# Cooking something non-German for German hosts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [August 25, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332 "2022-08-25T15:10:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/21 "2022-08-26T03:03:18Z")
Chicken-fried steak, perhaps? It might be interesting for your hosts to try an Americanized version of a dish they’re familiar with (I.e. schnitzel), and it probably wouldn’t be too difficult to whip up a gluten-free version, with eggs and hashbrowns on the side. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/22 "2022-08-26T03:09:31Z")
Lol. I was just thinking that chicken fried steak would be a unique meal for them but Smapti beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/23 "2022-08-26T03:26:10Z")
Beer butt chicken is good, and a nice conversation piece. 🤣 Can’t go wrong with Carrol Shelby’s Texas Chili mix. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/24 "2022-08-26T03:30:46Z")
Oh, shit. I missed the stipulation about gluten. Never mind some of my suggestions. Roux is obviously not gluten free. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/25 "2022-08-26T10:42:07Z")
I have made a roux from GF “flour” with acceptable if not identical results. But I’ll test the recipe at home first. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/26 "2022-08-26T12:58:29Z")
Shrimp Creole has always been a favorite of mine; it’s pretty similar to sauce piquant. [Shrimp Creole (jfolse.com)](http://www.jfolse.com/recipes/seafood/shrimp20.htm) And if you need a side dish for anything Louisiana, Maque Choux (pronounced “mock-shoe”) is great. [Maque Choux with Sausage | Southern Living](https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/maque-choux-with-sausage) ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/27 "2022-08-26T13:21:58Z")
> [@Tarataratara](#): > > This recipe is delicious and the name is a conversation starter. [Man-Pleasing Chicken | Witty in the City](http://www.wittyinthecity.com/2011/08/man-pleasing-chicken/) It’s good served with a long grain and wild rice blend. Then, just add a salad or a green vegetable. The maple syrup and wild rice give it an American influence. I’m hoping it’s permissible to travel with maple syrup packed in your checked luggage. Regardless of whether I make this in Germany (I need to check what I can/can’t bring), that looks tasty. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/28 "2022-08-26T14:11:54Z")
I would make Texas Chili or a Tex-Mex dish. Depends on whats available in a German grocery. A easy Cajun dish is red beans and rice. The beans should be available in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/29 "2022-08-26T14:57:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I missed the stipulation about gluten. The jambalaya recipe I posted does not have a roux. Thickening is via the rice. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/30 "2022-08-26T16:49:01Z")
Yeah, jambalaya would be a good Creole/Cajun one that requires no roux/gluten. I wouldn’t call it a thickener so much as the base of the dish, but it’s definitely a good one, and a general crowd-pleaser. (It’s like Louisiana paella!) That’s what I’d lean towards vs. a traditional dish with a non-when flour in the roux, but I might be surprised with how well non-wheat flour toasts up. If it’s a blonde or which roux in the dish, the flavor of the roux itself is not quite as important, but once you get towards peanut-butter rouxs, then I have no experience. The roux is not just for thickening, but flavor (moreso the darker it is.) You can come thicken up a Cajun/Creole stew with. say, cornstarch easily enough, but it’d be different enough from the real thing. (Though somebody unfamiliar with the cuisine would probably not notice.) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/31 "2022-08-26T16:52:31Z")
Another vote for chili. I have a friend who lives in South Africa who’s never tried it, because she can’t get her hands on chili powder. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/32 "2022-08-26T17:19:39Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > because she can’t get her hands on chili powder. That wouldn’t be a problem in Germany at all. Same for red beans. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/33 "2022-08-26T17:34:48Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > she can’t get her hands on chili powder. Standard commercial chili powder is just a blend of common spices she probably can find. She could probably just make her own. In fact some people who are really serious about chili eschew chili powder and just use the individual spices. This is just the first recipe I found when I Googled “homemade chili powder”. It uses paprika, smoked paprika (optional), garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, oregano, and cumin. I assume that’s all stuff she can find, or likely already already has. > **[Homemade Chili Powder](https://www.spendwithpennies.com/homemade-chili-powder/)** > > Homemade Chili Powder is easy to make with spices you likely already have in your pantry. It's the perfect addition to soups, stews and casseroles! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/34 "2022-08-26T17:38:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, jambalaya would be a good Creole/Cajun one that requires no roux/gluten. I wouldn’t call it a thickener so much as the base of the dish Yes. Poor wording on my part. Just like making a pot of plain rice, the rice in the jambalaya absorbs the (yummy) liquid. So you’re right. The rice isn’t a thickener per se, but rather absorbs the liquid and ‘thickens’ the dish the same way plain rice ‘thickens’. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/35 "2022-08-26T17:42:59Z")
For a distinctly Southern American dish, you can’t go wrong with _Old Charleston-Style Shrimp and Grits_. It’s a favorite dish of mine and not too hard to make. Here’s a good recipe: > **[Old Charleston-Style Shrimp and Grits](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/220895/old-charleston-style-shrimp-and-grits/)** > > This shrimp and grits recipe is a traditional low-country favorite featuring tender shrimp, andouille sausage, and bell peppers served over cheese-flavored grits. You may need to bring a couple couple ingredients (like instant grits), but I’m pretty sure you can find shrimp (or prawns) in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/36 "2022-08-26T18:00:36Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > but I’m pretty sure you can find shrimp (or prawns) in Germany. That’d be absolutely no problem. I’m not quite sure what grits are though, so I don’t know if they’d be available here. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/37 "2022-08-26T18:01:26Z")
Ooo…shrimp and grits are always a good representation of American food. If you can’t get grits, polenta is pretty close. (Some say it’s the exact same thing – it doesn’t seem to be to me, but it’s close enough. I thought grits were typically hominy, which would make them different than polenta, but apparently not. The grits I typically use are hominy, which is made from nixtamalized corn.) I might also look towards the Southwest for something like chile verde/green chili. Chili in general (as mentioned by various posters) was always a hit when I lived abroad when cooking for the locals. As were Buffalo wings, but that’s messy and not usually eaten as a meal in and of itself. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/38 "2022-08-26T18:03:09Z")
Oh, if grits are something like polenta, then there’s no problem. There will be many Italian shops in Cologne where you can get it. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/39 "2022-08-26T18:20:58Z")
I need to check if there’s any pickiness re: shrimp but that’s a good a simple dish. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332/40 "2022-08-26T18:32:02Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Okra or file powder are the only things that would possibly be difficult to source, I think. Okra is easy to find in African speciality shops. In Cologne DuckDuck recommends > **[Die 10 Besten für ᐅ Afrikanische Lebensmittel in Köln 2023 ᐅ Kölner Branchen](https://www.koelnerbranchen.de/afrikanische-lebensmittel/koeln-ehrenfeld/1/ozeit)** > > Afrikanische Lebensmittel in Köln ▶️ 11 Afrikanische Lebensmittel mit Bewertungen ▶️ Adressen ▶️ Telefonnummern ▶️ Öffnungszeiten - Afrikanische Lebensmittel in Köln bei Kölner Branchen The filé powder I would bring to Europe. Makes good conversation with the guards at the border (bring something along to explain what it is - German border agents are known for their sense of humour. Enjoy!) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-something-non-german-for-german-hosts/970332.md?page=3)