German cuisine reminds us of American food in its emphasis on meat and potatoes, but the focus on sweet and sour flavors is strictly German.
Sweet and Savory
Popular sweet and sour dishes like sauerbraten (which combines a sour marinade with a sweet sauce) reveal a taste for flavors that hearken back to medieval cooking, when such combinations were popular across Europe. Vinegars, sugar, and fruits provide popular piquant sauces.
A Taste for the Tuber
The German love of potatoes--enjoyed in salads, dumplings and pancakes--is rivaled only by the Irish. But it wasn't always so. In the mid-1700s, Frederick the Great of Prussia demanded that dubious peasants plant the curious kartoffel. Fondness followed, but gradually.
Meat is Major
Roasted meats (braten), schnitzels, and sausages (there are more than 1,000 varieties) are star players of the German dinner plate. The prominence of meat-eating in German culture goes back to ancient times: Romans derided Germanic tribes for their vigorous meat consumption.
Find more recipes in our German Recipe collection.
Save This Article to Your Recipe Box?
It's easy! First, copy the article's web address (Url). Then click My Recipe Box at the top right corner of this page. Click Weblink at the top of your Recipe List and paste the Url in the space provided.