredients usually include honey, spices such as aniseed, coriander, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and allspice, nuts including almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, or candied fruit.
Viennese Apple Strudel
Originally from Austria, Wiener Apfelstrudel is the most common desert in the traditional German families. Apple strudel consists of an oblong strudel pastry jacket with an apple filling inside.The filling is made of grated cooking apples (usually of a tart, crisp, and aromatic variety such as Winesap apples), sugar, cinnamon, raisins and bread crumbs.
To make it more precious, serve it topped with a vanilla ice cream accompanied by black tea. De-elicious!
Rote Grütze
Rote Grütze is a jelly consistency that besides the celestial taste looks very majestic for the eyes. The original recipe coming from the Dutch-German region was traditionally made of grit. The essential flavour can be achieved with redcurrant alone; a small amount of blackcurrant will add variety; sugar is used to intensify the flavour. The amounts of starch, sago, semolina differ with the solidity desired. In Germany, blackberries, blueberries, plums, blackcurrant and grapes can be used to make blaue Grütze.
Cream Puffs
Creamilicious Windbeutel look like little princesses, one can keep on eating dozens without stopping. They are perfect for a tea party or a picnic at the park on a sunny day highly exceptional in Germany. Bon appetite!