here is one of the most authentic sauerbraten recipes i could find: Sauerbraten (Sour roasted beef) From: [email protected] (Christine Detig) Use for 4-6 servings: 1kg piece of beef (e.g. from the upper back hip, no usual roast beef!) * note: 1 kg = 2.2 lbs and ask the butcher for his recommendation of cut. 1/4 l vinegar from red whine or a mixture 50:50 red whine and vinegar 2 bay leafs 2 tblsp whole black pepper 2 big onions 1 big carrot 200g potatoes 1/4 l bouillon 2 tblsp creme fraiche (or sour cream) salt, pepper, oil 1. Place meat in a high dish, fill with vinegar (or mixture) until covered. Add bay leafs and pepper grains and place dish in the refrigerator. Leave there for 2-3 days, turn meat around at least once. 2. Get meat out of marinade and dry. Spice meat with pepper all around. 3. Cut onions, carrots and potatoes in little cubes. Heat oil, place meat in it and roast until brown from all sides. Add onions until brown, too. 4. Salt the meat, add potatoes and carrots, then the bouillon, and, optionally, some more red whine (esp. if you used only vinegar before). Add also a little of the marinade (without leafs and pepper). 5. Simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours on low heat in a closed pot, turn once. 6. Get meat out of the pot and keep warm. Puree the sauce, let reduce a little. Add creme fraiche or sour creme, add salt and pepper to your taste. 7. Cut meat into slices, serve. Traditional side dishes are potatoes or Kloesse (dumplings), and some vegetable like Rotkraut (that is hot red crabbage). In some areas of germany, they add raisins and sliced apples to the sauce so that it gets a more sweet-and-sour taste. Enjoy. Christine
bratwurst is a good german sausage but i chose this recipe from wisconsin to post (they love their brats up there and you can serve them with great saurkraut (sp?)): BOUNTIFUL WISCONSIN - Beer Mustard Bratwurst By Terese Allen & La Vona Quinn Everybody's dying to get the grill out, and brats the quintessential way to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather. April may be unpredictable, but brats are always a favorite in Wisconsin. And although I never thought we could improve on good ol'brats-cooked-in-beer, this recipe is even better. It's from "Bountiful Wisconsin" and was contributed by La Vona Quinn, McFarland, Wisconsin - winner of the 1997 Wisconsin Trails Recipe Contest. Terese Ingredients for Beer Mustard Bratwurst: 8 Wisconsin bratwurst (or any bratwurst) 1 cup Wisconsin beer (or any beer) 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons molasses 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves Preparation: Prick bratwurst all over. (purists say don't but this works for me) Combine remaining ingredients in large, sealable plastic bag. Add brats, seal, and place in bowl. Marinate brats in refrigerator 8-24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain and grill. Tuck into brat buns and enjoy with Wisconsin beer (or any beer).
here are some types of german sausages and some cooking tips on how to prepare them: Sausage Cooking Tips Cook fresh sausages over gentle heat so the interior fully cooks. Sausages can be steamed, simmered, fired or grilled, or a combination of methods. Before cooking, prick the skins to prevent bursting. Reheat sausages in hot water, but avoid boiling them as their skins will split. Onions in the cooking liquid add flavor to sausages. Parboil fresh sausages in water or beer before grilling or frying. Beer adds a stronger flavor than water. Malt-heavy beers add sweetness and are good for strongly flavored sausage. Lagers add a slight bitterness and complement sweeter style sausages. To heat cooked fresh sausage, bring a pan of water or beer to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the sausages and cover for 10 to 15 minutes. Types of Wurst Weisswurst is the traditional sausage served at "Weisn" - as the locals call Oktoberfest — but dozens of other wursts are also served. Almost all wurst features pork (and sometimes beef or veal), spices, and peppercorns, but the other ingredients make each wurst distinctive. More than a thousand varieties of wurst exist, some being available everywhere and others are local specialties. Here are a few of them: Bierschinken - a large slicing sausage with chunks of ham and pistachios Bierwurst - coarse-textured slicing sausage flavored with juniper berries and cardamom Blutwurst - blood sausage, which comes in many varieties; it is eaten sliced and cold or fried like black pudding Bockwurst - smoked and scalded, usually made from finely ground veal; spiced with chives and parsley; resembles a large frankfurter; gently heat in liquid before eating; traditionally served with Bock beer, especially in the spring Bratwurst - a pale, smoked sausage made of finely minced veal, pork, ginger, nutmeg and other spices; usually comes raw and must be cooked, but precooked bratwurst is also available (reheat before serving) Braunschweiger - a speadable smoked liver sausage enriched with eggs and milk; the most well known of the liverwurst sausages Cervelat - similar to Italian salami, a slicing sausage of pork and beef, spices and often mustard or garlic; Thuringer is a common variety of German cervelat Frankfurter - the genuine German variety (not the same as an American frankfurter) contains finely chopped lean pork with a bit of salted bacon fat, and is smoked; reheat in simmering liquid Knockwurst; knackwurst - a short, plump smoked sausage needing poaching or grilling; contains finely minced lean pork, beef, spices and, notably, garlic; often served with sauerkraut Wienerwurst - believed to be the origin of American frankfurter; beef and pork flavored with coriander and garlic Weisswurst - German for "white sausage" and is very pale and delicately flavored; made of veal, sometimes beef and pork, cream and eggs; a specialty of Munich and traditionally served at Oktoberfest with rye bread, sweet mustard and of course, beer. What to serve with your wurst? Mustards: sweet, hot, spicy, coarse and smooth; set out a variety of mustards to complement the wide range of sausages. Breads can be soft rolls; dense rye or black breads; caraway, poppy seed, and other seeded breads and rolls; sour doughs and whole grain breads; and hot, soft pretzels (especially good with mustard). Don't forget the sauerkraut; if you don't make your own, pick up a bag of sauerkraut in the refrigerator case at the supermarket — it tastes fresher and crisper than the canned variety. Perk up the flavor with a pinch of lightly toasted caraway seeds. Authentic German beer, of course, is the drink of choice. Oktoberfest style beers are amber colored, sweet, very malty and traditionally the first beers of the season. Weissbier is the perfect complement to Weisswurst, as it's lighter body and flavor won't overpower the delicately seasoned sausage. Auf Wiedersehen! Kate Heyhoe The Global Gourmet
