German cuisine

Thecuisine of Germanyconsists of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history.Germanyitself is part of the larger cultural region ofCentral Europe, sharing many culinary traditions with neighbouring countries such asPolandand theCzech Republic(andSlovakiaas well). InNorthern Europe, inDenmarkmore specifically, the traditionalDanish cuisinehad also been influenced by German cuisine in the past, hence several dishes being common between the two countries (e.g.potato salad).
At the same time, German cuisine also shares many similar characteristics with Western European cuisine, as is reflected by some common traditional dishes served in theLow Countries(i.e.Netherlands,Belgium, and, most notably,Luxembourg). Southern German regions, such asBavariaandSwabia, share dishes withAustrian cuisineand parts ofSwiss cuisineas well.The German cuisine has also influenced other European cuisines from Central-Eastern Europesuch as those ofHungaryorRomania, both countries sharing past and current German heritage in general, through their ethnic German minorities (see also, for example in this regard, theTransylvanian Saxon cuisine).
TheMichelin Guideof 2015 awarded athree-star ranking(the highest designation) to 11 restaurants in Germany, while 38 more received two-star rankings and 233 one-star rankings.As of November 2017, Germany had the fourth-highest number of Michelin three-star restaurants in the world, afterJapan,France, and theUnited States.
The average annual meat consumption is 59.7 kg (132 lb) per person. The most common varieties are pork, poultry, and beef. Other varieties of meat are widely available, but are considered to be insignificant.
Meat is usuallybraised; fried dishes also exist, but these recipes usually originate fromFranceandAustria. Several cooking methods used to soften tough cuts have evolved into national specialties, includingSauerbraten(sour roast), involving marinating beef, horse meat or venison in a vinegar or wine vinegar mixture over several days.
A long tradition of sausage-making exists in Germany; more than 1,500 different types of sausage (German:Wurst) are made.MostWurstis made with naturalcasingsof pork, sheep or lamb intestines. Among the most popular and most common areBratwurst, usually made of ground pork and spices, theWiener(Viennese), which may be pork or beef and is smoked and fully cooked in a water bath, andBlutwurst(blood sausage) orSchwarzwurst(black sausage) made from blood (often of pigs or geese). Thousands of types of cold cuts also are available which are also called "Wurst" in German. There are many regional specialties, such as theMünchner Weißwurst(Munich white sausage) popular inBavariaor theCurrywurst(depending on region, either a steamed pork sausage or a version of theBratwurst, sliced and spiced with curry ketchup) popular in the metropolitan areas ofBerlin,Hamburgand theRuhr Area. Strict regulations governing what may and may not be put into them have been in force in Germany since the 13th century. In the market ordinance of Landshut in 1236, it was set down that only top-quality meat could be made into sausages. Different types of sausages include also:Bierschinken,Bockwurst,Frankfurter Würstchen,Jagdwurst,Knackwurst,Liverwurst,Mettwurst,Nürnberger Bratwürste,Nürnberger Rostbratwurst,Regensburger Wurst,Saumagen,Teewurst,Thuringian sausage,Weisswurst,Westfälische RinderwurstandWollwurst.
Döner kebab, a dish consisting of seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and popularized by Turkish immigrants, is one of the most popular fast food items in Germany with sales reaching more than 3.5 billion euros each year. The döner meat is typically served as a plate with rice or chips and a salad, or for a quick snack or meal it may be enjoyed in a wrap.
Of saltwater fish, whitefish such asAlaska pollock,Atlantic herring,Atlantic codandsaitheare the most common.Popular freshwater fish on the German menu aretrout,pike,carp, andEuropean perchalso are listed frequently.These fish are often served grilled, fried as "Backfisch" or "Fischfrikadelle", or in a soup. Seafood traditionally was restricted to the northern coastal areas, except forpickled herring, which was often served in aFischbrötchen, asRollmops(a pickled herringfilletrolled into a cylindrical shape around a piece of pickled gherkin or onion), orBrathering(fried,marinatedherring).
Today, many sea fish, such as fresh herring,tuna,mackerel,salmonandsardines, are well established throughout the country.Prior to the industrial revolution and the ensuing pollution of the rivers, salmon were common in the riversRhine,Elbe, andOderand only slowly started to return along with a growing consciousness for environmental questions and resulting measures, such as state-of-the-art sewage plant and reduction of agricultural runoff.
