Germany is known for its luxury automobiles, castles and fairy tales, and stunning scenery. It also happens to have some of the most delicious food in the world and equally tasty beer for washing it down. A trip to the country would not be complete without sampling some of its divine and hearty food. Here are 5 German foods everyone needs to try and one they should skip.
5 Must Try German Foods
Spätzle
1.Spatzle (pictured above) is a soft egg noodle commonly found in the southern part of Germany. It can be served as a side dish with butter or topped with gravy or cheese (käsespätzle). They don’t require a lot of ingredients, cook quickly, and kids love them. The perfect German dish for everyone.
Wurst
2. Everyone knows about the traditional German sausage, bratwurst, but there are over 1,500 types of wurst. Some of the more familiar are Knackwurst (made from beef and port), Bratwurst (made from veal or pork), Currywurst (pork sausage in a curry-ketchup sauce) and Weisswurst. Don’t miss out on this Bavarian specialty. Weisswurst translates to “white sausage” as they have a grayish white color. They are made of finely ground veal and pork back bacon and spices such as parsley, lemon, and onion. Usually boiled in a pot of salt water, these taste best with a side of sweet mustard and a glass of German beer.
Kartoffelpuffer
3. The name sounds fancy, but in English it translates to potato pancake. These are made of grated potatoes, flour, egg, onions, and seasoning, flattened, then fried. Easy to make and taste delicious with a side of applesauce or sour cream depending on your taste buds.
Brezel
4. Nothing tastes quite as delicious as an authentic German pretzel (brezel). Found from beer halls to street markets, these soft, chewy snacks will make you never want anything but the real thing. The Germans love to slice them in half and slather them with butter (butterbrezel), so be prepared to tell them if you would prefer one without.
Schnitzel
5. There are many types of schnitzel, the most common being Wiener Schnitzel (which originated in Austria). Wiener Schnitzel is made of a thinly pounded veal cutlet, dipped in a mixture of egg, flour, and bread crumbs and then cooked in a frying pan. Today many variations exist and schnitzel can be made of chicken, pork, and turkey. One delicious variation is jägerschnitzel which is the meat topped with a mushroom gravy, and served with a side of potatoes or spätzle. Different regions of Germany often have their own schnitzel specialties that add a special twist to this traditional dish.
Do Not Eat This!
The one German food that’s best left alone is a schneeball. Do not be deceived as it appears very delicious, sadly however, it is not. Schneeball translates as snowball, and this southern German pastry does indeed look like a round ball. They happen to taste like one too. Made from strips of short crust pastry and formed into a ball shape, the pastry is then deep fried and covered with powdered sugar. Bakeries offer many variations including chocolate glazed, marzipan filled, coconut covered. Basically anything they can do to mask the awful taste that lies underneath the top layer. Save your money and skip these “treats”.
Do you have a favorite German food?
Guest post:
Kirsten Maxwell is the founder of Kids Are A Trip, a family travel website created to inspire families to explore the world with their children. She and her husband have visited 25 countries and counting, exposing her children to other customs and cultures. Kirsten is a Travelocity Gnational Gnomad. A native Phoenician, Kirsten currently lives in Chicago with her husband and three boys.
