The Cuisine of Germany

[Jensen]

*Fruehstueck                    6AM

*Zweites Fruehstueck      10AM

*Mittagessen                    1PM

*Kaffee und Kuchen        3:30PM

*Abendbrot                      7PM

*Betthuepferl                10:30PM

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In English:

Breakfast 6AM

Elevenses 11AM

Lunch 1PM

Tea 4PM

Dinner 7PM

Bedtime snack 1030PM

Makes you wonder if it's not an English thing, eh?

[Darcie B]

In Augsburg they make a dish that is basically fried dough- like spätzle, but larger.  Forgive me, it's been 10 years since I've had them so the German name of the dish escapes me.  But they sure were good

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That sounds like keuchle/schlitz keuchle (sp?). My ancestors are all German on both sides of the family (from Baden Baden, Wiesbaden, and general NW I guess), although my great grandparents came to the U.S. via the Ukraine so some of the food influences of that region can be found in the food I grew up with in North Dakota. Please forgive the spelling of the following terms, they come from my grandmother who is not the greatest speller, and the German I took in H.S. did not include a lot of food terms.

I like kraut strudel, kase knephla (cheese buttons/dumplings), fleisch keuchla (lightly seasoned ground beef in dough, deep-fried), knephla soup (potato+dumpling (boy those Germans love their starch) in a very rich cream of chicken broth), fried dumplings (I forget the German name). I also like the vegetable soup that had lots of beets (must be the Ukraine influence?) The first time I had borscht I was struck by the similarity. An interesting recipe is blachenda (totally phonetic spelling there). It is a savory pumpkin filling in a flaky pastry pocket. Oh, and how can I forget cucumber salad? Take cukes, slice, put in a cream+vinegar sauce w/onions.

Touregsand--I think, though I may be mistaken, that the difference between strudel dough and phyllo is that strudel is a yeast dough. I remember my mom and grandmother stretching the dough until you could see through it, and saying not to nice words if it tore...

Edit to add: how could I forget about dessert? Kuchen (raised dough, topped by something similar to creme anglaise and dried fruit, usually prunes), honey cookies (very low fat but delicous), spritz cookies, rhubarb pie.

Edited April 14, 2005 by Darcie B (log)

[ludja]

*Fruehstueck                     6AM

*Zweites Fruehstueck       10AM

*Mittagessen                     1PM

*Kaffee und Kuchen        3:30PM

*Abendbrot                       7PM

*Betthuepferl                 10:30PM

←

In English:

Breakfast 6AM

Elevenses 11AM

Lunch 1PM

Tea 4PM

Dinner 7PM

Bedtime snack 1030PM

Makes you wonder if it's not an English thing, eh?

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I've also heard the second breakfast (in Austria anyway) "Gabelfruhstuck" or "fork breakfast" implying the need to eat it with a fork...

In visiting my grandparents in Austria we do sometimes eat off of that schedule or close to it...

A small breakfast of a Kipfel (or roll) with butter and honey or preserves and coffee. Then, a promenade downtown in the inner City (of Graz)-- around 10:30 or 11:00 we might stop off at a place to have "Brotchen" (open faced little sandwiches that are like canapes or smorgesbord)--might have a mini glass of beer with it (can't remember the special name for this; it's about 6-8 oz, it might be called something like a "pfif"). Then back home for midday main meal of meat, potatoes, salad and a fruit compote around 12:30 or 1:00. Later in the afternoon, stop off somewhere for a "kleine Braune" (an espresso llike drink) and a piece of Austrian pastry or torte. Later in the evening ~ 6:00 or so an "Abendbrot" of rye bread, cured meat like Speck or Kasslerripchen, pickles and cheese. And then, yes, might have a snack later on although that is the part we did least...

Note: I usually get up before breakfast for an hour walk around the city as it was waking up--wanted to burn extra calories so I could have my 'mid morning treat" and afternoon pastry...

Edited April 14, 2005 by ludja (log)

[ludja]

double post...

Edited April 14, 2005 by ludja (log)

[Jensen]

How common is horse meat in Germany? I've been thinking about trying it and, since I'll be going to Cologne in a couple of weeks, it seems like the perfect opportunity. Would it be easy to find in a restaurant or should I look for a Metzgerei and cook it at my friend's house?

[Adam Balic]

Labskaus

How interesting. The English form of the dish (most like now extinct) is called "Lobscouse" and was associated with being a sailors dish. A meatless version was called a "blind scouse" and from there you get the name for inhabitants of Liverpool. I had read that it was originally a Norwegian sailors dish, I didn't know about the german connection, thanks.

Edited April 14, 2005 by Adam Balic (log)

[albiston]

After 1945 in the DDR the Betthuepferl often took the place of all other five.

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Really funny.