Fish fingers, known as Fischstäbchen (lit.: "fish sticklets"),are a popularprocessed foodmade usingwhitefishsuch ascod,haddockorpollock, which has beenbatteredorbreaded.
Vegetables are often used instewsor vegetable soups, but are also served asside dishes. Carrots,cauliflower,turnips,spinach,peas,beans, broccoli and many types of cabbage are very common.Fried onions are a common addition to many meat dishes throughout the country. Circa 1900, carrots were sometimes roasted in water, with the broth used in place of coffee.
Asparagusis a popular seasonal side or main dish with a yearly per-capita consumption of 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).The white variety is especially popular in Germany and more common than green asparagus.Restaurants will sometimes devote an entire menu to nothing but white asparagus when it is in season.Spargel season (German:SpargelzeitorSpargelsaison) traditionally begins in mid-April and ends on St. John's Day (24 June).
Breakfast(Frühstück,pronounced[ˈfʁyːˌʃtʏk]) commonly consists of bread, toast, or bread rolls with butter or margarine,cold cuts, cheeses, jam (Konfitüreor more commonly calledMarmelade), honey and eggs (typically boiled).Common drinks at breakfast are coffee, tea, milk, cocoa (hot or cold) or fruit juices.It is very common to eat hearty toppings at breakfast, including deli meats like ham, salted meats, salami and meat-based spreads such asLeberwurst(liver sausage),TeewurstorMettwurst, and cheeses such as Gouda,Frischkäse(cream cheese), Brie,Harzer Roller,Bergkäseand more. Most bakeries tend to sellbelegte Brötchen(sandwiches from bread rolls), especially in the morning, for people on the go.
Traditionally, the main meal of the day has beenlunch(Mittagessen,pronounced[ˈmɪtaːkˌʔɛsn̩]), eaten around noon.Dinner(Abendessen,pronounced[ˈaːbn̩tˌʔɛsn̩], orAbendbrot) was always a smaller meal, often consisting only of a variety of breads, meat or sausages, cheese and some kind of vegetables, similar to breakfast, or possibly sandwiches. Smaller meals added during the day bear names such asVesper(in the south),Brotzeit(bread time, also in the south),Kaffee und Kuchen(listen, literally for "coffee and cake"), orKaffeetrinken. It is a very German custom and comparable with the Englishfive-o'clock tea. It takes time between lunch and dinner, often on Sundays with the entire family.
However, in Germany, as in other parts of Europe, dining habits have changed over the last 50 years. Today, many people eat only a small meal in the middle of the day at work, often also a second breakfast, and enjoy a hot dinner in the evening at home with the whole family.
For others, the traditional way of eating is still rather common, not only in rural areas. Breakfast is still very popular and may be elaborate and extended on weekends, with friends invited as guests; the same holds for coffee and cake. Since the 1990s, the Sundaybrunchhas also become common, especially in city cafés.
Noodles, made from wheat flour and egg, are usually thicker than theItalianflat pasta. Especially in the southwestern part of the country, the predominant variety of noodles areSpätzle,made with a large number of eggs, andMaultaschen, traditional stuffed noodles reminiscent ofravioli.
Besides noodles, potatoes are common.Potatoes entered the German cuisine in the late 17th century, and were almost ubiquitous in the 19th century and since.  They most often are boiled (in salt water,Salzkartoffeln), butmashed(KartoffelpüreeorKartoffelbrei) and pan-roastedpotatoes(Bratkartoffeln) also are traditional.French fries, calledPommes frites,Pommes(spoken as "Pom fritz" or, respectively, "Pommès", deviating from the French pronunciation which would be "Pom freet" or "Pom") or regionally asFrittenin German, are a common style of fried potatoes; they are traditionally offered with eitherketchupormayonnaise, or, asPommes rot/weiß(lit. fries red/white), with both.
Also common aredumplings(includingKlößeas the term in the north orKnödelas the term in the south) and in southern Germany potato noodles, includingSchupfnudeln, which are similar to Italiangnocchi.
Salads, also modern variations, as well asvegetarian dishesare increasingly popular in Germany.