here is a good write-up on how german beers are categorized: Prost! - Types of German Beers German beer - let's admit, it's one of the finest tasting beers you can drink. German breweries are pretty secretive about their "how tos". They all seem to claim it's in the water. Surely, there's some truth to that, but what really gives the beer it's great flavor is the hops which is traded as seriously as grapes for wine makers. Most German beers are winners, because all are vegan (no animal products are used). Bavarian purity laws limit them to four ingredients only: water, grain, hops and yeast. Real German beer is also not pasteurized as many American beers are, which allows for being able to taste the beer's real flavor. Below is listed some of the different types of German beers typically found in Bavaria and what you can expect should you order one of these types. Ein "Helles", bitte ( A lite beer) The standard light beer, when you order a "Helles" in a pub or restaurant you'll most likely end up with a pint. Depending on the brewer it can be quite refreshing. Some beer gardens have responded to the public's outcry for smaller quantities and now also offer them outdoors, the "real" beer garden only serves the "Maß" (one quart). By the way, this precise nation has laws governing the quantity of liquids served to the public, that is why you will find level markers on each glass. If your Maaß looks like it is not quite 1 liter after the foam settles, just go back and ask for "bitte nachschenken". The man at the keg will be impressed that you know your way around. Ein "Pils" (A Pilsener) If you like a more bitter and less malty taste try the pils which is also called pilsener. You can order them in restaurants and special pils bars. Take a closer look at the time consuming process of serving a foam crowned pils with perfection. You will see dozens of glasses filled with foam only, waiting to settle. It can take a good quarter of an hour for the foam refills to turn into the golden liquid. Ein "Dunkeles" (A dark beer) Against popular beliefs it is not the most powerful in alcohol contents. It is basically a lager bottom brewed beer containing "toasted" malt. Ein "Weissbier" (A white beer) A very good idea when the sun is shining and you prefer being refreshed by a lighter tasting beer. Weizen means wheat, often called a Weissbier (white), and is served in tall and elegant 1/2 liter glasses. But beware of its "light" character, it is the strongest in alcohol. While some will serve it with a slice of lemon, do not put one in your Hefe (yeast) Weissbier. The Hefeweissbier comes only in bottles, a professional will wet the glass and pour the bottle at a steep angle. With the foam that remains at the bottom of the bottle he will collect the yeast (swirling action) and add it to your beer. Ein Bock und Doppelbock (A Bock beer) Bock is term used for a stronger beer (doppel meaning double even more so). Fasting monks found an ingenious way of compensating the lack of food - they started brewing very strong beers. March and October are the two most prominent seasons for brewing these special beers
here's about a trillion german food recipes from abigail's international foods website. they are slighlty americanized in some cases but all are simple and easy to prepare and capture the essence of german cooking. they cover salads, main courses and desserts. check 'em out and maybe try some. Abigail's German Food Recipes Many traditional German Food Recipes including Sauerbraten, Beef Roulade, German Cabbage Roll Recipe and much more. Find traditional German Potato Pancakes Recipe, German Apple Pancakes, German Streusel Cake, Chocolate Dump Cake, and German Banana Chocolate Cake. There is even the traditional German Friendship Cake Recipe. German Salad Recipes German Pasta Salad Recipe 8 oz Medium egg noodles 1/3 c Firmly packed light brown - sugar 1/4 c Olive or vegetable oil 1/4 c Dijon-style mustard 2 tb White vinegar 2 ts Caraway seeds 1/2 lb Deli corned beef, - cut into strips 4 c Packaged cabbage and carrot - coleslaw mix 1 oz Shredded Swiss cheese Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, drain again and place in a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, oil, mustard, vinegar, and caraway seeds over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until warmed Served warm or cold. German Chicken Salad Recipe 1 Chicken (fryer) 1 cn Pineapple 1 cn Peas 1 c Mayonnaise Salt & pepper - to taste Cook chicken. Remove fat and skin. Shred chicken, by hand into bite size pieces. Add mayonnaise, crushed pineapples, and peas. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. German Cucumber Salad Recipe 2 md Cucumbers, thinly sliced 4 Green onions, thinly sliced 3 sm Tomatoes, sliced 2 tb Snipped fresh parsley DRESSING 1/4 c Sour cream 1/4 ts Prepared mustard 2 tb Minced fresh dill 1 tb Vinegar 1 tb Milk 1/2 ts Salt 1/8 ts Pepper In a bowl, combine cucumbers, onions, tomatoes and parsley. Combine dressing ingredients; pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. German Hot Potato Salad Recipe 6 Slices of bacon 2 tb Cornstarch 1/4 c Water 1 c Chopped onion 3/4 c Diced celery 2 ts Salt 1 ts Granulated sugar 1/8 ts Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 c Cider vinegar 6 c Red-skinned potatoes 6 ea Large pimento-stuffed green olives Potatoes should be firm, cooked, peeled, diced and still hot. Fry bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels, then crumble; reserving the bacon fat. Dissolve cornstarch in water. Saute onion and celery in the reserved bacon fat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add salt, sugar, pepper and dissolved cornstarch to the skillet. Next, add vinegar and bring to a boil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the hot potatoes and crumbled bacon, stirring gently. Serve hot, garnished with the sliced stuffed olives. German Potato Salad with Sour Cream Recipe 6 md Potatoes boiled in skins 1/4 c White wine vinegar 2 ts Sugar 1 ts Salt 1/4 ts Fresh ground black pepper 1/4 ts Dry mustard powder 1 pt Sour cream 1 c Peeled and thinly sliced -cucumber Hungarian paprika Peel and slice the potatoes while still warm and place them in a mixing bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard and pepper and mix well. Add the sour cream and cucumber and mix again. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss gently but well. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle with the paprika. German Apple & Potato Salad Recipe 8 Boiled and peeled potatoes, cut into thin slices 1/2 Apple, finely diced 1/2 Onion, finely diced 2 tb Sweet relish 1 ts Spicy mustard 2 tb Pickle juice or 1/2 tsp Vinegar and 1/2 tsp sugar 4 tb Heaping No Fat Miracle Whip Paprika, salt & pepper -- to taste 4 Hard boiled eggs, diced Mix all ingredients together carefully, season to taste, garnish with parsley. Cool in refrigerator for at least 1-2 hrs, best overnite. German Soup Recipes Chicken & German Noodle Soup Recipe 2/12 to 3 lb broiler-fryer -chicken, cut up 6 c Water 2 Sprigs parsley 2 Stalks celery, cut up 1 Carrot, sliced 1 Small onion, cut up 2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper 1 Bay leaf SPATZLE 1 c Plus 2 tb flour 1/4 ts Salt 1 Egg 1/2 c Milk Broth: In large kettle or Dutch oven combine all ingredients. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from broth. Strain broth; discard vegetables. Skim off excess fat Return broth to pan. Remove chicken meat from bones; chop chicken. Add meat to broth; simmer. Prepare spatzle; add to simmering soup as directed. SPATZLE: Stir together flour and salt in a small bowl. Blend egg and milk; stir into the flour mixture. Place half the dough in a strainer. Hold over soup kettle. With rubber spatula press dough through the strainer to form spatzel. Repeat with remaining dough. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls. German Cabbage Soup Recipe 4 Slices Bacon; Thick, Diced 1 Head Green cabbage; shredded 2 Onions; Sliced 1/2 sm Rutabaga*; Sliced 2 Carrots*; Diced 2 Potatoes; Cubed 4 c Chicken Stock Or Bouillon 2 c Water 6 Sprigs Parsley * 1 Bay Leaf * GARNISH 1/4 c Parmesan Cheese; Grated * The 6 sprigs of parsley and 1 bay leaf should be tied together with a thread. In a 6-quart saucepan or pot, combine all ingredients except salt, pepper and cheese. Simmer partially covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Discard the parsley bundle; season to taste. Pour into hot soup plates and garnish with cheese. German Cheese Soup Recipe 2 3/4 c Skim milk 1 3/4 c Whole-wheat bread crumbs -(fresh) 2 ts Dijon mustard 1 c Muenster cheese, shredded Nutmeg (garnish) Paprika (garnish) Minced parsley (garnish) Place 1 1/2 cups of the milk in a blender with fresh bread crumbs and mustard and process on low speed until smooth. Place this mix in saucepan with remaining milk and the cheese. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the soup is heated through. Do not boil. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with nutmeg, paprika and parsley. German Lentil Soup Recipe with Frankfurters 2 Med Onions, peeled & chopped Clove Garlic, crushed 2 Med Carrots,(scraped,chopped ) 2 x Stalks Celery,(cleaned,chopped) 2 tb Salad Oil 8 c Water 2 c Lentils, washed & drained Bay Leaf 1 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper 1 lb Frankfurters, sliced thickly 2 tb Cider Vinegar Saute onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in heated oil in a large kettle for 5 minutes. Add water, lentils, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook slowly, covered, about 30 minutes, until lentils are just tender. Add frankfurters and cook another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Remove and discard bay leaf. German Kartoffelsuppe - Potato Soup Recipe 1 Medium onion, sliced 1/4 c Butter 3 Medium leeks (white part on) 6 medium potatoes 1 Ham bone, any size 1/4 ts Dried thyme leaves 6 c Chicken or beef stock or water 1/2 pt Heavy cream Salt and white pepper to taste Croutons Brown onions to a light golden color in butter in a saucepan. Clean leeks well and slice. Peel potatoes and slice. Add leeks, potatoes, ham bone, thyme and stock (or water) to onion. Cover and simmer until potatoes are very soft. Remove ham bone, discard. Cool potato/leek mixture slightly. Puree in a food processor or blender and return to pot. Add cream and cook a few minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with croutons. German Sour Cream Soup Recipe 1/2 lb Bacon, diced 3/4 c Cabbage, chopped 1/2 c Onion, chopped 1/2 c Celery, chopped 1/2 c Carrots, chopped 3/4 c Potato, chopped 3/4 c Zucchini, sliced 4 c Tomatoes, peeled 4 c Beef broth 1/4 c Barley 1/4 c Rice 2 c White sauce 1/2 c Vinegar 1 Clove garlic, minced 1 ts Caraway seed 1 ts Salt 2 ts Worcestershire sauce 1/4 ts Thyme 1 c Sour cream or plain yogurt Saute bacon in heavy kettle. Add cabbage, onion, celery, carrots, potato and zucchini; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, beef broth, barley, and rice; simmer 2 hours. Blend in white sauce, vinegar, garlic, caraway seed, salt, Worcestershire, and thyme. Simmer about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish with sour cream and serve. German Beef & Pork Recipes German Beef Roulade Recipe 1 1/2 lb Flank steak 4 ts Dijon mustard 6 sl Bacon, diced 3/4 c Chopped onion 1/3 c Chopped dill pickle 1/4 c Flour 13 3/4 oz Can beef broth With meat mallet or rolling pin, flatten meat to approximately a 10x8 inch rectangle. Spread mustard over meat. In large skillet, over medium high heat, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp; pour off fat, reserving 1/4 cup. Spread bacon mixture over meat; sprinkle with pickle. Roll up meat from short end; secure with string. In large skillet over medium high heat, brown beef roll in reserved fat; place in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Stir flour into fat in skillet until smooth; gradually stir in beef broth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Pour sauce over beef roll. Cover; bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours or until done. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Skim fat from sauce; strain and serve with meat. German Leberknoedel / Liver Dumplings Recipe 1/2 lb Beef Liver; ground 1 Medium onion; minced 2 tb Butter 1/4 lb Raw spinach 2 Eggs; well beaten 2 tb Parsley; chopped 1 tb Flour Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into small balls. Drop into boiling soup and cook for 5 minutes. False Hare German Meatloaf Recipe 1/2 lb Ground Beef, Lean 1/2 lb Ground Pork, Lean 1 md Onion, Chopped 3 tb Bread Crumbs 3 tb Water, Cold 2 lg Eggs 1/2 ts Salt 1 ts Paprika 1 ts Mustard, Prepared 2 tb Parsley, Chopped 3 Hard Cooked Eggs, Peeled 4 Bacon, Strips 4 tb Vegetable Oil 1 c Beef Broth SAUCE 1/4 c Water, Hot 1 ts Cornstarch 1/4 c Water 1/2 c Sour Cream Thoroughly mix ground meats, onion, bread crumbs, 3 T cold water, and eggs. Flavor with salt, praprika, mustard, and parsley. Blend ingredients thoroughly. Flatten out meat mixture in the shape of a square, (8 X 8-inches). Arrange whole hard-boiled eggs in a row along the middle of the meat. Fold sides of meat pattie over the eggs. Shape meat carefully into a loaf resembling a flat bread loaf. Occasionally rinse hands in cold water to prevent sticking. Cube 2 strips bacon; cook in a Dutch oven about 2 minutes. Carefully add the vegetable oil; heat. Place meatloaf in the Dutch oven and cook until browned on all sides. Cut remaining bacon strips in half and arrange over the top of the meatloaf. Place uncovered Dutch oven in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes. While meat is baking, gradually pour hot beef broth over the top of the meatloaf; brush occasionally with pan drippings. When done remove meat to a preheated platter and keep it warm. Add 1/4 cup of hot water to pan and scrape all particles from the bottom. Bring to a gentle boil and add cornstarch that has been mixed with 1/4 cup water. Cook until bubbly and thick. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Reheat to warm. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the sauce separately. German Sauerbraten Recipe 4 lb Beef rump, Sirloin tip, or Round bone chuck, boneless 1 1/2 c Vinegar 1 c COCA-COLA 3/4 c Water 3 Onions, sliced 2 Stalks celery, sliced 2 Carrots, sliced 10 whole black peppercorns 10 whole cloves garlic 3 Bay leaves 2 tb Sugar 1 1/2 ts Salt Flour 3 tb Oil or shortening GRAVY 3 c Drippings plus strained Marinade 5 tb Flour 5 tb Ginger snap crumbs 2 to 4 days before serving, wipe the meat with a damp cloth, then place in a large plastic bag. In a large bowl, throuoghly combine the vinegar, Coca-Cola, water, onions, celery, carrots, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, sugar, and salt and pour over meat. Fasten bag tightly and lay flat in a 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate, turning bag each day. (If you like a sour sauerbraten, let meat marinate 4 days.) When ready to cook, remove meat (saving marinade) and dry well. Rub the surface lightly with flour. In Dutch oven, heat oil or shortening and slowly brown the meat well on all sides. Add 1 cup of the marinade liquid plus some of the vegetables and bay leaves. Cover tightly and simmer on surface heat or in a preheat, 350F oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is fork-tender. If needed, add more marinade during cooking to keep at least 1/2-inch liquid in the Dutch oven. Remove the meat and keep warm until ready to slice. Into a large measuring cup, strain the drippings. Add several ice cubes and let stand a few minutes until the fat separates out. Remove fat, then make gravy. Makes 8 servings. TO MAKE THE GRAVY: In the Dutch oven, combine the gravy ingredients, stir and cook about 5 minutes over medium heat until gravy is thickened. Taste for seasonings. Makes 3 cups of gravy. German Beef Stew Recipe 2 tb Salad oil 1 Clove garlic, crushed 8 1/2 c Beef broth or water 1/2 c White vinegar 2 ts Salt 4 cups Potatoes, peeled, cut in chunks 1 c Sliced onion 3 lb Stew beef, cut 1" cubes 1 tb Sugar 1 Bay leaf 2 c Carrots, sliced 1 ts Dill weed, crushed 1/4 c Water 1 tb Flour Heat oil in lage saucepan. Add onion and garlic, saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Add beef, saute until browned on all sides. Return onion to pot . Stir in broth, vinegar, sugar, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered about 1 