German Cuisine

Soup

Biersuppe is a traditional soup that is prepared by combining light and dark beer. Other ingredients in the soup are meat broth, water, flour, egg yolks, milk, cream, butter, and stale bread. The soup is simmered until it becomes thick and creamy. It is seasoned with salt and pepper but can also include sugar, honey, and spices like cinnamon and caraway seeds.

Fladlesuppe is a traditional Swabian soup that consists of rich broth with thin strips of fladle pancakes. These are German pancakes made with flour, eggs, milk or water, sugar, and salt. The soup is usually prepared with beef broth, but chicken or vegetable stock can also be used. The soup includes chunks of steamed or sauteed vegetables like leeks, carrots, celery, and green onions. The sliced and rolled strips of pancakes are placed into bowls and the hot soup is poured over them. The soup is topped with chopped parsley, chives, or celery leaves.



Meat

Himmel und Erde is a traditional dish dating from the 18th century and translates to Heaven and Earth. The dish is prepared with mashed potatoes paired with apple sauce. It is served with meat dishes and often blood sausage. 

Leberkassemmel is a classic Bavarian and Austrian sandwich. It includes a thick slice of leberkase, which is ground meat that has been baked into a meatloaf. It is placed on half a bread roll along with mustard and pickles. 

Frankfurter Wurstchen is a variety of sausage that comes from Frankfurt. The sausage is made from pork and stuffed into a natural sheep casing. The sausage is boiled and lightly smoked. Since it is pre-cooked, it is enjoyed with mustard, horseradish, or potato salad.

Kessler is a traditional Oktoberfest dish. It is prepared with cured and smoked pork accompanied by sauerkraut and mashed or boiled potatoes on the side.

Konigsberger Klopse is a delicious meal that consists of meatballs in a white sauce with a side of boiled potatoes and sliced pickled beets. The meatballs are prepared with veal and a small amount of either anchovies, sardines, or herrings. The white sauce is flavored with capers.

Sauerbraten is a traditional German pot roast. The beef is first marinated in red wine, tart vinegar, and spices. When ready for cooking, the liquid is whisked into a roux and simmered into a thick, brown gravy. This dish is usually served with spaetzle egg noodles, bread dumplings, or boiled potatoes, and braised red cabbage.

Schaufele is a traditional dish from the south of Germany. It is prepared with cured and smoked pork shoulder which is roasted or boiled. It can include various spices, onions, and root vegetables. The dish is served with gravy, potato dumplings, and a salad on the side.

Berliner buletten are meat pattie originating from Berlin. They are made with ground pork and beef, soaked bread rolls, eggs, sauteed onions, garlic, butter, parsley, caraway, salt, pepper, and oil. The dry rolls are soaked in hot water, drained, and added to the meat mixture along with sauteed onions, garlic, butter, parsley, caraway, salt, pepper, and oil. The mixture is shaped into patties and fried golden brown on all sides. They are served with creamy sauces, potatoes, and salads.

Knockwurst is a preboiled sausage made with ground pork, beef, or a combination of both. The sausage is heavily seasoned with garlic and the casing becomes extra crispy when heated. It is served with sauerkraut, potato salad, pickles, and mustard.

Leberwurst is a spicy German sausage that consists of ground pork liver, onions, and spices. It is usually eaten with sauerkraut. It can be used in sandwiches with cheese, mustard, and pickles.

Strammer Max is an open-faced sandwich served warm. Cured ham slices are placed on rye or wheat bread, which is seasoned with salt, pepper, and mustard. A fried egg is placed on top of the ham. 

Weihnactsgans is a traditional dish that is prepared for Christmas. It is made with a roasted goose stuffed with onions, prunes, chestnuts, apples, and/or dates. The goose is seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, and marjoram. It is served with dumplings, spaetzle, red cabbage, and gravy.

Rahmschnitzel is prepared with a veal cutlet, but pork or chicken can also be used. The meat is tenderized and seasoned, rolled in flour, and fried until golden brown. White wine is added to the pan to form a sauce with heavy cream and a bit of sugar. The dish is served with spaetzle or potatoes.

Rouladen are meat rolls filled with a variety of ingredients like thin strips of bacon and sliced pickles. Long thin beef steaks are pounded, seasoned, and layered with hot German mustard. Then rolled around the other ingredients and secured with toothpicks. The rolls are placed in a pot with water and simmered until the meat is tender.

Hendl is the Austro-Bavarian word for roasted chicken. The chicken is seasoned with salt and grilled. During the grilling process, it is often doused with melted butter. The chicken is served with potato salad.

Schweinebraten is a traditional pork roast originating in Bavaria. It is usually prepared on Sundays. The dish consists of sliced pork served with gravy, bread dumplings or potato dumplings, and red cabbage.

Seafood

Steckerlfisch is a whole fish gutted and cleaned. It is threaded on a stick and grilled over hot embers. The fish is usually white fish and trout. The fish is either marinated or dusted with seasoned flour and when done served in paper.



Desserts

Prinzregententorte is a smooth, layer cake covered in chocolate with a chocolate buttercream filling. The cake consists of thin cake layers covered with chocolate buttercream, then stacked together and covered with a chocolate coating. The layers can also include apricot or raspberry preserves. The cake featured eight layers representing the eight districts of Bavaria, and today there are only seven districts, so the cake has seven layers. 

Donauwelle is a German and Austrian sheet cake. The cake consists of two pound cakes, one on the bottom flavored with vanilla, and one on top flavored with chocolate. It is decorated with cherries, buttercream, and chocolate ganache. As the cake bakes the tart cherries fall down into the batter making an interesting pattern.

Kasekuchen is a German-style cheesecake. It is prepared with a thin layer of shortcrust pastry topped with a creamy combination of quark cheese, eggs, and occasionally various fruit. When served it is dusted with powdered sugar.