With the exception of mustard, horseradish, and hot paprika, German dishes are rarely hot and spicy. The most popular herbs and spices are traditionallyanise,bay leaves,borage,caraway,chives,curry powder,dill weed,juniper berries,lovage,marjoram,paprika, andparsley.Cardamom, anise seed andcinnamonare often used in sweet cakes or beverages associated with Christmas time, and sometimes in the preparation of sausages, but are otherwise rare in German meals. Other herbs and spices, such asbasil,sage,oregano, hotchili peppers, andcurry powderhave become popular since the early 1980s. Freshdillis very common in a greensalador fish fillet.
Mustard(Senf) is a very common accompaniment to sausages and can vary in strength,the most common version beingMittelscharf(medium hot), which is somewhere between traditional English and French mustards in strength.Düsseldorf, similar to French's Deli Mustard with a taste that is very different from Dijon, and the surrounding area are known for its particularly spicy mustard, which is used both as a table condiment and in local dishes such asSenfrostbraten(pot roast with mustard).In the southern parts of the country, a sweet variety of mustard is made which is almost exclusively served with the Bavarian specialityWeißwurst. German mustard is usually considerably less acidic than American varieties.
Horseradishis commonly used as a condiment either on its own served as a paste, enriched with cream (Sahnemeerrettich), or combined with mustard.In some regions of Germany, it is used with meats and sausages where mustard would otherwise be used. Its use in Germany has been documented to the 16th century, when it was used as medicine, and as a food, whereby its leaves were consumed as a vegetable.
Garlichas never played a large role in traditional German cuisine,but has risen in popularity in recent decades due to the influence ofFrench,Italian,Spanish,Portuguese,Greek, andTurkishcuisines.Ramson, a rediscovered herb from earlier centuries, has become quite popular again since the 1990s.
A wide variety ofcakes,tartsandpastriesare served throughout the country,most commonly made with fresh fruit. Apples, plums, strawberries, and cherries are used regularly in cakes.Cheesecakeis also very popular, often made withquark.Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte(Black Forest cake, made with cherries) is probably the most well-known example of a wide variety of typically Germantortesfilled with whipped or butter cream.
Germandoughnuts(which have no hole) are usually balls of yeast dough with jam or other fillings, and are known asBerliner,Pfannkuchen(in Berlin and Eastern Germany),KreppelorKrapfen, depending on the region.EierkuchenorPfannkuchenare large (usually around 20–24 cm in diameter), and relatively thin (~5mm) pancakes,comparable to the Frenchcrêpes. They are served covered with sugar, jam or syrup. Salty variants with cheese, ground meat or bacon exist as well as variants with apple slices baked in (calledApfelpfannkuchen, literally forapple pancakes), but they are usually considered to be main dishes rather than desserts. In some regions,Eierkuchenare filled and then wrapped. The wordPfannkuchenmeans pancake in most parts of Germany.
A popular dessert in northern Germany isRote Grütze, red fruit pudding, which is made with black and red currants, raspberries and sometimes strawberries or cherries cooked in juice with corn starch as a thickener.It is traditionally served with cream, but also is served withvanillasauce, milk or whipped cream.Rhabarbergrütze(rhubarb pudding)andGrüne Grütze(gooseberry fruit pudding) are variations of theRote Grütze. A similar dish,Obstkaltschale, may also be found all around Germany.
Ice creamandsorbetsare also very popular.Italian-run ice cream parlours were the first large wave of foreign-run eateries in Germany, which began around the mid-1850s, becoming widespread in the 1920s.Spaghettieis, which resembles spaghetti, tomato sauce, and ground cheese on a plate, originated in Germany and is a popular ice cream dessert.
On the Christmas Days followingChristmas Eve, roast goose is a staple of Christmas Day meals.It is sometimes replaced with European carp,particularly in Southern areas. The carp is cut into pieces, coated in breadcrumbs and fried in fat. Common side dishes are potato salad, cucumber salad or potatoes.