1/2hrs. until tender. Add potatoes, carrots and dill. Simmer covered until meat and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. Remove layer of fat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until heated through. Mix flour and 1/4 cup water. Stir in stew, mix well. Cook and stir about 2 minutes until thickened. Old German Cabbage Rolls w/Beef Recipe 1 lb Beef, ground 1/3 c Rice, uncooked 2 tb Butter 1 ea Onion, finely sliced 1 ea Egg, well beaten 1 c Tomato soup Juice of 1 Lemon 1 ts Sugar 1 ts Parsley, minced 1/2 c Celery, chopped Salt & pepper to taste 6 Cabbage leaves Season the hamburger well with salt and pepper and add the egg. Mix well. Mix in rice. To make sauce, melt the butter and add the tomato soup and an equal amount of water and add to onion. Add the parsley, celery, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. Wash the cabbage leaves and boil until tender. Put 2 Tbsp of meat mixture in each leaf and roll tightly. Secure each roll with a toothpick. Place in a saucepan and pour sauce over rolls. Cover pan tightly and cook slowly for 3 hours. Serve very hot. German Pot Roast Recipe 4 lb Top or Bottom -round of beef 1 ts Salt 1 md Onion, peeled, sliced 1 c Dry red wine 1/2 ts Salt 2 tb All purpose flour 1/4 ts Black pepper 1/2 c Sour cream Sprinkle 1 teas. salt in a large skillet, set over med. high heat and brown the roast well on all sides. Remove roast to slow cooker. Add the onion to the skillet and brown lightly, stirring often. Pour in the wine: scrape up pan juices and turn into the slow cooker with the salt and pepper. Cover, turn to Low and cook 10-12 hours. Before Serving: Skim 2 Tab.. fat from the liquid in the cooker and heat in a medium skillet over low heat. Stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. Then add the cooking liquid all at once; stir continuously until the sauce is smooth and has thickened - about 5-7 min. Remove skillet from heat; stir in the sour cream. Serve sauce over the pot roast. Deutsches Beefsteak Recipe 1 Large Hard Dry Bread Roll 1/2 c Water 4 tb Vegetable Oil 1 ea Onion; Medium, Chopped 1 lb Ground Beef; Lean 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper 4 ea Onion; Medium, Sliced In a small bowl soak roll in water. Heat 2 T vegetable oil in a frypan; cook chopped onion until lightly browned. Transfer onion to a bowl. Squeeze roll as dry as possible and mix roll with onion. Add ground beef; blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Shape meat inot 4 patties; cook about 5 minutes on each side or to desired doneness. Remove and keep warm. Add sliced onions to pan drippings; cook until lightly browned. Arrange beefsteaks on a platter and top with onion rings. Flatlander's Baked German Pork Chops Recipe 1 lb Sauerkraut; drained 1/2 c Brown sugar 4 Pork chops; trimmed 2 md Onions; thinly sliced 2 md Apples, tart (Granny Smith) 4 sm Celery ribs 3 c Pale ale 1/2 ts Fennel seeds 1/2 ts Cinnamon 1/2 ts Cloves 1/2 c Dry sherry Core apples and slice thinly. Slice celery ribs thinly. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread drained sauerkraut evenly over bottom of 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar; add pork chops in a single layer. Toss together sliced onions, apples and celery in medium bowl. Spread evenly over pork chops. Add beer. Combine fennel seeds, cinnamon and cloves in small bowl. Sprinkle over vegetables. Cover pan with foil. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; pour sherry over chops. Continue to cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes or spaetzle. German Style Pork Spareribs Recipe 3 lb Spareribs, cut into ribs 2 tb Butter 1/4 c Finely chopped onion 2 tb Dark brown sugar 1/8 ts Pepper 1/2 ts Salt 2 tb Prepared mustard 1/2 c Catsup 3 c Sauerkraut, drained 1 lg Apple, pared, cored & choppd 2 ts Carraway seeds In a medium-sized, heat-resistant, non-metallic bowl, heat butter in Microwave Oven 30 seconds. Add onion, brown sugar, pepper, salt, mustard, and catsup. Heat, uncovered, in Microwave Oven 3 minutes. In a 3-quart, heat-resistant, non-metallic casserole, place sauerkraut, apple and carraway seeds. Stir to combine thoroughly. Dip each sparerib into sauce and place on top of sauerkraut. Pour remaining barbecue sauce over the top. Heat, covered in Microwave Oven 15 to 18 minutes. Pork should always be cooked to well-done. German-Style Stuffed Pork Recipe 1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin, -trimmed of fat 1/4 c Raisins 1 c Light beer 2 tb Cider vinegar 1/2 c Soft pumpernickel bread -crumbs 1/4 ts Grated orange peel 2 Coves garlic, minced 2 tb Brown sugar 1/4 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper 1/8 ts Ground cinnamon Cut a lengthwise slit down center of tenderloin 2/3 of the way through the meat. Place tenderloin between 2 sheets of wax paper, and flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. Combine tenderloin and next 3 ingredients in baking dish. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally. Combine bread crumbs, orange rind, and garlic; cover and let stand 4 hours. Remove tenderloin from marinade; strain marinade, reserving raisins. Discard marinade. Add raisins to bread crumb mixture. Combine brown sugar and next 3 ingredients; rub over both sides tenderloin. Spread breadcrumbs mixture over tenderloin to within 1/2 inch from edges. Roll up tenderloin; jellyroll fashion; starting at narrow end. Tie securely with heavy string at 2-inch intervals. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake at 400F for 55 minutes. 4 servings. German Potato & Vegetable Recipes German Potato Dish Recipe 2 c Sauerkraut 1-16 oz. can applesauce 1/2 ea Dry wine 2 ea Tb. brown sugar 1-8 oz. can onions 9 ea Polish sausage 2 c Drained potatoes, boiled Combine all ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes and serve hot. German Onion Pie Recipe 4 sl Bacon; thick, diced 2 c Onions, yellow; chopped 2 Eggs; well beaten 1 c Sour cream 1 tb Flour, all-purpose 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper, black 1 Pie shell, 9"; unbaked Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Saute' the bacon just until clear. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Add the onions and saute' until they are clear. Do not brown them. Set aside and cool. Beat the eggs and sour cream together in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle the flour over the top and beat it in. Stir in the salt and pepper. Prick the bottom of the pie shell several times with a fork. Spread the onions and bacon over the dough in the pie pan. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 15 minutes or until pie is nicely browned. Serve hot. German Red Cabbage Recipe 1 Red cabbage 1/4 lb Bacon; sliced 1 Onion 20 Cloves garlic 2 Apples 1 ts Lemon juice Cut up the bacon into little «-inch pieces and fry slowly in the bottom of a large pot while you... Peel the onion and stab the cloves into it (15-30 cloves). Put the onion into the pot and let it warm with the bacon while you... Cut up the cabbage into roughly bite-sized chunks - somewhat thicker slices than for slaw. Put the cabbage in the pot and add enough water to about half-cover the cabbage; then turn the heat up high. Quarter, core and peel the apples. Toss them in on top of the cabbage with a small handful (about a 1/2 teaspoon) of salt. Sprinkle the lemon juice over it all. By this time the water should be boiling. Turn down the heat and put a lid on the pot. