8 Interesting Aspects of German Food Culture You Probably Didn’t Know
How much have you learnt about Germany as a nation in your live online German classes? Were you not curious enough to learn from your online German teachers about what the Germans like to eat and what German cuisine is all about?
Well, being a student of German a1 and German b1 you most probably have heard about beer, Sauerkraut and Bratwurst, sausages, and black forest cake. But this is not all! This post will share with you delightful insights about the eating habits and traditional cuisine of Germany.
Staple Meals –
German people, just like other natives in the rest of the world, prefer to have their main meals three times a day, i.e., breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
German Breakfast (Frühstück)–
German natives generally have their breakfast within 8 am in the morning. The breakfast usually consists of either a glass of orange juice or a cup/mug of hot brewed coffee or tea, along with light toasted brown bread and butter, eggs, salted meats and salami.
Nutella, honey, jams, or marmalade can be added according to one’s preference as toppings.
German lunch (Mittagessen) –
Most Germans work and therefore only have 30 minutes for lunch. Because of this short break, they prefer to eat things that can be easily reheated, like pasta. Germans also have salads and fruit, as well as sandwiches filled with cheese and meat.
German dinner (Abendessen / Abendbrot) –
A relatively smaller meal is preferred for dinner time by the Germans. It mostly consists of a variety of vegetables, meat or sausages, and many types of bread to make sandwiches. Fried onions are commonly added to meat dishes.
Side Dishes –
As a side dish, white asparagus is relished by the German natives. Noodles, dumplings, and potatoes are very commonly consumed by people residing in the Southern Germany. These noodles are usually much thicker than pasta in texture. Potatoes are served in a wide variety of forms like mashed (Kartoffelpüree), boiled (Salzkartoffel), baked (Bratkartoffeln) and as French fries.
Beverages –
Beer consumption is very common in entire Germany. Beer and wine are the most popular beverages in the world, and these are absolutely unparalleled in the entire Europe. The regional German brewers produce assorted beers, which are quite affordable and of good quality.
Do you know where the world’s oldest brewery is? It is in Bavaria. However, other parts of Germany, like Berlin, Stuttgart, the Ruhr, and Hessen produce and export beer to other parts of the globe.
Known for its natural delicacy, the German wine is world famous for having a balanced taste of sweetness and citrus.
Popular German Foods –
German natives are internationally well–known for their love for sausages. There are more than 1000 types of sausage preparations in Germany, the most popular of which is the “currywurst“. People here are also fond of baked items. There are around 6000 kinds of bread, including more than 1200 types of bread rolls. One can find bread museums in Ebergötzen and Ulm.
German doughnuts, black forest gateau, chocolate cakes, a variety of pastries, and a variety of other traditional German foods are very popular throughout the country.
Tipping (Trinkgeld) Culture –
When Germans dine out at a restaurant, they have the custom of leaving “Trinkgeld“, which means a generous tip given as a reward for good service. Though tipping isn’t obligatory, Germans prefer to tip the staff so that they can afford to buy their own drinks after work hours.
What you need to be aware of is to tip in the right manner. One should put the amount in the tip–jar if it’s available. Or you can also ask the staff during billing to add up a round figure.
There are thousands of dishes and beverages in German cuisine to explore. Food connoisseurs will undoubtedly be impressed by German delicacies.