Apart from Christmas, nearly all other Christian holidays and seasons have special dishes associated with them, varying regionally and by denomination. The Easter season, for instance, is typically associated with paintedEaster eggs,Osterbrotand a meal of freshwater fish onGood Friday. Likewise,Saint Sylvester's Dayis often celebrated with a meal ofcarp. Thefasting season, which lasts fromAsh WednesdaytoEaster Sunday, is observed in many areas, especially Catholic ones. The precedingcarnival seasonis known forBerliner Pfannkuchen (German doughnuts). The last months of the year, especially theAdventand Christmas season, is often associated withWeihnachtsgebäck(literally Christmas bakery products), which includes sweet and spicy foods likeWeihnachts-/Christstollen,Lebkuchen,Spekulatius,Marzipan,Weihnachtsplätzchen,Spritzgebäck,Vanillekipferl,Kokosmakronen[de],ZimtsterneandDominosteine. German supermarkets also sell these products during this period. Another popular confectioneries areCrêpe,ReibekuchenandEier-/Pfannkuchen, which are sold inChristmas markets.
Bread(Brot) is a significant part of German cuisine, with the largest bread diversity in the world.Around 3,000 types of breadsand 1,200 different types of pastries and rollsare produced in about 13,000 bakeries.
Bread is served usually for breakfast (often replaced by bread rolls) and in the evening as (open) sandwiches, but rarely as a side dish for the main meal (popular, for example, withEintopfor soup). The importance of bread in German cuisine is also illustrated by words such asAbendbrot(meaning supper, literally evening bread) andBrotzeit(snack, literally bread time). In fact, one of the major complaints of the Germanexpatriatesin many parts of the world is their inability to find acceptable local breads.
Regardingbread, German cuisine is more varied than that of any other culture.Bread types range from whitewheatbread (Weißbrot) to grey (Graubrot) to black (Schwarzbrot), actually dark brownryebread.Some breads contain both wheat and rye flour (henceMischbrot, mixed bread),and often also wholemeal and whole seeds such aslinseed,sunflower seed, orpumpkinseed (Vollkornbrot). Darker, rye-dominated breads, such asVollkornbrotorSchwarzbrot, are typical of German cuisine.Pumpernickel, sweet-tasting bread created by long-time-steaming instead of regular baking, is internationally well known, although not representative of German black bread as a whole. Most German breads are made withsourdough. Whole grain is also preferred for high fiber. Germans use almost all available types of grain for their breads: wheat, rye, barley,spelt, oats, millet, corn and rice. Some breads are even made withpotato starch flour.Many breads aremultigrain breads.
Among Germany's most popular breads arespelt(Dinkelbrot), rye (Roggenbrot), rye-wheat (Roggenmischbrot), wheat-rye (Weizenmischbrot), wheat (Weißbrot),toast(Toastbrot), whole-grain (Vollkornbrot), wheat-rye-oats with sesame or linseed (Mehrkornbrot), sunflower seeds in darkrye bread(Sonnenblumenkernbrot), pumpkin seeds in dark rye bread (Kürbiskernbrot),potato bread(Kartoffelbrot) and roasted onions in light wheat-rye bread (Zwiebelbrot).
Bread rolls, known in Germany asBrötchen,which is a diminutive ofBrot, with regional linguistic varieties beingSemmel(in South Germany),Schrippe(especially in Berlin),Rundstück(in the North and Hamburg) orWecken,Weck,Weckle,WeckliandWeckla(inBaden-Württemberg, Switzerland, parts of SouthernHesseand northern Bavaria), are common in German cuisine.A typical serving is a roll cut in half, and spread with butter or margarine.Cheese, honey, jam,Nutella, cold cuts such as ham,fish, or preserves are then placed between the two halves, or on each half separately, known as abelegtes Brötchen.
Rolls are also used for snacks, or as a hotdog-style roll forBratwurst, Brätel,FleischkäseorSchwenker/Schwenkbraten.
Franzbrötchen, which originated in the area of Hamburg, is a small, sweet pastry roll baked with butter and cinnamon.
Beeris very common throughout all parts of Germany, with many local and regional breweries producing a wide variety of beers.Thepale lagerpilsner, a style developed in the mid-19th century, is predominant in most parts of the country today, whereaswheat beer(Weißbier/Weizen) and other types oflagerare common, especially in Bavaria. A number of regions have local specialties, many of which, likeWeißbier, are more traditionally brewedales. Among these areAltbier, a dark beer available around Düsseldorf and the lower Rhine,Kölsch, a similar style, but light in color, in the Cologne area, and the low-alcoholBerliner Weiße, asour beermade in Berlin that is often mixed with raspberry or woodruff syrup. Since the reunification of 1990,Schwarzbier, which was common inEast Germany, but could hardly be found inWest Germany, has become increasingly popular in Germany as a whole. Beer may also be mixed with other beverages such as pils or lager and carbonated lemonade:Radler(lit: cyclist),Alsterwasser(lit: water from the riverAlster).