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Stir 'n sniff. Cover and let it cook another 10 minutes. Now you can serve it "as is", or you can ladle out part of the liquid, thicken it with cornstarch or arrow-root, and stir it back in. German Pancake Recipes German Potato Pancakes Recipe 6 lg Potatoes -- mashed 2 Well-beaten Eggs 1 1/2 tb Flour 1/4 ts Baking powder 1 1/2 ts Salt 1 sm Grated onion Mix above ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls into 1/4 inch cooking oil. Turn to brown on both sides. This makes about 12 (3 inch) cakes. Good served with applesauce. Apfelpfannkuchen - German Apple Pancakes Recipe 2 lg Cooking apples (Yellow -Delicious, or Granny Smith) 1/4 c Butter 1 c Flour 1 c Milk 1 ts Vanilla extract 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Nutmeg, grated Confectioners sugar Preheat oven to 475F. Peel, core and very thinly slice the apples: you should have approximately 1-1/2 cups. Melt 3 T sp. of the butter over medium low heat in a small fry pan, and saute the apples until they are just tender. Keep apples warm while preparing the batter. Place a 9 or 10 inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes--the pan has to be very hot for this to work. When it is well heated, add the remaining 2 T sp. of butter to melt and put the skillet back in the oven; the butter should be very hot buy not brown when you add the apples and the batter. Place the flour, milk, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a blender and whirl until smooth. Remove the skillet from the oven, quickly arrange the warm apple slices over the melted butter, and pour the batter evenly over all. Bake for 15 min., reduce heat to 375F and bake 10 min longer. The pancake will puff and climb up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, then cut in wedges and serve with maple syrup. Note: If you do not use apples, add 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter to the hot skillet. Oven Baked German Pancakes Recipe 6 Eggs; slightly beaten 1 c All-purp flour 1 c Milk 3 tb Butter; melted 1 pn Salt -toppings Syrup or your choice of Confectioners sugar or Brown sugar or Fruit mixed with yogurt Preheat oven to 450F. Grease well a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Combine eggs and flour in bowl. Add milk, butter, and salt; mix well. Pour into prepared dish. Bake for 15-20 min or until puffed. Cut into serving pieces. Serve with desired toppings. German Apple Pancakes Recipe 2/3 c Flour-unbleached,unsifted 2 ts Sugar 1/4 ts Salt 4 Eggs beaten (lge eggs) 1/2 c Milk 2 c Apple slices 3/4 c Butter/margarine 2 tb Sugar 1/4 ts Cinnamon Sift together the flour, 2 tsp sugar and the salt. Beat eggs & milk together. Gradually add flour mixture, beat until smooth. Saute apples in 1/4 cup of butter until tender. Mix 2 tbsp sugar and the cinnamon together. Toss with apples. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a 6 inch diameter deep fry pan. Pour in the batter to a depth of a about 1/4 inch. when set place 1/4 of the apples on top, cover with more batter. Fry pancake until lightly brown on both sides. Keep warm and repeat procedure until all batter and apples are used up. German Cakes Recipes German Banana Chocolate Cake Recipe CAKE 1 pk German chocolate cake mix 1 c Ripe bananas; sliced 1 c Water 1/3 c Oil 3 Eggs FROSTING 1 cn Coconut, Almond OR Pecan - ready to spread frosting 1/4 c Bananas; mashed GLAZE 1 oz Unsweetened chocolate, melted 1/2 c Powdered sugar 1 1/2 ts Water Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 13x9" pan. In large bowl, combine cake mix, bananas, water, oil and eggs. Beat at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at highest speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tested done. Cool completely. In small bowl, combine frosting and mashed bananas. Spread over cooled cake. In small bowl, combine melted chocolate and powdered sugar. Add water until desired consistency, blending until smooth. Drizzle over frosting. Store in refrigerator. German Streusel Cake Recipe THE CAKE 3/4 c Margarine 1/4 c Sugar 2 Eggs 1 pn Salt 2 c Flour 2 ts Baking powder 1 1/4 c Milk 1 lg Can drained fruit of choice -or 1 cup fresh sliced fruit FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING 3/4 c Flour 1/4 c Sugar 3/4 c Margarine, cold, not soft 1 1/2 ts Cinnamon FOR THE CAKE: Cream sugar and margarine together. Stir in eggs, and then alternate stirring in the flour and the milk. Grease and flour a small cookie sheet or sheet cake pan. Pour batter in pan, spread to evenly coat. Top with fresh sliced fruit or well-drained canned fruit. FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING: Mix flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut the margarine in small pieces and drop in flour mixture. Mix together well -- the best way is to mix it with your hands. Mix until all is a consistency of a streusel topping. If it gets too dry, mix in a little more margarine. If it gets too sticky, add a little more flour. Sprinkle over cake/fruit mixture in cookie sheet/sheet cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F. German Chocolate Dump Cake Recipe 2 c Chopped pecans 1 cn Coconut 1 pk German chocolate cake mix ICING: 1 Stick margerine 8 oz Cream cheese 1 Box powdered sugar Pack pecans in bottom of pan. Press coconut on top of pecans. Mix cake by directions on the box and pour into greased oblong 9 x 13 inch pan on top of coconut and nuts. Melt 1 stick margerine, add cream cheese and powdered sugar. Pour over unbaked cake. Bake at 300F degrees for 1 hour. This cake is sometimes called earthquake because it falls in center when baked. German Friendship Cake Recipe STARTER FOOD 1 c Milk 1 c Flour, self-raising 1 c Sugar CAKE 2 c Flour, self-raising 1 c Sugar 2/3 c Oil 2 ts Cinnamon 2 ts Vanilla extract 2 Eggs 1/2 c Raisins 1/2 c Nuts (or other fruits) 15 oz Pineapple chunks, -drained (one can) PREPARE STARTER: Day 1: Blend the starter feed together, and then hand mix in the starter. I find it easiest to mix the flour and sugar together dry, add the milk to the starter, and then slowly add the flour and sugar to the liquid. The starter should never be beaten with a blender or refrigerated. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, cover with cling-film or a damp towel, and leave to brew. Day 2: Thoroughly mix the sourdough, then leave to brew again. Day 5: As day 1 Day 6: As day 2 Day 10: Print off three copies of this recipe. Here now is why this is called a friendship cake. Take 3 cups of Sourdough mixture, and give them away with copies of the recipe as starters to your friends. Then proceed with the baking. MAKING THE CAKE: Blend all ingredients thoroughly with remaining starter. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Pour mixture into a well-greased baking tin. Bake for 1 3/4 hours (less in a fan oven), cool. NOTES: * A 10-day Sourdough cake -- This is known as the friendship cake, it's a bit like a chain letter in that you have to find a set of friends to pass on the starter to. During preparation put the starter into a very large bowl (it foams up), and cover with a lid or with cling film. Yield: Starter and one cake. Vary the spices to taste. German Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe 1/2 c Milk 2 tb Sugar 1/4 c Butter (or marg.) 1 ts Salt 1 pk Yeast, dry 1/4 c Water; very warm 1 Egg 2 c Flour, all-purpose; approx. 1/2 c Flour, all-purpose 1/2 c Sugar 1 ts Cinnamon, ground 1/4 c Butter (or marg.) Scald milk; pour into large mixing bowl; add sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon salt, and cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup very warm water; add yeast mixture and egg to milk mixture and stir well. Add 2 to 2-1/4 cups flour gradually, beating well after each addition. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Spread in a greased 13x9x2" pan. Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. With a fork or pastry blender, cut in 1/4 cup butter. Sprinkle over the mixture in pan. Let rise until doubled in bulk (30 to 45 minutes). Bake at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes.
