Popular Foods of Germany

Popular Foods of Germany

Blog Post #1

April 13, 2015

by Justin Ehren

       I have chosen the German culture to learn more about because my great grandparents had lived there and I am almost all German.  I knew that their traditional meal included mainly meat, and I really enjoy having pork, bratwurst, and sausages, since I grew up in a very German area in Wisconsin. I was interested in learning more about what other foods are common to have there, along with how the pork and sausages became so popular in this culture. After researching more about the culture, I have found out that the type of food they have varies based on what part of Germany they live in.  For example, in the northern part, such as Hamburg and Berlin, they feature an eel soup, a type of seafood stew, or white bean soup with these potato dumplings called knödel.  Near the center of the country, it includes more breads and cereals, also food such as asparagus and westphalian ham.  However in the south near Frankfurt, they are more known for the sausage called the wüstchen, which is similar to a hot dog.  They also feast on much more potatoes and have a southern version of the potato dumplings called spätzle. Another one of their very popular foods throughout Germany is called sauerbraten, it is a large roast made of pork, beef, or veal, and is flavored in many different ways based on its region.  There are clearly some differences but they all pretty much include meat, bread, and potatoes in some form.  For example, no matter where you are in Germany, bread is enjoyed with every meal; the more common ones include rye, pumpernickel, or sourdough. 

       Germany is located in the middle of Europe and is surrounded by 9 countries.  The northern part lies on the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and has a low elevation. So this gives them more seafood as options such as their seafood stew I mentioned earlier.  As you go further south the elevation increases with the Black forest in the southwest and the Bavarian Alps also in the south.  In other areas, foods like bratwursts and sausages became common because they were best in colder countries and in more mountainous regions in southern Germany.  This is because the food is more available during colder months, and the dry winds helped in the curing process. For some of their recipes for their dumplings, bratwurst, soft pretzels and many more you can go here: http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Germany.html. 

Citations:

"Food in Every Country." Food in Germany. Advameg Inc., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

"The History of Bratwurst." The Kitchen Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.