Since a beer tax law was changed in 1993, many breweries served this trend of mixing beer with other drinks by selling bottles of pre-mixed beverages. Examples areBibob(byKöstritzer),Veltins V+,Mixery(by Karlsberg), Dimix (byDiebels) andCab(byKrombacher).
Cideris also popular in Germany. It is calledMostorEbbelwoi. In Hessen, people drink it from a traditional type of pitcher called aBembel.
Wineis also popular throughout the country.German winecomes predominantly from the areas along the upper and middleRhineand its tributaries.RieslingandSilvanerare among the best-known varieties of white wine, whileSpätburgunderandDornfelderare important German red wines. The sweet German wines sold in English-speaking countries seem mostly to cater to the foreign market, as they are rare in Germany.
Korn, a German spirit made from malt (wheat, rye or barley), is consumed predominantly in the middle and northern parts of Germany.Obstler, on the other hand, distilled from apples and pears, plums, cherries (Kirschwasser), or mirabelle plums, is preferred in the southern parts. The termSchnapsrefers to both kinds of hard liquors.
All cold drinks in bars and restaurants are sold in glasses with a calibration mark (Eichstrich)that is frequently checked by theEichamt(~ Bureau of Weights and Measures) to ensure the guest is getting as much as is offered in the menu.
Coffeeis very common,not only for breakfast, but also accompanying a piece of cake (Kaffee und Kuchen) in the afternoon, usually on Sundays or special occasions and birthdays. It is generallyfilter coffee, which is weaker thanespresso.Coffeeshopsare also very common in Germany.Teais more common in the northwest. East Frisians traditionally have their tea with cream and rock candy (Kluntje). Germany has the tenth highest per capita coffee consumption worldwide.
Johann Jacob Schweppewas a German-Swiss watchmaker and amateur scientist, who developed the first practical process to manufacturebottled carbonated mineral waterand began selling the world's first soft drinkunder his companySchweppes. Popular soft drinks includeSchorle, juice or wine mixed with sparkling mineral water, withApfelschorlebeing popular all over Germany,andSpezi, made with cola and an orange-flavored drink such asFanta. Germans are unique among their neighbors in preferringbottled, carbonatedmineral water, either plain (Sprudel) or flavored (usually lemon) to noncarbonated ones.
Drinking water of excellent quality is available everywhere and at any time in Germany. Water provided by thepublic water utilitiescan be had without hesitation directly from the tap. Usually, no chlorine is added. Drinking water is controlled by state authority to ensure it is potable. Regulations are even stricter than those for bottled water (seeTrinkwasserverordnung).
German regional cuisine can be divided into many varieties such asBavarian cuisine(southern Germany) orThuringian(central Germany) andLower Saxon cuisine(northern Germany).
This southwest German state is divided into Baden and Swabia, whose cuisines are slightly different.
Due to Baden's physiogeographical situation in theUpper Rhine Plain, with Germany's warmestclimateand fruitfulvolcanic soils, it had good prerequisites to develop a high-qualitygastronomy. Nationwide, this region features the highest density of star-rated restaurants; the municipality ofBaiersbronnis especially well known for its fine-dining restaurants. Swabian cuisine tends to be heavier than Badish cuisine. Famous dishes of Baden-Württemberg areMaultaschen,SpätzleandBlack Forest cake.
The Bavarian dukes, especially theWittelsbachfamily, developed Bavarian cuisine and refined it to be presentable to the royal court. This cuisine has belonged to wealthy households, especially in cities, since the 19th century. The (old) Bavarian cuisine is closely connected toCzech cuisineandAustrian cuisine(especially fromTyrolandSalzburg), mainly through the Wittelsbach andHabsburgfamilies. Already in the beginning, Bavarians were closely connected to their neighbours in Austria through linguistic, cultural and political similarities, which also reflected on the cuisine.
A characteristic Bavarian cuisine was further developed by both groups, with a distinct similarity toFranconianandSwabiancuisine. A Bavarian speciality is theBrotzeit, a savoury snack, which would originally be eaten between breakfast and lunch.