germany also has some outstanding wines. here are the types of grapes that make these wonderful spirits: Grape Varieties Riesling "To me, the Riesling grape makes the greatest white wines in the world." (Jancis Robinson) Germany's greatest grape is the worlds most underrated variety of today. It has it's own typical aroma and "nerve", and yet also the ability to reflect the soil characteristics of its vineyard more than any other variety. Flowery and fruity aromas (peach, pear, apricot, apple, currants, mango ...) as well as herbal, spicy, and earthy or mineral notes (often slate) are common. Even petrol and other strange smells can develop. With its low alcohol levels and high acidity, it is difficult to make harmonious, fully dry wines from it. Still, the best dry Rieslings from Germany, Alsace, and the Wachau in Austria, are great, intense, racy wines, which can compete with the best dry whites of any other variety. Lighter Kabinett wines with a hint of residual sugar, and sweeter Spätlesen, are more widely associated with German Riesling, and they are unrivalled in their delicate balance and finesse. When attacked by botrytis, Riesling can produce the most stunning dessert wines, whose enormous sweetness is balanced by extreme acidity levels. These wines need to age, in order to develop their full complexity and harmony, and they do so for decades (and cost fortunes). Yet even humble Kabinetts can live - and improve - for many years. If Chardonnay is the white wine world's Mercedes (or its Toyota?), then Riesling is its Ferrari. Müller Thurgau Latest genetic research has shown this to be a cross of Riesling and Gutedel, not of Riesling and Silvaner as formerly believed. Whatever it origins though, it remains one of the vices of the German wine industry: early ripening, high yielding, and planted all over the place since the 60's, it produces tanker loads of rubbish, rarely rising to the dizzy heights of mediocrity. Some ambitious growers experiment with dry styles, low yields, and even new oak barrels, to squeeze something interesting out of (or rather into?) it, and call it "Rivaner" to distinguish it from ordinary MT. Given its ancestors one should probably call it "Riedel" instead ;-). Silvaner An old variety, loosing ground to the new crossings. Unfortunately it is used very much a workhorse grape for making bland wines. It finds its greatest expression in some of the dry wines of Franken, where it can be reminiscent of a good Chablis (when grown on limestone soils), or even be opulent with exotic fruit notes. To call it ``Sylvaner" is illegal in Germany, which is why I will not do so. Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) Traditionally it is called "Ruländer", and under this name it is usually made in a rich, oily, sweetish style. The trend for modern ``Grauburgunder" has been to drier and crisper wines in recent years. New oak is increasingly applied with some success (and excess), mainly in Baden and the Pfalz. Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Widely grown to make dry wines, which can be among Germanies best dry wines, with nice melon and pear aromas. Many producers hold it in higher regard than Grauburgunder. Among the trendy ones it is a prime candidate for oak treatment. Baden and the Pfalz are particularly successful. Scheurebe A successful Riesling / Silvaner cross, capable of high quality. The best Rheinpfalz producers, and some others, make gorgeous wines from this variety (but less subtle than Riesling), often with aromas of red currant and grape fruit. Good for dry and sweet wines, but only if made with care, from a good site. Rieslaner A relatively rare and demanding Riesling / Silvaner cross, with a lot of (dramatic rather than subtle) Riesling-character. In the Pfalz Müller Catoir is the master of this grape. It is more widely successful in Franken, hitting its heights usually as a dessert wine. Other whites include Kerner, Huxelrebe, Gewürztraminer, Traminer (Clevner), Chardonnay, Muskateller (Muscat), Morio-Muskat, Elbling, Ehrenfelser, Gutedel (Chasselas), Bacchus, Faberrebe, Siegerrebe, Ortega. Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) German Pinot Noirs used to be (and to some extent still are) "white wines with color", sweetish and dull. They often were made into pink "Weissherbst" wines, occasionally even as pink ice wines. In recent years though, ambitious producers have joined the search for the holy grail of red wine, with low yields, higher must weight, extraction, and tannin levels, and maturation in new oak. These serious red wines are all the rage, and sell at serious prices with astonishing speed. Some truely fine pinot noirs have started to emerge, but they are vastly outnumbered by "me too" red wines of uninspiring quality. Other reds include Portugieser, Trollinger, Dornfelder, Schwarzriesling (Müllerrebe / Meunier), Lemberger (Blaufränkischer), Staint Laurent.
