German food recommendations?

[User169]

These bad boys are rather good.

 

[Arch]

There is enough room in my heart to enjoy the produce of more than one country.

I'm pretty sure food is meant to go into your stomach, not your heart....


Well, thanks for the recommendations everyone! As I know where we'll be eating, and Pete has reminded of the asparagus option, I think I'm sorted for this time, but no doubt I'll be back...


I did actually know about spaetzles - my sister found a recipe for them and we had them when I visited once. Nice.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Damn! I was going to say Kaiserschmarrn until you got to the unchopped bit. Maybe it was Nicht Gehacktes Kaiserschmarrn..

It's worth remembering that Kaiserschmarnn is only known because a farmer's wife offered it to Franz-Josef (or similar) when he was out hunting one day and because he liked it, it caught on. You can bet your life that the lady at the next farm didn't serve it chopped up. It is regarded as a kind of pancake and there are as many recipes for pancakes in Germany and Austria as there are Grandmothers.

+1 for Kaiserschmarnn. We liked it so much Mrs 26x25 bought an Austrian recipe book (in English) and we indulge at home now too. Who cares if it's chopped up or not?

 

[Auntie Helen]

My recommendations to Arch are as follows:

Avoid 'Pilze' and 'Champignons' on the menu (both words for mushroom)

If you like Italian, you'll be fine - pizza will be everywhere

Wiener Schnitzel is a good standby. I prefer Jägerschnitzel but it usually has mushrooms in the sauce so you need to watch out for that.

I would avoid Weisswurst (Weißwurst) like the plague. In fact, probably best to avoid most sausages unless they're Bratwurst as you won't know quite what you're getting.

Some things such as dumplings (Knödel) are good if you like that kind of thing but you might not appreciate them.

There will always be pork on the menu, and quite possibly steak as well (called 'Rind' or 'Rinderfleisch')

Schnitzel were traditionally veal but most are pork (if you have objections to eating veal). It may well say 'vom Schwein' in the small print which means it's pork, not veal.

Cheese and ham are ubiquitous for breakfast and lunch.

You will probably find several fish dishes available. Lachs is Salmon, Forelle is Trout and Zander is Pike-Perch (whatever that is).

Cakes and desserts will all be fab, although you're unlikely to find anything like an English pudding (spotted dick, treacle pudding, fudge pudding etc) and custard isn't really available, although they have Vanillesoß which they think is similar.

The meals may have fewer veg than you are used to, and may also seem a little dry sometimes (i.e. no gravy, particularly with a Wiener Schnitzel).

If you like meat and find a Grillteller, it's a fab selection of cooked meats but usually enormous portions. You get stuff like venison with that, and wild boar... and some mysterious sausages often too.

Kaiserschmarrn is the food of the gods.

Menus will have lots of footnotes which are to do with particular additives which have to be listed, but assuming you're OK with the usual additives you can ignore that.

 

[Arch]

Thankyou! that's all very helpful, assuming I can remember it!

I'm not especially opposed to veal - does anyone know if it's likely to be white veal or rose - the pink stuff is generally better ethically I think. Although anyone who eats dairy really has to think long and hard if they won't eat veal - they've got to do something with the bull calves.

I'm pleased at how many of these things I'm vaguely understanding - I sort of knew rind was cow for example, from looking at archeaological animal bone reports in German.

I think I'll get on fine with a diet that has a lot of meat and potatoes...

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I think I'll get on fine with a diet that has a lot of meat and potatoes...

Do you mean "Meat and 2 Veg"?

 

[User169]

Avoid 'Pilze' and 'Champignons' on the menu (both words for mushroom)

And "pfifferlingen"!

 

[Auntie Helen]

Good point, Pfifferlingen are fab if one likes mushrooms

If you're going in a few weeks, Arch, it might be Spargelzeit (asparagus season) where you'll find asparagus everywhere - Spargelcremesupper (Cream of Asparagus soup) and more. The Germans like their asparagus white and large and scarily phallic so don't be too afraid of it when you see it on a plate.

 

[Arch]

Good point, Pfifferlingen are fab if one likes mushrooms

If you're going in a few weeks, Arch, it might be Spargelzeit (asparagus season) where you'll find asparagus everywhere - Spargelcremesupper (Cream of Asparagus soup) and more. The Germans like their asparagus white and large and scarily phallic so don't be too afraid of it when you see it on a plate.

Yes, in two weeks, and asparagus has been mentioned, so I'm sorted, love the stuff.

26x25, go and wash your mouth out.

I was going to use this smiley but it seems inappropriate...

 

[jay clock]

How about this German liquorice sweet

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v287/elysesewell/IMG_8416.jpg

I bought a packet as a souvenir! I had to explain to the guy at the petrol station why I liked the name

 

[TheDoctor]

if I weren't drunk I would remember the name of the best ever puddings.....kinda like a dome with lots of custerd.

Also....their soups their are pretty damn wierd, really really watery with some random dumpling/other solid (such as noodles) in them

That would be Germknodel.

 

[Aperitif]

What about the 'staple' that I remember...German Liver Sausage! Goodness knows what appelation it has now, but I remember it as a ghastly grey sausigagonal segment, with a translucent wrapping. 'Sixtieswurst' perhaps?



Arch, make sure you photograph and catalogue all these niceties for your fans in the UK! England expects...

 

[Arch]

That would be Germknodel.

Blimey.

I'm suddenly reminded of the enormous Isle Flottante that followed that Flammekuchen...

With regard to the 'is German food better than Italian' and so on debate - surely it's all just different? There's a place for pasta (normally, on my dinner plate) and a place for sausage and potatoes. Every country has some examples of 'bad' food. Andouillette anyone?

 

[TheDoctor]

I'll see your Andouilette and raise you a Cazu Marzu.
Pecorino cheese with added maggots.

 

[Arch]

Mmmm, lovely..

um.

Not.

Anyway, it's all a matter of taste. I'm sure plenty of you think a mushroom ommlette is a good idea, I think it's a waste of good eggs....