Bavaria is a part of Southeastern Germany, including the city of Munich and spreading to Germany's borders with Austria and the Czech Republic. The region is located at higher elevations, and is known for yielding beet and potato crops and also for the production of fine beers.
Franconia, a major region consisting roughly of the northern half ofBavaria, has its own distinct cuisine, so distinct in fact that there is said to be a "White Sausage Equator" (Weißwurstäquator) that separates Franconia from the rest of Bavaria. This is a reference to the fact that those north of the Weißwurstequator do not generally eat the popularWeißwurstcommon in southernBavaria. A characteristic of Franconian food would include gravies (Soßen), food derived from potatoes, various meats, and, of course, bread. Franconia is well known throughout Germany for its heavy foods covered in gravy. A good example of Franconian food would beSchäufeleand Klöße, which is a pork shoulder served with traditional potato dumplings (Klöße or Knödel) covered in a gravy.
Due to its centuries-old history as a harbour town, the traditional cuisine ofHamburgis very diversified and sapid as the supply of ingredients was safe. Until the 20th century, it was predominantly characterized by the extensive choice of different kinds offishfrom the riverElbeand the quick access to both theNorth Seaand theBaltic Sea, both being roughly 100 kilometers away from the city center. The neighboring regions supplied the city state with freshvegetables,fruitcame mainly from a region calledAltes Landjust southwest of Hamburg and untilindustrialization, the neighbourhood ofWilhelmsburgwas considered the ‘milk isle’ of Hamburg.
International trade madespicesand exotic food items fromAsiaandSouth Americaavailable since the 16th century, and these were soon incorporated into civic kitchens. From this basis, the cuisine of Hamburg developed its current characteristics thanks to the supraregional harmonization of the Northern German and Scandinavian cuisine. Due to its high economic importance, Hamburg features many internationally recognized gourmet restaurants: 11 of them were awarded aMichelin starin 2010.
Lower Saxon cuisine (German:Niedersächsische Küche) covers a range of regional, North German culinary traditions from the region correspondingly broadly to the state ofLower Saxony, which in many cases are very similar to one another, for example cuisine from the areas ofOldenburg,Brunswick, orEast Frisia.
It is mainly indigenous and in some cases very hearty, with many cultural dishes including poultry, venison, turkey, and vegetables. Many other recipes also include potatoes, asparagus and North Sea fish, all of which are harvested in the region.
Pomeranian cuisine generally refers to dishes typical of the area that once formed the historicProvince of Pomeraniain northeast Germany and which includedStettin(now Szczecin) andFurther Pomerania. It is characterised by ingredients produced by Pomeranian farms, such asswede(Wruken) andsugar beet, by poultry rearing, which has produced the famousPomeranian goose, by the wealth of fish in theBaltic Sea, rivers and inland lakes of thePomeranian Lake District, and the abundance ofquarryin Pomeranian forests. Pomeranian cuisine is hearty. Several foodstuffs have a particularly important role to play here in the region: potatoes, known asTüften, prepared in various ways and whose significance is evinced by the existence of a West Pomeranian Potato Museum (Vorpommersches Kartoffelmuseum),Grünkohland sweet and sour dishes produced, for example, by baking fruit.
Pomeranian farmers were self-sufficient: crops were stored until the following harvest, meat products were preserved in the smoke store of the home, or in thesmokeriesof larger villages such as Schlawin. Fruit, vegetables, lard andGänseflomenwere preserved by bottling in jars. Syrup was made from the sugar beet itself.
Typical for Hessen areFrankfurter Rippchen, a spikedpork cutlet, which is often served withsauerkrautandmashed potatoes.
Also from Hessen comes theFrankfurt green sauce("Grüne Sauce"). It is a cold sauce based on sour cream with the local herbs borage, chervil, cress, parsley, pimpinelle, sorrel and chives. The start of the season is traditionallyMaundy Thursday("Gründonnerstag"; which means"green Thursday"in German). Green sauce is mostly served with potatoes and boiled eggs.
One of the best-known specialties from Hesse is theFrankfurter Kranz, a buttercream cake whose shape is reminiscent of a crown, a reminiscence of Frankfurt as the historical coronation city of theGerman emperors.
