I've had occassion lately to read some material in German, and found an interesting article on the German dish "Himmel und Erde" or "Heaven and Earth," a meal that almost every region claims their own. It combines the apple (heaven) with the potato (earth - also called the ErdApfel or earth apple). The dish is ok - not my favorite.
But this made me think back to the variety of meals I consumed while in Germany - and the variety was large. Let me highlight a few - while risking my growing hunger.
Wurst
The ultimate German culinary symbol. There are about as many types of wurst as there are towns; Thuringer, Brat, Nurenburger, weiss, wiener, blut, usw. I tasted quite a few of them - and love a majority. There was nothing like buying from a street vendor, and getting a nice juicy wurst in a hot, hard broetchen (roll) with hot mustard...yum. Makes me want to whip out the grill in January.
Kraut
Where the Germans get their nickname. Always served with meat whether it's sour, sweet, red or white. Unlike in America - it's usually cooked with meat or at least apples or chestnuts to make a mix of delicious flavors.
Meat
I'll make this a general entry. From sauerbraten (my wife's favorite) to rouladen to schnitzel - German's know their meats. The braised roasts that fill a home for hours with wonderful smells just melt in your mouth. Or the incredibly diverse schnitzels (cutlets) available at kiosks or restaurants - Zigeuner (gypsy), Jaeger (hunter), Ungarish (hungarian), usw. Fantastic!
And it didn't matter if they are served with Pommes Fritz (french fries), Kartoffeln (potatoes - mashed, baked, roasted, etc.), eiernudeln (egg noodles), Knudeln (dumplings) or Spaetzle (egg noodle dumplings). All delicious sides.
Pastry & Bread
Everyone extolls the French for their pastry and bread - but the selection in Germany is just overwhelming. For two months I lived off small bakeries as I traveled all over Rheinland. And dinners often were just a hearty loaf of bread, cheese, meats and veggies. Some key pastries: Schokocroisants, Dampfknudeln (a delicious, steamed bread with a mix of salty and sweet tastes), poppyseed cakes, usw...
A special note on the other foods - although not particularly German. I loved the pizza in Europe - a thin crust Italian pizza. Or Flammkuchen - a French pizza with a cream sauce. And then there is Turkish food. I can't tell you how many Doennerkebabs (kebabs) I ate...roasted meat in a pita with the tzaziki sauce! My favorite was a Lamachundoenner - a kebab in a turkish pizza with goat cheese!
So - a brief tour into the culinary delights - maybe I'll fill in some more later - but right now I'm hungry!
HRP
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