Actually here in the East older generations still keep the eating habits they developed during DDR times which usually means a quite minimal breakfast at home around 5-6 AM, breakfast at work around 9AM, lunch around 12, supper between 5 and 6 PM.

Coffe and cake are usually reserved for week-end days.

[SobaAddict70]

So which came first, the latke, the potato pancake, Rosti, or McDonald's hash browns?

Ok, maybe not the last one.

Soba

[Peter B Wolf]

How common is horse meat in Germany? I've been thinking about trying it and, since I'll be going to Cologne in a couple of weeks, it seems like the perfect opportunity. Would it be easy to find in a restaurant or should I look for a Metzgerei and cook it at my friend's house?

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Glad to be able to help you.

I am not familiar with a restaurant in or near Cologne that serves horsemeat.

But a butcher is here who does sell Horsemeat. Have you friend call, the butcher might know a Restaurant that has horsemeat on their menu.

Köln-Ehrenfeld , Pferdemetzgerei M. Krosch

(seit 1920 in Familienbesitz) since 1920

Körnerstrasse 22

50823 Köln-Ehrenfeld

Tel.: 0221 / 2856935 oder 0172 / 7813772

Dienstag bis Freitag: Tuesday-Friday

09:00 - 18.30

Samstag: Saturday

09:00 - 14:00

Bestellungen und Anfragen auch per Email: derpferdemetzger@aol.com

Info & Ordering by email

Koernerstrasse is off to the right, leaving City Center going on 'Venloerstrasse' in a northwestnortherly (NWN) direction for about 4 miles.

[Jensen]

How common is horse meat in Germany? I've been thinking about trying it and, since I'll be going to Cologne in a couple of weeks, it seems like the perfect opportunity. Would it be easy to find in a restaurant or should I look for a Metzgerei and cook it at my friend's house?

←

Glad to be able to help you.

I am not familiar with a restaurant in or near Cologne that serves horsemeat.

But a butcher is here who does sell Horsemeat. Have you friend call, the butcher might know a Restaurant that has horsemeat on their menu.

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Thank you so much!

I told my friend yesterday on the phone that I wanted to try horse meat so will send her this information in anticipation of my visit. I guess I'd better go look for recipes too, just in case I end up cooking it at her house...

[Peter B Wolf]

Rote Gruetze

Aber wie!!!

If this is a question (but how?) here is the answer:

Rote Gruetze

This traditional north German dish. Rote Gruetze (the name means red groats) is a delicious, chilled fruit stew.

Ingredients

1 quart strawberries

1 quart rasperries or 2 bags frozen mixed berries, 12 oz. each

1 pint blueberries

1 pound sour cherries, pitted (or the equivalent amount canned cherries)

1 large bottle (48 fl. oz.) red fruit juice e.g. cranberry or cranberry/cherry

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch (please note: in this translation no Sago/Tapioka, as used by the Germans, is present). See below.

juice of half a lemon

dash of cinnamon

whole milk or half-and-half

Directions

Clean and prepare all fruit, removing stems. Place about two thirds of the fruit in a large saucepan, reserving one third for later.

Pour juice into pan.

Slowly bring contents of the pan to a boil over medium heat.

Meanwhile, measure cornstarch into a small bowl and add a little cold water to make a smooth liquid.

Remove the pan with the hot fruit mixture from the heat, add the cornstarch mixture to the fruit in a thin stream, stirring constantly.

Return pan to a low heat, again stirring constantly, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about one minute.

Add the remaining third of fruit, lemon juice and cinnamon to taste. Stir well to mix, and allow to cool. The consistency should not be as firm as jello or as runny as custard, but just that perfect point between.

Transfer to a decorative bowl. Serve with a jug of cold milk or half-and-half for pouring on the gruetze. Rote Gruetze is meant to be quite tart, so please

or in German:

Rote Grütze

halbfeste Grütze: Sago / Tapioka 65 g auf 1 Liter Flüssigkeit

feste, steife Grütze: Sago/Tapioka 100 g auf 1 Liter Flüssigkeit

Rhabarber, Aprikosen, Apflel, sogar Rosinen ergeben erstaunlich schmackhafte Grützen.

Zutaten: (für eine große Schale)

1 großes Glas entsteinte Sauerkirschen

1 mittelgroßes Glas Stachelbeeren

wer mag: 1 kleines Glas eingekochte Zwetschgen

Saft und etwas abgeriebene Schale einer Zitrone

ggf. etwas Apfelsaft

100 - 200 g Zucker (nach Geschmack und Obstsäre)

65 g Perl-Sago pro Liter Flüssigkeit

etwa 200 g Erdbeeren (Tiefgekühlte, im Frühsommer gern frische)

Mischung von Beeren (rote oder schwarze Johannis-, Brombeer-, Him- oder Preisselbeeren) ... tiefgekühlt als "Waldbeeren" erhältlich

Die Sauerkirschen, Stachelbeeren und (so gewünscht) die Zwetschgen fülle man aus den Gläsern in ein Sieb, das über einem Topf liegt. So kann der Saft gut abtropfen! Dazu gebe man den ausgepreßten Saft der Zitrone und etwas Zitronenschale.