here's a great article on german breads which are outstanding: German Breads: The Germans are very proud of their baking culture. The word Brot translates to mean 'bread', pain, pane, hleb and so on, but, more than any other word ever translated, it conjures up a completely different concept in the mind's eye of the reader, depending on the culture they've come from: The French picture a flûte. The British, a white tin or bloomer. The Italians, the somewhat more substantial ciabatta. In India, you have flat loaves, baked using ground lentils. In Turkey or Iran you'll find a flat loaf more like a deep pan pizza base. The ancient Romans wound a very simple flour and water dough round a stick and baked it over a fire to be eaten the next day. And the German visualises a very heavy, very strong-tasting rye-based loaf of very dark, very densely textured bread. It seems that in Germany bread is a foodstuff, whereas everywhere else in Western Europe, the Near, Middle and some parts of the Far East (not to mention the American version, which defies description) it is either a necessity, an instrument for eating dishes with a high liquid content or just there so you don't have to spread your jam on your fingers. There is a great choice of bread for all tastes and pockets available in Germany. As mentioned above, the main ingredient is usually rye flour. This gives a sour, strong taste, which is down to the ingredients and the technique used to cook it, which is not like the yeast-and-wheat-flour method known elsewhere. The denseness is due to the fact that the heavy flour does not rise so readily. The base is a Sauerteig (sour dough). This is made by mixing rye flour and water and leaving it to stand for almost a week. The bacteria that form (if you're lucky) create the sour-tasting catalyst, which causes the bread to rise. For a recipe and more information about the Danish version of this check out Danish Rye Bread. Housewives who make bread will have a continuous culture going and will share it among friends in the neighbourhood. As the dark, heavy German bread keeps for up to a week, baking need only be done on Saturdays. The Baker's Shop The Baker's Shop (Bäckerei) is marked by a Brezel-shaped sign hanging outside. Even Germans, as well as visitors, may need help here, because the regional names for everything are so varied. There will be a baker's shop on nearly every street corner. They're open at 6am and close at 6pm, but the bread is usually pretty much sold out by the afternoon. Just go in and smell! Loaves are arranged at the back, sweet pastries and rolls in the glass-fronted counter. Some people may be shocked to see the sales assistants taking the unwrapped loaves from the shelves with their bare hands and dropping them into a paper bag, but no one ever died from eating bread as far as this Researcher knows. These shops very rarely bake their own bread, instead they're branches of a real bakers, not very far away and the bread comes to the shop direct from the oven. The same bakers usually bake the bread sold at the bakery counters of supermarkets. If you buy a loaf, the assistant will immediately offer to cut it for you - Geschnitten? or Schneiden? she will say. Most families have an electric bread-cutting machine at home and will not need this. You should probably only accept this offer if you are feeding a large group and are in a hurry. Cut bread dries out quickly and the German bread is already quite hard, solid and chewy. Also, when catering for groups, remember that this bread is very filling. The phrase 'six slices a day is the well-balanced way' doesn't apply here - two or three slices will make a full meal with cheese or ham or cooked meats (German Wurst) for a normal appetite. Types of Dough Roggenmischbrot - is rye mixed with wheat or other flour. This is the most common and cheapest type of bread. It has a light colour and texture and is sold in loaves of one (Einpfunder) or two (Zweipfunder) pounds. It does not keep for long once cut. Weizenmischbrot is a light-coloured bread, with different proportions of wheat and rye from Roggenmisch. Bauernbrot - is similar to Roggenmisch, somewhat lighter, tastier and slightly more expensive. Weißbrot1 - is simply white bread. It does not cut or toast quite like the type of bread sold in Britain, though, but has a good flavour when absolutely fresh. Vollkornbrot - uses the whole grain. In some versions the grains are ground finer, some coarser. If you prefer the finer grain for easier digestion, or the coarser to get the old bowels moving, you could ask to see the inside of a cut loaf. Vollkorn can of course be applied to any type of grain. There are various proprietary names for other types of doughs using different mixtures of grain: some local ones in southern Germany include Kraftkorn (grain for strength), Sechskorn (six grain), or any other variety with a number indicating the types of grain involved in the mixture. Some specialist bakers will also sell Laugengebäck. This is made by boiling white bread in salt water before it is baked. This gives the delicious and practical Brezel its texture, but is also available in roll form, or a small stick, or a complete loaf. Special Brezel stands will sell Brezel spread with butter, or even with cheese, or the sticks are baked with cheese on top. It's the done thing to eat these walking along the street, or alternatively you can buy ten and take them back to the office to eat with coffee. Shapes of Loaves White bread is sold as Baguette or Stangenweißbrot (French stick) or Kasten (tin) but can also be obtained in an oblong shape, baked loose on the tray, like a bloomer. Some bakers have also started offering ciabatta which is based on the Italian bread, the shape is similar to the bloomer, an elongated oval, but the dough is a light wheat dough, coloured slightly yellow. Bauernbrot2 is usually round; the others mentioned above are generally sold in the shape they grow into when baked loose on a tray. Rolls The choice of rolls available in Germany really is a treat for visitors, because there is almost as great a choice as for bread. Just point to whatever you want. A good choice is a mixture of dark rolls, although for breakfast you may prefer white rolls for a lighter meal and for eating with jam, marmalade or honey. Indeed, plain white rolls are baked continually in the shops, on trays delivered from the bakery, so these are readily available. Also, because they are available in the shops at 6am, fresh rolls are guaranteed. (This will, of course, also apply to hotels, etc.) Milchbrötchen (milk roll) are one type of soft white roll, but others are often full of air and are sometimes derogatively called Wasserweck (water rolls). It is polite to tell the girl before you start how many rolls you intend to buy, so she can get the right size bag ready. If you're buying over 20 rolls, it might be a good idea to reserve some the evening before. You can pay when ordering or when you come to pick them up. Give your name, to simplify matters, or in case someone else comes to pick them up. The biggest problem with rolls is what to call them. You can never go wrong with the word Brötchen - the word is difficult to pronounce, but is universal across the country. It is the diminuitive of Brot/bread. So squash the 'o' sound to an 'er' sound and don't struggle with the 'ch' too much, 'sh' will do. Further north, you can substitute the 'ch' for 'k'. You might also hear the words: Semmel in Bavaria (in the south east of Germany), so that Brezelnsemmel is a Laugenbrötchen). Weck in Baden and the Palatinate (in the south west of the country). Weckle can be heard in the south. As the 'le' is a diminuitive, you will find the sound used for everything there, including the endings of most surnames. Schrippen is a Berlin term. Rundstücke are found in Hamburg, (literally meaning 'round pieces') The Shape of the Brezel There are many stories for the origin of the traditional shape of the Brezel. It is a kind of knot made from a long thin roll of dough, crossed over twice and the (thinner) ends pressed into the thicker middle bit, making it look something like the letter 'B'. The usual explanation for its shape is that some high Churchman commissioned a baker to make something to represent the Trinity. The Brezel has three spaces between the parts of the knot. This makes it very practical for children and for eating in the street generally, you can hook it round your little finger while reading the paper. The Brezel is about the size of a man's hand and the wider part of the dough is soft. It is only very remotely related to the hard