Restaurant Tips
Every region in Germany has its own specialties. The most common German food is the sausage (Wurste), and every region has its own variation. Bratwurst is from Nurnberg. Bauernwurst (farmer's sausage) and Knockwurst are from Frankfurt. Leberwurst is from Hesse, Rinderwurst and Blutwurst (beef sausage and blood sausage) are specialties of Westphalia.
In Bavaria Zungerl (pigs tongue) and Wammerl (pigs stomach) are served with potato dumplings (Klosse) and cabbage. Schweinebraten (roast pork) often has Semmel (bread) dumplings as a side dish. Two other favorites are Kalbshaxen (veal shank) and Schweinshaxen (roast knuckle of pork).
Hamburg is known for an Aalsuppe (eel soup). Westphalia is famous for their ham. Pfefferpotthast is a spicy boiled beef made into a goulash.
Berlin is noted for Eisbein (knuckle of pork) and Erbsenbrei (pease pudding). The Berliner Sclachtplatte is a mixture of pig's kidneys, boiled pork along with liver and fresh blood sausage.
Rotkohl (red cabbage) is served with Sauerbraten (braised pickled beef that has been marinated). Himmel und Erde (heaven and earth) is a combination of potatoes and apples with blood sausage.
Speckkuchen (bacon pie) and Kasseler Rippchen (smoked pickled loin of pork) are two favorites in Hesse.
Fladlesuppe (pancakes cut-up and in soup) and Spatzle (pasta made of eggs, salt and flour) are found in Swabia and Franconia. Another dish from Franconia is Bamberger Krautbraten (meat-stuffed cabbage served with potato dumplings).
And finally, one of the best known German confections is a cherry cake called Schwarzwalderkirschtorte, from the Black Forest.