Das abgetropfte Obst wird beiseite gestellt. Die erbeutete Menge Flüssigkeit wird nun in einen Meßbecher gefüllt und auf einen Liter aufgefüllt - ich nehme dazu lieber Apfelsaft statt simplem Wasser.

Man gebe die Flüssigkeit nun in einen ausreichend großen Topf und bringe sie auf dem Herd zum Kochen. Man süsse den Saft nach Geschmack mit 100 bis 200 g Zucker.

Währenddessen messe man 100 g Perlsago ab, den man unter steigem Rühren einrieseln lasse, sobald der Saft aufkocht. Nun wird auch das abgetropfte Obst aus dem Sieb dazugegeben. Der Sago muß nun etwa 15 Minuten bei geringer Hitze ausquellen, bis er ganz durchsichtig und weich geworden ist.

Erst kurz vor Ende der Garzeit gebe man das frische Beerenobst dazu - die Erdbeeren können ganz oder zerkleinert untergerührt werden.

Sobald der Sago gar ist, fülle man die noch heiße Rote Grütze in eine kalt ausgespülte Glas- oder Porzellanschale. Während des Erkaltens ab und zu umrühren, damitsich keine Haut bildet.

[Behemoth]

Rote Gruetze

Aber wie!!!

If this is a question (but how?) here is the answer:

Peter, which of these versions do you prefer? I don't think I've ever had it with sago.

I don't need a translation, but what exactly is Zwetschgen? Is it a type of plum, or a dialect word for plum?

Edited April 29, 2005 by Behemoth (log)

[Peter B Wolf]

Leberkäse (corned beef and bacon pie))

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The Leberkäse in my freezer is a veal meatloaf.

Sancerre, I've only eaten out in Regensburg...once at the Hof Brau for lunch (traditional food but neither too heavy nor greasy) and then at the Restaurant Brandner in the Sorat Insel Hotel. The meals I had there (two dinners) were also wonderful.

I am heading to Germany in a couple of weeks; half my time will be spent in Cologne and half in Münster. I will probably only get out to dinner in Köln as I will be camping while in Münster. This website looked interesting to me:

Kölner Brauhaus Wanderweg

Of course, that's not about food but rather about Kölsch...

(Edit for typo.)

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My Grandfather owned "Weinstuben Beiderlinden" in Muenster, my Dad was born in that building (long gone) in 1906, I had my apprenticeship ('51-'54) at the "Hotel Continental" (long gone) across the Train Station.

But " PINKUS MUELLER " Home Brewery and typical Muensterlaender Restaurant is still there, with wooden tables, names of many carved in, see if you can find my initials PBW

" http://www.pinkus-mueller.de/ "

see also : " http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0402/m...tergermany.html "

[Peter B Wolf]

Rote Gruetze

Aber wie!!!

If this is a question (but how?) here is the answer:

Peter, which of these versions do you prefer? I don't think I've ever had it with sago.

I don't need a translation, but what exactly is Zwetschgen? Is it a type of plum, or a dialect word for plum?

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When Sago is cooked, well Tapioka too, these round 'pearls' become a bit translucent, you want them to still habe a tiny bit of a bite ("Gruel"). I prfer Tapioka. (Sago was cheaper in my kid's days)

OK, Zwetschgen are plums, the 'Italian' kind here in the States, (prunus domestica) and in Germany it's mostly a dialect in the south and southwest.

Fellenberger Zwetschge

Bühler Frühzwetschge

Italienische Zwetschge

Deutsche Hauszwetschge

All seem to be more 'blueish', firm and 'freestone'

[cinghiale]

Rote Gruetze

Aber wie!!!

If this is a question (but how?) here is the answer:

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Not to go all didactic, but it means (with an exclamation point) "And how!" Nevertheless, thanks for the recipe. I usually just use the bagged stuff. From scratch, this I must try.

[BCinBC]

I had the very good fortune of doing a short but sweet 3 week tour of Germany, Austria and the Netherlands in 1990 (was in Berlin when the wall was about waist-high). I was a teen at the time, so my tastes have changed dramatically to say the least, but back then...

I loved:

currywurst - any street vendor wurst, but currywurst was my favourite

eis - I preferred lemon and strawberry but just about any flavour would do

weisbier - (or is it weissbier, and if so I apologize! What little German I used to know is now in the tank!) again, tastes have changed to where I actually like the taste of beer now, but this was pretty easy to drink then

I did not love:

leberkase - though the version I knew was the cold "liver loaf" not corned beef bacon pie (that actually sounds good!)