Cider("Apfelwein"in German, or"Äppelwoi"in the Hessian dialect) is also very popular in and around Frankfurt. In the historic districtSachsenhausenthere is the so-called Cider Quarter ("Äppelwoiviertel"), where there are numerous taverns that offer cider, especially in the summer months. In the cider taverns,"Handkäs mit Musik"is offered as a snack, asour milk cheeseserved in amarinadeof onions, vinegar and spices.
The kitchen of the Palatinate, a region in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, is largely determined by regional dishes. They are sometimes quite hearty, not least because the cooking recipes were sometimes developed in times of need or in the context of heavy physical work.
Probably the best-known dish is thePfälzer Saumagen, a porkstomachstuffed with sausage meat, bacon, potatoes and spices. The dish became famous as the favorite meal of Federal ChancellorHelmut Kohl, who especially enjoyed serving this dish at state receptions.
In the Palatinate, the salty-crustDampfnudelis a traditional main dish, either with sweet side dishes (for example wine sauce,custardor boiled fruit such as plums, pears or the like) or with salty side dishes (for example potato soup, vegetable soups,goulashor pork) is eaten.
Wheat,grapes,sugarbeets, andbarleygrow well, along with a variety of vegetables, which grow nearErfurt, the state's capital.Cauliflower[300 hectares (740 acres)],cabbage(savoy, red, white) [10 ha (25 acres)],kohlrabi[15 ha (37 acres)], andbroccoli[15 ha (37 acres)] grow by traditional means near Erfurt.Tomatoes,lettuce,broad beans,onions, andcucumbersare grown in the eastern portion of the region nearJenaunder glass centers on about 5 ha (12 acres) of land.  Thuringia is the second-largestherb-growing region in Germany; the town ofKölledawas once considered the "pepperminttown", where herb growers used to congregate to study herb cultivation.
One-third of Thuringia is covered in forest, and is considered to be one of the best game-hunting regions in Germany.  Anyone holding a valid hunting licenseand a local hunting permit for the area may hunt for game such asred deer,roe deer,wild boar,rabbit,duck, andmouflon(mountain sheep).Pheasantandcapercaillieare protected game species that may not be hunted.  The wooded areas also contain a wide variety ofedible mushrooms, such as chestnut mushrooms,porcini, and chanterelles, along with wild berries, such asblueberries,lingonberries,raspberries, andblackberries, which are all traditional accompaniments to game dishes.
The most famous foods from Thuringia areThuringian sausagesandThuringian dumplings. The state is also known for itssausages; steamed, scaled, and cured varieties are all prepared.  Popular varieties include ThüringerMettwurst(a spreadable cured sausage),Feldkieker(a cured, air-dried sausage dried up to eight months), ThüringerLeberwurst(a steamed pork and liver sausage), ThüringerRotwurst(a steamed blood sausage packed in a bladder or other natural casing)andMett(minced pork).
In general, the cuisine is very hearty and features many peculiarities of central Germany such as a great variety ofsauceswhich accompany themain dishand the fashion to serveKlößeorKnödelas aside dishinstead ofpotatoes,pastaorrice. A typical meal is SächsischerSauerbraten. Also muchfreshwater fishis used in Saxon cuisine, particularlycarpandtroutas is the case throughoutCentralandEastern Europe.
The rich history of the region did and still does influence the cuisine. In the blossoming and growing cities ofDresdenandLeipzigan extravagant style of cuisine is cherished (one may only think of thecrabas an ingredient in the famousLeipziger Allerlei). In other, impoverished regions where the people had to work hard to yield some harvest (e.g., theOre Mountains), peasant dishes play a major role; famous dishes originating from there includepotatoeswithQuark, potato soup or potato withbreadandlinseed oil. In theVogtlandregion, where the peasants were wealthier, the tradition ofSunday roastremains to this day. Typical sweets at Christmas are Pulsnitzer Lebkuchen, Dresdner or Erzgebirgsstollen and Liegnitzer Bombe.
Cereal graincultivation occupies 62% of the cultivated land inSaxony-Anhalt.Wheat,barley,oats, andryeare grown, with the rye being grown nearBorde, where it is used to makeBurger Knäckebrot, a flatbread produced there since 1931. Another 10% of the cultivated area is planted insugar beetsfor conversion to sugar, popularized after the 19th century, when the region had an economic boom.