and dry pretzels you get at parties. These are also sold in Germany, but not in kiosks on the street, you'll find them instead on the supermarket shelf alongside crisps and breadsticks. Coverings It might be easier to point out the loaf you'd like by telling the sales assistant what it looks like. It could be covered with any of the following: Mehl3 - flour Sesam4 - sesame seeds Kümmel5 - caraway seeds Mohn6 - poppy seed Haferflocken - rolled oats Sonnenblumenkerne - sunflower seeds Kürbiskerne7 - pumpkin seeds (these are dark green) Salz8 - salt (found on Brezels) Leinsamen9 - linseeds (small and dark brown, like shiny cress seeds) Shop-bought Bread Some types of bread are not available from the baker's. For example, you may not find the legendary Pumpernickel. This is available in supermarkets in packets. It keeps for an extremely long time, is usually tightly wrapped in foil and is even sold in tins. It is well worth trying. Eat it just with butter, or Philadelphia cheese, or jam. On the shelves nearby you will find other variations on the Pumpernickel theme. Once you have got used to the idea of black breads, you will be surprised at how juicy and tasty they are. Again, here, the same rule applies - the breads are very filling, and a packed lunch with two sandwiches of black bread and ham or cheese will certainly keep you going for a good long time. The advantage of these is that they are only sold in slices and you can keep them in your drawer or fridge at the office or just whip up a sandwich quickly before leaving for work or school in the morning. The dark colour of the bread also means that it is also decorative when arranging buffet trays of sandwiches. Baking your Own In small villages in the south of Germany it is still quite common - and it's becoming more popular again - to bake bread in a kind of Gemeindebäckereien (parish bakery). Often the village administration runs a small Holzofen or bakery made up of one or two ovens made from a special kind of stone. The ovens are filled with pinewood in specific dimensions (which helps determine the exact heat). After everything has burnt down the ashes are swept away with a broom. This is when the village baking event begins. All the breadmakers in the village have made their dough at home. Everyone can make exactly the amount of bread they need and the shape they want. Then they'll gather at the bakery and the loaves are put into the oven with the heated stones. The difficult thing is to place the loaves the correct distance from each other. If you have too many or too few loaves the heat gets out of control. Usually the bread bakes for roughly two hours, but the baking time should actually correspond to the gaps between the loaves. Therefore it's important that one person is responsible for the baking. This is more of a social event than a culinary one, as everyone meets up on a Saturday morning and can have a good gossip. Normally this village service is free, apart from a small fee of 50 Pfennig per loaf paid to the baker. 1 The letter 'ß' is equivalent to 'ss' and is pronounced that way, ie Weißbrot is pronounced 'vice broat'. 2 Bauernbrot is pronounced 'bowernbroat'. 3 Mehl is pronounced 'male'. 4 Sesam is pronounced 'say sam'. 5 Kümmel is pronounced 'cue mel'. 6 Mohn is pronounced 'moan'. 7 Kürbiskerne is pronounced 'cure biss cairner'. 8 Salz is pronounced 'saltz'. 9 Leinsamen is pronounced 'line sarmen'.
here are some of the many types of german cheeses to put on the many types of german breads: Bavarian Swiss - German While Kaserei Bavarian Swiss cheese is ageing for over 120 days in special ripening cellars, a beautiful cherry sized whole pattern is developing. The end result is a wonderfully aromatic and creamy colored Swiss with a deliciously mellow and nutty flavor Firm Taste: Nutty, mellow Region: Bavaria Germany German Butterkäse Cow Milk German Butterkäse - Cow Milk Landhaus Butterkäse is a traditional, naturally German-style cheese that is made with original cultures and follows traditional German production methods. It has a buttery taste and a creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Produced by Landhaus, Germany Soft, buttery Taste: Mild Region: All over Germany Germany Montagnolo Cow Milk Montagnolo - Cow Milk Montagnolo is a triple cream soft ripened blue cheese, carefully crafted by the master cheese makers of Kaserei Champignon in the alpine mountain region of Bavaria, Germany. The buttery texture and rich, piquant flavor intensifies as it ripens. This chees Buttery with blue veins, smooth and soft Taste: Slightly piquant Region: Bavaria Germany Mirabo Walnut Cow Milk Mirabo Walnut - Cow Milk Mirabo Walnut, a sophisticated soft ripened cheese, has been mastered by Kaserei Champignon of Bavaria, Germany. Its exclusive blossom shape, with find while mold, gives mirabo its unmistakable appearance. The pate of this cheese is a soft and creamy deli Soft, creamy, with nuts Taste: Nutty Region: Bavaria Germany Limburger Limburger - Cow Milk Limburger is creamery, washed-rind cheese. The smooth, sticky, washed rind is reddish-brown with corrugated ridges. The yellow interior hints at sweetness but the taste is spicy and aromatic, almost meaty. Milk is pasteurized at a temperature of 161 degre smooth and meaty Taste: Sharp and Salty Region: Germany Traditional German Muenster is a washed-rind cheese made from cows’ milk; it has an orange rind and can have a strong odor and a mild to strong flavor; it is enjoyed as a table cheese. American Muenster (sometimes called Munster) is a smooth, light-colored, semisoft cheese textured with tiny holes; it is much milder than the European varieties. Many American Muensters are made in Wisconsin. French Muenster is known for its full, sharp flavor, its creamy consistency, and its sometimes assertive odor. Muenster is initially white and odorless; the pungent aroma develops as it is aged over the course of a month, during which the cheese is rind-washed. It is typically seasoned with anise, fennel, caraway, or cumin seeds.
here are some other german liqueurs: There are other types of alcoholic beverages in Germany other than beer (believe it or not). Schnapps is perhaps the most well known, and is quite unlike the equivalent produced in America. (The word “schnapps” means a “gulp” in old German – and they claim this is exactly how it should be consumed). True German schnapps is not sweetened, and can be distilled from grain, potatoes, fruits or herbs. Served cold, it often precedes or goes with the serving of beer as an aperitif (a Hanoverian custom). Schnapps is also served as an accompaniment to meals and with dessert. Korn is made from rye (roggen), wheat (weizen) or mixed grains (getreide). After distillation, Korn is aged in vats much like whiskey. Some of the most well-known Korns are Doornkaat (tripe-distilled) and Furst Bismarck (a getreide that dates back to the eighteenth century). Liqueurs (likors) in Germany include Goldwasser and Silberwasser (which both have specks of gold and silver in them and are flavored with anise and caraway). Jagermeister contains fifty-six herbs and spices; Graf’s Frankische Pflaume is a plum liqueur that derives form the Franconia region, and Barenjager (bear hunter) is a honey-based liqueur that has been produced since the fifteenth century. Fruchsaftlikors and Fruchtaromalikors are made using fruit, and Eierlikors are made from eggs. Brandies are also known as Klarer or eau de vie (French for “waters of life”), and are spirits distilled from fermented fruit juice, coming as a clear liquid. (In a twist, Eau de vie can be a brandy, but a brandy is not always an Eau de vie). Brandy is a clear liquid distilled only from fruit with no sugar added. Germany’s Black Forest region is known for its brandies, with the most popular being Kirschwasser (meaning “cherry water”) and is distilled from cherry juice and the cherry pits. Another specialty is Kammer Williams Pear Brandy (which contains a pear grown in the bottle). “Digestives”: Digestives are common as an after-dinner drink in Germany. Wacholder is produced similar to the way gin is (flavored with juniper) and is bottled in stoneware crocks. Germany’s oldest digestive is Schlichte Steinhager. Another is Underberg, which is a natural herbal digestive that has been used since 1846. Undberg contains vitamin B1 and is typically consumed in the original Underberg tall glass after a good meal. The digestive is made from a gin base with herbs from forty-three different countries using warm maceration techniques devised by its founder, Hubert Underberg. Reportedly, Underberg is a cure for the hangover.