German-Brazil cuisinebrought new types of food and beverage in Brazil or reinforced their utilizations by Brazilians. Thewheatculture in Brazil arrived by German immigrants.
Kuchen,Sauerkraut(known in Portuguese aschucrute, is also used as derogatory term to designate Germans, and people ofCentral Europeanorigin or descent in general),Eisbein, new types of sausage and vegetables are some examples of food introduced in Brazil by the immigrants. In Curitiba, sausage are commonly known asvina, from the GermanWiener(Wiener Würstchen). In Southern Brazil,Fruit preservesare known aschimia, from the GermanSchmier.
ChopporChope(from GermanSchoppen) inBrazilian Portugueseis the word fordraught beeror justbeer.Today,beeris the most consumed beverage in Brazil.The tradition of brewing in Brazil dates back to German immigration in the early 19th century. The first breweries date from the 1830s, although the brandBohemiais claimed to be the first Brazilian beer, with production starting in 1853 in the city ofPetrópolisfounded by the German-Brazilian Henrique Kremer. In 1913 there were 134 breweries inRio Grande do Sul.Brahmawas founded in 1888 inRio de Janeiroby the Swiss immigrant Joseph Villiger. Antarctica (Companhia Antarctica Paulista) was founded in the same year by the Brazilian Joaquim Salles and the German immigrant Louis Bücher inSão Paulo. In 1999 the two brands merged creatingAmBev.
German-Argentinien cuisineis a noticeable part of Argentine cuisine; the "Achtzig Schlag" cake, which was translated asTorta Ochenta Golpesin the country, can be found in some bakeries. In addition, dishes like chucrut (sauerkraut) and many different kinds of sausage-likebratwurstand others have also made it into mainstream Argentine cuisine.
German-Americansintroduced popular foods such ashot dogsandhamburgersto America.They also introduced America tolager, the most-produced beer style in the United States, and have been the dominant ethnic group in the beer industry since 1850.
The German foundedTsingtao Breweryis China's second largestbrewery, with about 15% of domestic market share and also accounts for half of China's national beer exports.
Elements of international cuisine (apart from influences from neighbouring countries) are a relatively recent phenomenon in German cuisine, compared with other West European states.Colonial goods shopsspread only in the 19th and early 20th centuries and brought luxury goods like cocoa, coconuts, rare exotic spices, coffee and (non-herbal) tea to a wider audience.
The first wave of foreigners coming to Germany specifically to sell their food specialties were ice cream makers from northern Italy, who started to arrive in noticeable numbers during the late 1920s. With the post-World War II contacts with Allied occupation troops, and especially with the influx of more and more foreign workers that began during the second half of the 1950s, many foreign dishes have been adopted into German cuisine —Italiandishes, such asspaghettiandpizza, have become staples of the German diet.In 2008, there were around 9,000 pizzerias and 7,000 Italian restaurants in Germany.The pizza is Germany's favourite fast food.
Turkish immigrantshave introducedTurkish foodsto Germany,notablydöner kebab.In November 2017, it was estimated that 1,500 döner kebab shops were present inBerlinand in circa 16,000 in whole Germany.
Arab(mostlySyrian,LebaneseorMoroccan),Chinese,Balkan,Japanese(especiallySushi) andGreek(especiallyGyros)restaurants and bars are also widespread in Germany.Indian(especiallyCurrydishes),Vietnamese,Thai, and other Asian cuisines are rapidly gaining in popularity since the early 2000s. Until the late 1990s many of the more expensive restaurants served mostly French inspired dishes for decades. Since the end of the 1990s, they have been shifting to a more refined form of German cuisine.
Before 1990, the cuisine fromEast Germany(1949–1990) was influenced by those of other nations within the formerCommunist bloc. East Germans traveled abroad to these countries on holiday (and vice versa as well), and soldiers coming to East Germany from these countries brought their dishes with them. A typical dish that came to the East German kitchen this way isRussianSoljanka.
Germany is the third largest agricultural producer in the European Unionand the third largest agricultural exporter in the world. In 2013, German food exports were worth around EUR 66 billion.Several food products are internationally known brands.AldiandSchwarz Gruppeare Europe's largest retailers.